DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
CALIFORNIA/ NEVADA BORDER: Visited July 2020
Death Valley National Park was established in 1994. This spicy desert is over 5,270 square miles, making it one of the largest National Parks. Death Valley is home to the second lowest point in the western hemisphere and the lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin sitting at 285 feet below sea level. The hottest day recorded in death valley was 134 degrees in 1913 and 130 degrees in 2021.
During the “winter” months, there are plenty of hikes and view points to see in Death Valley. This unique and other worldly landscape will have you in aw.
However, during the summer, there is no hiking allowed for obvious reasons. This is the hottest place in North America. It is also completely dry with no water so people dehydrate alot faster than you would think. Cars will also overheat and leave you stranded so it isn’t recommended to travel far from the visitors centers.
BADWATER BASIN
Distance: 1 mile Elevation Gain: 0 feet Approximate Time: 30 minutes
During my time in Death Valley, it was 126 degrees! We decided it was best to only go to the visitors center and then to Badwater Basin a couple miles down the road
Badwater Basin is named as such because it is a salt flat. Whenever there is any water in this area, it is far to salty to be able to drink.
During the winter months, you can walk along the salt flats. But during the summer, it was so hot, the second I stepped out there, the soles of my shoes started to melt!
As a recreational scuba diver, this was a very exciting experience. The max average depth for a recreational scuba diver is only about 120 feet below sea level. My traveling companion made the remark that this would likely be the farthest below sea level we would ever be.
In Fall 2023, Death Valley experienced large amounts of rain from the hurricanes. This created a “temporary” lake. It is not uncommon to see water in Death Valley, though it is an unusually phenomenon to have it stick around for this long!
It was quite a beautiful and unusual site I was lucky enough to see. As of December (2023), the lake should be gone.
ARTIST’S PALETTE
Distance: .3 miles Elevation Gain: 75ft Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Artist Palette is a 5 mile paved road off of the main drag of Badwater Basin Road.
There are spots to pull over and get a look at the multi-colored rocks and dirt as well as a small path you can walk to get to the most vibrant section.
The road is one way, one lane. So once you are on it, you have to do the full drive.
Rhyolite, Nevada
Rhyolite is a pretty cool nearby ghost town I would absolutely recommend if you are on the Nevada side of Death Valley. It is only about 10 minutes outside of the park.
Rhyolite was established in 1904 as a gold mining town. The town had 4,000 people in living in it during it’s heyday. There were stores, hotels, a school for over 200 children, opera house, even an ice cream parlor!
Eventually the mine dried up though and the industry was shut down. The electricity was officially shut off to the town in 1916 and it became a ghost town. A very short lived, prosperous little city!
Today, the ghost town is completely abandoned. There are ruins of the old bank and jail house, bottle house, assorted houses and stores. The old train station is the spookiest, most intact structure, although it is privately owned and normally has a fence around it. No trespassing! Although it is a ghost town, there is usually some tourist as well as a sheriff in the area.
