{"id":2653,"date":"2011-12-14T03:28:56","date_gmt":"2011-12-14T03:28:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/?p=2653"},"modified":"2022-09-21T19:25:36","modified_gmt":"2022-09-21T19:25:36","slug":"death-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.backroadswest.com\/blog\/death-valley\/","title":{"rendered":"Death Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How to Visit Death Valley:<\/h3>
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This is an introductory tour to the places to see and experience in and around Death Valley National Park.<\/strong>\u00a0 We\u2019ve all heard of Death Valley. Maybe, some of us have been attracted to the name Death Valley because there might be a hint of danger and adventure. Others may have been attracted to its unique features, such as its colorful geology and history. \u00a0But what is in Death Valley, what does it look like and where is it located? \u00a0Well, this article and accompanying virtual video tour should\u00a0help give you an idea.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Extreme heat, extreme dryness and extreme beauty. It is one of North America\u2019s most unique regions and one of the biggest national parks. The combinations of geological forces here have created a magnificently rugged and colorful desert landscape that\u2019s surrounded by 11,000+ ft. snow-capped peaks making it a place without equal!<\/p>

One of the many interesting facts about Death Valley is that the lowest spot in North America is located in Death Valley. What\u2019s even more interesting is that this lowest spot is less than\u00a0100 miles from the highest spot in the contiguous 48 states. Another fact about Death Valley that seems to surprise most people is that the harsh climate here is home to a wide variety of both plants and animals.<\/p>

So you want to visit\u00a0Death Valley?<\/h3>

This article provides a few\u00a0pointers\u00a0on planning a trip to Death Valley. \u00a0Scrolling down will mention\u00a0a few things\u00a0on Death Valley’s more popular attractions. \u00a0If you like exploring with wheels, both on and off pavement, or with\u00a0your own two feet, then there are dozens of attractions\u00a0to visit. \u00a0Death Valley is also rich in history, including some pretty crazy\u00a0tales. \u00a0People come from all over to see Death Valley’s unique and colorful geology that exists nowhere\u00a0else in North America but here.<\/p>

One of the best ways to learn about Death Valley is to visit one of the area visitor centers or museums. \u00a0Scrolling down will include an interactive map showing where such facilities are located that we have visited and feel you should too.<\/p>

Our article also includes a virtual video tour that points out and shows what different places and attractions look like. \u00a0This will help you choose what you’d like to take the time to see for yourself.<\/p>

Naturally, you will need to stay a night or two in the Death Valley region\u00a0during your visit. \u00a0We don’t recommend just doing a day trip from say, Las Vegas. \u00a0Below is\u00a0an interactive map showing where hotels, fuel and supplies are located. \u00a0Since there are many campgrounds, we do not point those out, however there are campgrounds at the same locations where hotels are located.<\/p>

We are certain this article will help you plan your foray into\u00a0Death Valley. \u00a0Providing you fall in love with the area like we did, then we invite you to learn about our own on-line “virtual tour guide”\u00a0of Death Valley<\/a>. \u00a0It has a wealth of information. \u00a0Its goal is to\u00a0help you learn about places and\u00a0activities that may or may not interest you by viewing the thousands of pictures of the area, along with detailed maps and descriptions. \u00a0Identifying what\u00a0interests you will help you plan your time accordingly.<\/p>

World’s Hottest Place<\/h3>

On July 10, 1913, the daily temperature reading at Furnace Creek in Death Valley was taken.\u00a0 It was 134 degrees (57 C).\u00a0 Soon this was recognized as the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth<\/em>.\u00a0 However, less than a decade later in 1922, 136 degrees was recorded in the desert of Libya.\u00a0 Although Death Valley temperatures ventured into the 130 range several times since 1913, they never surpassed 134.<\/p>

