Death Valley National Park

The largest national park south of Alaska, Death Valley is known for extremes. Considered North America's driest and hottest spot, that was hard to fathom when you are here during the spring time with an offering of clear skies, mild temperatures and an ice chest filled to capacity with cold, refreshing fluids.

We bunked at Stovepipe Wells Village, one of the few National Park Lodges that allow pets. Although our room was basic with no frills, it was very clean and comfortable. On site, the Toll Road Restaurant offered a diverse menu and the food was quite “tasty”…especially by National Park standards. The service was very good and the staff super friendly, most likely because they were full time retired rv’ers…spending a few months in the desert working for their space and a few bucks.
This park is huge, so seeing all the “sights” in one day would have normally been impossible. But, not surprisingly, we did manage to see many of the highlights. 
Nearly surrounded by mountains on all sides, Mesquite Flat Dunes are tucked away a short distance from Stovepipe Wells. Judging by the number of photographers we saw with tripods and high end camera equipment, you would guess that the photo opportunities and lighting here must offer moments of perfection. You can see the sinuous sand dunes ripple in the horizon and come alive as changes of sunlight materialize throughout the day. Mornings are a great time to view hundreds of tracks of the nocturnal wildlife, while the afternoon sun accentuates the endless waves and patterns on the sand and then there is the night...where moonlight on the dunes can be magical.

Crowds and cars that were lined up waiting for a parking space prompted our decision to see this surreal landscape of a vast shimmering salt flat from a distance. Badwater Basin is considered the lowest point in North America. It’s pretty “moonie”…but a few years ago it did fill up with water during some heavy rains. 

"Death Valley"...the name is a forbidding moniker that truly disguises the beauty in this vast desert. Here you will find rocks that are sculptured by wind and erosion, richly tinted mudstone hills and canyons, luminous sand dunes, a lush oasis, and miles of salt pan surrounded by mountains. But even in such a harsh environment, life flourishes and species thrive amid the brutal surroundings. We witnessed how the spring rains can trigger wildflower blooms amid all the varieties of plants, as the desert provided us an early preview of this color spot nursery. 

There are even happy schools of fish here! A short walk on the Salt Creek Interpretive Trail brought us up close and personal with the facinating pupfish. This stream of saltwater is the only home to this rare inch long fish that defies the extremes and challenges even with the most difficult obstacles. It continues to swim and breed within these springs which can be as warm as 90°F and five times as salty as ocean water.

And as sunset neared, we took our evening walk among the prickly pear cactus and islands of creosote bush. Gazing at the valley’s landscape and striking copper colored canyon walls, the gentle breeze and peacefull stillness allowed us to imagine Death Valley's unseen wildlife. The elusive population of bobcats, kit foxes, kangaroo rats and chuckawallas venturing out in search of nourishment. Desert bighorn sheep, on steep mountain slopes surrounding us, foraging among the Joshua trees and scrubby junipers, while above us, Ravens gracefully soared on thermals rising into vivid blue, cloudless skies.

Soon we will be in Southern Utah, along side our dear friends, admiring and exploring the red canyons of the Paria Wilderness.