Death Valley is the eastern-most of several graben (or rift) valleys that run north-south in this part of southern California, between the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Rocky Mountains in the east. Each valley is separated from the next by a mountain range. Since most moisture comes from the west, by the time it reaches Death Valley, travelling over several mountain ranges, the air is exceedingly dry. The valley contains the lowest point in the United States (-282 ft). The surrounding mountains reach as high as 11,331 ft (Telescope Peak). Hot air rising from the valley bottom is trapped between the mountains and circulates vertically, becoming hotter during each circulation until it reaches record temperatures.

Dante’s View

Dante’s View, rising 5,500 feet above the valley floor is a great place from which to view the entire valley, from the flats, through the surrounding hills, up to the mountains:

Badwater Basin

Descending to the lowest point (Badwater Basin), one can “enjoy” the hottest temperatures in the park (108F when I visited):

As well as the seemingly endless (200 square mile) salt flats:

Artists Palette

Climbing into the foothills, one encounters a variety of rock colors, evidence of different metal-containing minerals:

Borax

Death Valley has been the site of a great deal of prospecting; the most valuable material turned out to be borax, which was transported out of the valley by the well-known “Twenty Mule Teams.” One of the “trains” that they pulled remains:

Ubehebe Crater

There is evidence of recent volcanic activity at Ubehebe Crater, at the northern end of the park (though vulcanism was not a dominant factor in the formation of the valley):

Mesquite Sand Dunes

What would a desert be without sand dunes?

The best time to visit these is in the morning (or at night, if one is interested in sidewinders and other interesting critters) since the surface temperature in the hotter afternoons is said to be high enough to melt the soles of regular shoes!

Zabriskie Point

Finally, some views of the badlands from Zabriskie Point, (made famous, for film buffs, by the 1970 Antonioni film):

Time to bid farewell to Death Valley. Next stop, a short visit to the Channel Islands National Park!