Nature in the Valley
Where
to Stay
The Valley
Before the mid 1800s, there was no "Dante's
View," nor was there a "Devil's Corn Field." These names
were coined by the hustlers and con men who sought to
attract visitors and investors to this burgeoning mining
area. As little mining towns were built on the higher
slopes of the Funeral, Black and Panamint mountains, the
name-coiners were busy attracting rubes to invest in
their low-grade and no-grade mines. Although several
successful mining ventures were launched, much of the
hype was bogus. And whereas a lot of eastern and San
Francisco investors lost money, this has become one of
the enduring charms of Death Valley, adding a human
dimension to the natural mystique.
Sitting just west of the Nevada boundary,
in the basin and range district of the Mojave Desert,
Death Valley is all but surrounded by mountain ranges,
with a few roads connecting the valley to the outside
world through narrow passes. On the east side of the
valley is the Amargosa Range, comprised of three separate
units. The Grapevine Mountains are at the north, with the
Funeral Mountains defining the central section. The Black
Mountains lie in a north/south direction between Furnace
Creek Wash and the southern end of the valley at Jubilee
Pass. The Owlshead Mountains lie in a circular position
at the extreme south end of the valley.
The western side of the valley is defined
by the Panamint Range, with Telescope Peak its highest
spot at an elevation of 11,049 feet. Beyond the
Panamints, to the west, is the long, dry Panamint Valley.
To the east of the Amargosa Range is the Amargosa Desert,
striated by the wide washes of the Amargosa River which
intermittently flows south from Beatty, Nevada, through
Death Valley Junction, curving to the west and then north
to enter Death Valley below Jubilee Pass.
The valley is more than 100 miles long. The
southern portion is the Amargosa River sink, dry for most
of the time, with a shallow, intermittent lake created by
winter rains in some years. The lake disappears soon
after the rains cease in the spring. The central part of
the valley is hard salt pan. Here is the lowest point in
the hemisphere, 282 feet below sea level, and the
spring-fed oasis at the mouth of the Furnace Creek Wash,
on the eastern side of the valley.
Today, we find the national park
headquarters and overnight accommodations in this area,
including Furnace Creek Ranch and Furnace Creek Inn.
Zabriski Point is a major geological feature. The
northern third of Death Valley is bordered by the
Panamint and Grapevine Mountains, containing a large area
of sand dunes near Stovepipe Wells Village. Farther north
is more salt pan, and a dormant volcanic area which
includes Ubehebe Crater. Grapevine Canyon is one of the
three eastern exit routes from the Valley, and the
location of Scotty's Castle. At the extreme north end of
the valley&emdash;reached by road from Nevada&emdash;is
the old Palmetto mining area including the hamlet of
Lida.
The daily temperature is a popular talking
point for visitors. The hottest-ever temperature recorded
in Death Valley was 134 degrees F. (56.7 degrees C.), on
July 10, 1913. This is second only to a higher
temperature taken in Africa. However, this reading was
made at Furnace Creek, at a point higher than Badwater.
Long-time Death Valley residents say that daily
temperatures at Badwater are consistently higher than at
Furnace Creek. Could Death Vally be the hottest place on
earth? We think so!
Entry Fees
Vehicle Entrance Fee: $20.00 - valid for
seven days. This permit allows all persons traveling with
the permit holder in one single private, non-commercial
vehicle (car/truck/van) to leave and re-enter the park as
many times as they wish during the 7-day period from the
date of purchase.
Individual Entrance Fee: $10.00 - valid for
seven days. This permit allows a single individual
traveling on foot, motorcycle, or bicycle to leave and
re-enter the park as many times as they wish during the
7-day period from the date of purchase. Passports are
valid for waiver of the vehicle entrance fee. The Death
Valley Park Pass costs $40.00 and is good for one year's
entrance into Death Valley National Park ONLY. Campground
Fees range from $10.00 to $16.00 per night.
For information, call the Park office at
(760) 786-2331.
Life in Death Valley
Ecology
There is abundant life in what many
consider to be a desolate waste. The life is subtle,
tolerant of the arid and saline conditions, but it is
there. More than 900 kinds of plants are found within the
boundaries of the national park, ranging from saltbush
and cacti on the valley floor to juniper, pinyon pine and
mountain-mahogany, with bristlecone pine at the top of
the Panamint Mountains. Spring wildflowers wave
delicately on the gravel fans, roadsides, and in mountain
valleys. Animals run, skitter and scrape as they cross
the salt pan and the sandy dunes. Bighorn sheep graze on
the mountainsides.