When the 2011\u00a0revolution in Libya exposed numerous government records, the World Meteorological Organization was able to determine that the 136 record taken in Libya could not have ever occurred.\u00a0 Thus, the original record holder for the \u201cworld\u2019s hottest temperature\u201d went back to Death Valley. \u00a0So what was Omar Gaddafi\u2019s loss ended up being Death Valley\u2019s gain.<\/p>

Wildflower Blooms<\/h3>

One of the more popular attractions in Death Valley is its wildflower blooms that occur usually around March and April. \u00a0One of the biggest blooms in modern times occurred in 2005. \u00a0It occurred in late March and followed very abundant rainfall in December and January. \u00a0There was so much rainfall in and around Death Valley, that the dry lake bed of Death Valley, known as ancient Lake Manly, actually became a large lake for several months.<\/p>

Predicting when a bloom will occur is tricky. \u00a0It usually follows 2-4 months after significant rainfall. \u00a0It also depends on where the rain occurred and how hard or soft it fell. \u00a0Some parts of Death Valley will be covered with flowers because this is where the rain fell. \u00a0Other\u00a0parts, where rain didn’t fall, may have very little flowers. \u00a0Other factors that would stunt a bloom is a cold (freezing) snap a month or two after the rainfall or high winds, which can both damage the fragile plants.<\/p>

To time your visit during the next bloom, your\u00a0best bet is to monitor the park’s website at\u00a0www.nps.gov\/deva<\/a>.<\/p>

To see a preview of the flowers you may see and learn a little bit more about them, see our separate article on Mojave Desert Wildflowers<\/a>. \u00a0Our virtual tour guide<\/a> includes a comprehensive\u00a0list of flowers, plants and animals that live in Death Valley.<\/p>

Scotty’s Castle<\/h3>

One of Death Valley’s biggest attractions is Scotty’s Castle. \u00a0And one of Death Valley’s most iconic historical figures is\u00a0Walter Edward Scott, better known as “Death Valley” Scotty.<\/p>

Scotty’s Castle is located in the northern portion of Death Valley. \u00a0It is 54 road miles (86 km) from Furnace Creek.<\/p>

The story of Scotty and his beloved Death Valley is certainly an interesting one. \u00a0He was a brilliant and flamboyant con man. \u00a0He captured the imagination of thousands through his stories of rich but secret gold mines in Death Valley. \u00a0He staged elaborate\u00a0acts, such as chartering a Santa Fe train dubbed the “Death Valley Coyote” to break the speed record from Los Angeles to Chicago. \u00a0The story of Scotty is much too long to share in this article. \u00a0There are several\u00a0books about the life of Death Valley Scotty. \u00a0Scotty’s story is also covered in our virtual tour guide.<\/p>

One person that got caught up in one of Scotty’s cons was a wealthy businessman named Albert Johnson. \u00a0Although Scotty conned him out of a good sum of money, Albert nonetheless enjoyed Scotty’s stories and the trips he took\u00a0into\u00a0Death Valley. \u00a0Eventually, with Scotty at his side, Albert built\u00a0a large vacation home in Death Valley. \u00a0This would become Scotty’s Castle.<\/p>

In late 2015, a heavy downpour flooded a good portion of Scotty’s Castle and its grounds. \u00a0Mud flows filled many rooms and adjacent\u00a0buildings, plus it partially filled the castle’s unfinished swimming pool. \u00a0Significant damage was done and cleanup efforts will likely take a year or more. \u00a0The castle will not be open to visitors until possibly the beginning of 2017.<\/p>

Below\u00a0are “now and then” pictures of Scotty and Albert sitting in the main room of Scotty’s Castle:<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Click and move your mouse back and forth to see “now and then” pictures of inside Scotty’s Castle. \u00a0In the picture from left to right are Albert’s wife\u00a0Bessie, Scotty (Walter Edward Scott) and Albert Johnson.<\/p>

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Shop for Death Valley<\/span><\/strong> items<\/h3>

Scroll down to see and shop for Death Valley related items from Amazon.<\/p> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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