DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
 |
In the 1880's,
famous 20 mule team borax trains hauled their loads a grueling 165 miles
to the railroad in Mojave. |
Every year in November, thousands of campers gather at Death Valley National Park in California for the '49ers Encampment, one of the country's great music and art festivals. The year 2002 marks the 53nd anniversary of the event, and activities are slated for November 6-10th. This year also marks the 8th anniversary of Death Valley's designation as a national park and the enactment of the California Desert Protection Act. This landmark legislation designated two new national parks -- Death Valley and Joshua Tree -- and one national preserve -- the Mojave.
Comprising more than 3.3 million acres, Death Valley is the largest national park in the contiguous United
States. Bounded on the west by 11,049 foot Telescope
Peak and on the east by 5,475 foot Dante's View, which offers a vista of nearly all of Death
Valley, the park features spectacular desert scenery,
unusual wildlife, and
is an area of great geological, historical, and
cultural interest. Badwater, at 282 feet below sea level, is the lowest point in the
Western Hemisphere.
Visiting the Park
Death Valley NP is open all year, but with summer temperatures soaring above 120 degrees, unless you are extremely hardy, winter is definitely the best time to visit the points of interest in the valley. Visitation is highest from February to mid-April, but November is also busy. If you go, Furnace Creek is a good starting point. It is the most developed section of Death Valley, and it includes campgrounds, lodging, restaurants, a pool, and horseback riding. The Furnace Creek Visitor Center houses museum exhibits and the Death Valley Natural History Association bookstore.
The Furnace Creek Campground (open year-round) is available on a first come first served basis from mid-April through mid-October. From October until mid-April, visitors can book reservations there and at two group sites at Texas Spring Campground. The park includes a total of 9 campgrounds with more than 1,500 campsites. Different locations and elevations are open during different times of the year, and are generally available on a first-come, first-served basis.
 |
An explosion
crater in Death Valley's 20 Mule Team Canyon. |
Activities
Death Valley features a variety of attractions including a ghost town, remnants of gold and borax mining, and the home of a famous prospector, called Scotty's Castle. Nature lovers will appreciate the park's spectacular wildflower displays, snow-covered peaks, sand dunes, and other scenery. Visitors can explore the park by personal auto and 4-wheel drive (established roadways only), or by hiking or biking. Beginning in late October, park rangers offer programs that include stargazing, the desert environment, early railroads of the region, and geology. Programs are presented at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and at Scotty's Castle, where park rangers in period clothing present 1939 living history tours every day from 9am to 5 pm. Some tours take visitors into the canyons in the park.
For further information on Death Valley NP, call (760) 786-2331.
Other useful resources:
Maps of Death Valley - from the National Park Service.
