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Death Valley National Park

Thursday, November 14, 2024

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Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park

Spring water emerges at Badwater Basin which is named for the high salt content in the water.

Death Valley National Park

Much of Death Valley is well below sea level.

Death Valley National Park

Salts leech from rocks during rainfall and are then washed to the low points in the valley and are deposited when the rainwater evaporates.

Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park

The mountains are so varied in colour.

Death Valley National Park

This area is called the Artists Palette.

Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park

A railway line was eventually built to export borax.

Death Valley National Park

The badlands at Zabriskie Point.

Death Valley National Park

Although there is very little rainfall in Death Valley, it really shapes the landscape.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley is the hottest place on earth. In summer temperatures are often in the 50s. This time of year it's much less oppressive, although still warm for us with highs around 30°c. 

The park is huge with a total area greater than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Most of it is only accessible to off road vehicles but there's still plenty to see in an RV. 

The salt flats on the valley floor are rich in minerals which drove the initial development in the area. Borax mining was particularly important but was difficult due to the valley being so remote and in hospitable. Teams of mules were used to carry loads of borax away for processing. 

Death Valley was our final stop before returning to Vegas. We'd originally planned to stop at Joshua Tree National Park after Death Valley but we'd used up our prepaid mileage and decided that hours of extra driving and several hundred dollars or extra mileage and fuel weren't worth it.