Because of the tremendous variation in
elevation between the valley floor and the top of the
mountain ranges, there is a great diversity in
ecosystems. The highest biotic zone in the park is the
Canadian, characterized by limber and bristlecone pine.
This zone is restricted to the topmost parts of the
Panamint Range, north and south of Telescope Peak. Lower,
is the pinyon-juniper woodland zone (Upper Sonoran), with
the Lower Sonoran Zone marked with stands of creosote
bush mixed with burroweed, near the bottoms of the
alluvial fans, with desert holly surviving a little
higher on the fans. The spring-fed oases should be
considered an anomaly. Furnace Creek Ranch is a freakish
version of the Lower Sonoran Zone, one that is largely
man-made and not very natural, although pleasant to visit
with its palo verde and acacia trees, and towering date
palms. A more natural palm oasis surrounds the springs
above Scotty's Castle in Grapevine Canyon, although that,
too, has had some enhancement with copious plantings.
The pinyon pine grows down to 5,500 feet,
while the bristlecone or foxtail pine is seen only at
11,000 feet. At the other end of the ecological scale, no
plant grows on the salt pan. In the narrow areas at the
sides of the salt pan, creosote bush is the primary
vegetation. There is a diversity of life in the briny
wetlands of Salt Creek. The desert pupfish, an endangered
species, lives in the creek. This is the sole survivor of
the fish which inhabited the valley when the water was
fresher and more abundant. March is the best time to see
this tiny, silvery fish which lives in water with more
salinity than sea water. Only a small percent survive the
hot summer months when the creek becomes super-hot and
almost dries up.
Salt-loving plants are rare but several
live in this harsh environment. Pickleweed and salt grass
are found in the salt marsh. They need water, however,
and are not found outside this ecosystem. Arrowweed,
another salt-tolerating plant, is found in the Devil's
Cornfield, near the sand dunes and Stovepipe Wells
Village.
Beetles and fly larvae have adapted to the
salty water. Insects are prime food for the pupfish.
Higher on the food chain, coyotes and larger birds,
especially ravens, dine on pupfish. Among the other birds
you'll see around the marsh are kildeer, spotted
sandpiper and common snipe.
The great blue heron is a sometimes
visitor, as is the wood duck. Mallards and eared grebes
are infrequently seen throughout the spring months. The
turkey vulture is the most numerous raptor in Death
Valley. Mississippi kites are seen on a casual basis, as
are broad-winged and Swainson's hawks. Coyotes and
sidewinders are the kings of the valley floor and feed on
small rodents.
Higher, in the mountains is another
collection of birds and animals. The hardiest survivor is
the burro. Death Valley burros were brought here and
abandoned by prospectors. Living handily off the mountain
vegetation, the burros have had a population explosion,
resulting in a live capture program conducted by the Park
Service. The largest native animal is the bighorn sheep,
which roam at various levels on the mountain slopes,
depending on the time of year. Other animals to be found
above the valley floor include deer, bobcat, kit fox and
mountain lion.
Down on the dunes is an amazing aggregation
of small game, including rabbits, various rodents and
lizards. The animals and birds were hunted by Indians for
hundreds of years. Rodents are very numerous. They
include the desert wood rat (pack rat), kangaroo rat,
antelope ground squirrel, round-tailed ground squirrel,
white-footed mouse, and two types of rabbits: jack and
cottontail.
Many of the same reptiles that live in the
deserts of Nevada and Arizona live here too: desert
iguana, collard and zebra-tailed lizard, horned and
striped lizard, and chuckwalla. A few pests should be
considered for avoidance. The scorpion in particular is
common on the valley floor, hiding under rocks and on
damp ground.
What to See and Do
Day Hikes
Sand Dunes Hike
This 4-mile round trip hike leads across
the central sand dunes from the parking area, 2.2 miles
east of Stovepipe Wells. You'll see animal tracks on your
way to the 80-foot-high dunes. It's best to do this in
the early morning or late afternoon. The area is also
open for moonlit hiking.
