Death Valley National Park

From Rhyolite, we took the 374 into Death Valley. We are now in the state of California (part of Death Valley is in Nevada).

Death Valley National Park

Looking toward California.

Death Valley National Park

Looking back toward Nevada. Even though I am a Californian, I have to say that Nevada looks much prettier here than does California.

Death Valley National Park

The state line looking backward.

Death Valley National Park

A view of Death Valley from Hell’s Gate––more of an overlook.

Death Valley National Park

Jason, our Pink Jeep Tours tour guide and driver, and our pink SUV (they call it an SUV). Since there were no doors in the passenger compartment, we got out from the back.

Onward.

This looks like a body of water but it is salt.

Death Valley National Park

Onward. All through Death Valley there are many colors of rocks adjutting each other, making for many spectacular views.

Death Valley National Park

Entrance to Furnance Creek Ranch. Death Valley National Park encompasses over 3 million acres of wilderness and is 156 miles long in a north/south direction. Our Pink Jeep Tour only visited the Furnance Creek area. When I was here with my husband, we stayed two full days and drove to other spectacular areas of the park (distances are often long between sites). You need at least one more day (three days total) if you do a lot of hiking or go off on unpaved roads. There is so much more to see in Death Valley than what we saw on this tour. If you drive your own car here, there are roads which you do not want to drive it on because its undercarriage will surely be damaged as well as its tires. Two options: rent a jeep in Las Vegas and tour Death Valley in it, or take one of the new tours offered by Pink Jeep Tours starting in Death Valley to hard–to–get–to places. When my husband and I were here we stayed here at the Furnance Creek Inn. There are other accommodations in the park.

Death Valley National Park

My tour group ate box lunches here: turkey sandwich, potato chips, cookies, and canned fruit. The Europeans were having a bit of trouble trying to figure out how to eat this typical American picnic.

Death Valley National Park

Looking back at the entrance to Furnance Creek Inn.

Death Valley National Park

Closer–up view through the entrance.

Death Valley National Park

We stopped at the Visitor’s Center nearby and then drove to the Devil’s Golf Course past the Furnance Creek Inn, a four–diamond resort (it even has its own air strip).

Death Valley National Park

The Devil’s Golf Course which is an alluvial fan. Our tour guide told us this is the best example of this type of geological feature in the world. You don’t want to walk on this as if you slip you will get cut up.

Death Valley National Park

Here, loads of sand on the ground.

Death Valley National Park

Onward to Badwater, our next stop.

Death Valley National Park

Badwater Basin. We are 282 feet below sea level. This is the lowest point in North America and the 7th lowest in the world, with the Dead Sea the lowest at 1360 feet below sea level. The basin is covered with salt that looks like ice.

Death Valley National Park

View of Badwater Basin.

Death Valley National Park

You can take a five–mile walk on the salt. The salt on the edges was crunchy but the path’s middle felt like walking on packed mud.

Death Valley National Park

A small pond at Badwater Basin. There is not much water in Death Valley but you will see small pools in various places.

Death Valley National Park

Looking backward. Sea level is where I drew a pink circle in the photo.

Death Valley National Park

The sea level sign.

Death Valley National Park

At our next stop: Zabriskie Point. You need to hike up the hill to the viewpoints.

Death Valley National Park

View from Zabriskie Point. I think this is one of the most spectacular viewpoints in Death Valley.

Death Valley National Park

Another view from Zabriskie Point.

Death Valley National Park

And another.

Death Valley National Park

And another.

Death Valley National Park

And another.

Death Valley National Park

And one more.

Death Valley National Park

Onward to our last stop: Dante’s View.

Death Valley National Park

View from Dante’s View. You drive up the mountain to Dante’s View. No hiking needed. The salt flats look like water.

Death Valley National Park

Another view from Dante’s View.

Death Valley National Park

And another.

Death Valley National Park

View of the road that we drove up to Dante’s View.

On Our Way Back to Las Vegas

On our way back to Las Vegas along the 190. The temperature in Death Valley was 90 degrees. You can expect 120 degree temperatures here in the summer, but the rest of the year it is not too hot. The highest temperature recorded at Death Valley was 134 degrees in 1913. Surprisingly, the park was nearly empty. We drove sometimes for miles without seeing another car.

Coming into Las Vegas

Coming into Las Vegas. You may be able to make out the buildings on the Strip in this photo.

Coming into Las Vegas

A closer–up view of the Strip.

Coming into Las Vegas

The mountains surrounding Las Vegas are quite spectacular.

Las Vegas

I made it back to my hotel just in time to change clothes and grab a taxi to take me to the Rio to meet my son, daughter–in–law, her father, and her stepmother for dinner. We stayed for the free casino show. I put a movie clip of the show on this website: Go to Movies, United States, Las Vegas, “Casino Show at the Rio.”