| Death Valley National Park ((in)Death Valley National Park) | |
.jpg/210px-Aguereberry_Point_-_View_South_(3811736781).jpg) | |
| View to the south from Aguereberry Point | |
| Information | |
| Country |  United States |
|---|---|
| Region | California |
| IUCN Category | II (National Park) |
| Administration | National Park Service |
| Area | 13 600 km² |
| Location | |
 36 ° 27 ′ 36 ″ N 117 ° 8 ′ 24 ″ W | |
| Official site | |
Located south-east of Yosemite National Park and north-west of Las Vegas, the Death Valley is an immense furrow carved in a mineral and desert landscape, down to -86 meters below sea level, the lowest point on the continent American. Since 1984, the park has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Understand
Major characteristics of this National Monument:
- breathtaking lunar and varied landscapes
- inhuman heat (45 ° C in the shade in summer without a bit of humidity in the air) which made more than one pioneer want to go from the East Coast to California to dry in the sun.
- plants and animals with extraordinary adaptability.
To go
Given the extent of the Park and the diversity of must-see attractions, it is better to come and visit Death Valley by car.
The roads are not numerous (2 main which intersect) and to put it simply, you will arrive by the 190:
- or by the West from Yosemite.
- either from the east from Las Vegas.
In summer on a motorbike, be very careful; arrival in the evening or early in the morning with a stopover every 20 min to drink; on the other hand, you will feel the impression of gradually descending into a forced-air oven; the road is admirable.
Information
- 1 Furnace Creek Visitor Center
- 2 Stove Pipe Wells Ranger Station
To see
In addition to the immensity of the landscape forged by the harsh climate, superb views and mineral and geological wonders are absolutely worth the detour:
- 1 Zabriskie Point – superb point of view on lunar and colorful landscapes. Must do at sunrise or sunset with a tripod for panoramic photos. Name of an Antonioni movie too
- 2 Sand dunes – Saharan sand dunes, in the middle of the Valley, shaped by the meeting of the winds which brought the grains of rock to this place
- 3 Dante's View – viewpoint dominating the whole Valley, not far from Zabriskie Point. Magnificent view
- 4 Devil's Golf Course (Devil's Corn Field) – strange formations of salt and earth litter the ground as far as the eye can see. It seems that in winter, the wind vibrates the expanding crystal structure and produces hallucinating sounds.
- 5 Bad Water – Lowest point on the American continent (-86 m). A sort of mini-pond of brackish water (rest of the sea that covered the place a few million years ago) surrounded by a blinding immensity of salt, itself surrounded by mountains as far as the eye can see. It is very, very hot there ...
- Black Montain:
- Inyo Montains:
- Ubehebe Crater:
- Peak Telescope:
- 6 Artist Drive (the artists' palette) – lovers of colorful rocks, brace yourself. Taking a one-way road, you will meander through a canyon that will delight your eyes (and your ekta dandruff). Each mineral brings a different color to the rock and it is superb.
- Harmony:
- Rhyolite:
- Ashford Mill:
- Lost Buro Mine / Charcoal Kilns of Wildrose Canyon:
- 7 Scotty's Castle
Housing
It is not very interesting to stay in Death Valley: a big half day is enough to visit the major attractions and the nightlife is like the (dead) valley.
- 1 Furnace Creek ranch – Good value for money
- The nearest stopover town is Beatty, Nevada: the brand new Motel 6 or a trucker hotel will do the trick for those wanting to make a dorm stopover.
- In Tecopa: Pitches for camper vans or tents. Tecopa is located just over an hour from Furnace Creek (2 h, if you pass Badwater Road). In Tecopa you can enjoy natural hot springs.
Maintain health
The proverb "Water is health" has never been so meaningful: provide at least 4 liters of water per person in the trunk of the car and remember to hydrate very frequently. Indeed, the air is so dry that you do not feel that you are losing liters of water in perspiration, since they evaporate instantly.
If you put the air conditioning, remember to cut it in the hills, otherwise your engine may suffer (water points, not drinkable, for car radiators throughout the valley). Also beware of violent thermal shocks (air conditioning 18 ° C and air to 45 ° C never mix well).