Keane Wonder Mine Trail
This is a 2-mile round trip, starting at
the parking area at the mouth of Titus Canyon. Drive 3
miles from Scotty's Castle Road, on a gravel road. This
very steep trail climbs from the ruins of a mill to the
mine, located 2,000 feet above the road. There are fine
views of Death Valley from the mine.
Keane Wonder Springs Trail
A 2-mile round trip, this trail departs
from the Keane Wonder Mill parking area, 2 miles off the
Beatty Cutoff Road. From the trailhead, follow the
pipeline north along the base of the mountain to the
sulphur springs and travertine mounds. An old stamp mill
and cabin are located beyond the springs.
Mosaic Canyon Trail
The trailhead for this 2-mile return walk
is located two miles from Stovepipe Wells. Take Mosaic
Canyon Road from State Route 190. This is an easy, and
very popular, hike up the narrow canyon, some of it over
slickrock. The Mosaics are rock fragments which are
cemented together in the walls of the canyon. You may see
bighorn sheep on this walk.
Golden Canyon Trail
Another 2-mile route, the trailhead is at a
parking lot at the end of a short side road which leads
from Highway 178 (Badwater Road), south of Furnace Creek.
An easy, self-guided trail with trail guides available at
the park visitor center, the walk leads through the
narrow canyon. Red Cathedral is located half a mile up
the canyon, beyond the final trail marker.
Backcountry Hikes
Jayhawker Canyon Trail
This moderate backcountry hike has an
elevation gain of 2,600 feet, starting at the 3,000-foot
level, on State Highway 190, 2.3 miles past Emigrant
Junction. The route offers a 10-mile return hike. The
trail starts with a mild grade to the base of Pinto
Mountain. A topographical map (#851 Emigrant Canyon) is
available at the park visitor center. This is part of the
famous Jayhawker route of 1850. The Jayhawkers signed
their names on a large boulder, at two miles along the
trail.
Wildrose Peak Trail
This trail between the Charcoal Kilns
parking area, on Upper Wildrose Canyon Road, provides a
4.2 mile, one-way hike to the mountain peak at 9,064
feet. The trail begins at the north end of the kilns
area. The elevation gain is 2,200 feet. There are great
views as you approach the peak. The last mile is
considered strenuous.
Planning Your Stay
One of the most important parts of the
vacation planning process is making sure you have a place
available while in Death Valley. Fortunately, there are
several places to stay, ranging from campgrounds,
operated by the Park Service; a motel with restaurant and
lounge, gas station and store at Stovepipe Wells Village;
the Furnace Creek Ranch, a year-round resort complex next
to the park visitor center, including cabin-style units
and upper-scale motel units on the Death Valley golf
course, plus a store, restaurant, coffee shop, and gas
station; and the Furnace Creek Inn, a deluxe hotel
operated year-round, at the mouth of Furnace Creek
Wash.
The Furnace Creek Inn (760) 786-2361
and the Furnace Creek Ranch (760) 786-2345 provide
motel accommodations in the Furnace Creek area. Further
on-line information and reservations are available at www.furnacecreekresort.com
Stovepipe Wells Village provides
motel accommodations and limited recreational vehicle
camping facilities. (760) 786-2387
Panamint Springs Resort offers
resort accommodations and camping in the Panamint Valley,
the next valley to the west. (775) 482-7680
If you would prefer to stay outside the
park while approaching the park from the west, there are
motels in Lone Pine and Independence (in the Owens
Valley). A motel in Beatty or the rustic motel in Death
Valley Junction are good places to stay before a morning
drive into the valley, from the east.
Death Valley Camping
Camping is available year-round, although
there are few campers during the hottest months, and some
park campgrounds are closed during summer. The national
park operates nine campgrounds, and all campsites are
available on a first-come, first-served basis except for
the Furnace Creek Campground from October through
April.
Furnace Creek sites can normally be
reserved. For national park reservations, go
here.
The other campgrounds are located at Texas Springs and Sunset (both just south
of Furnace Creek), Stovepipe Wells (mid-valley), Emigrant (nine miles west of Stovepipe Wells), Mesquite Spring (4 miles south of Scotty's
Castle), Wildrose (near the western edge of the
valley), Thorndike (8 miles east of
Wildrose&emdash;no campers or motor homes), and Mahogany Flat, 9 miles east of Wildrose and
suitable only for high-clearance vehicles.
Death Valley Links:
For useful links to information on Death Valley
National Park,
go here.
