Panamint Valley, Desert valley in eastern California, United States
Panamint Valley is a desert valley in eastern California, lying between the Argus Range to the west and the Panamint Range to the east. The valley floor is wide and flat, covered mostly in gravel and sand, with a dry lakebed at its center.
In the late 1800s, silver and lead discoveries brought miners into the valley, and small towns like Panamint City and Ballarat grew up around the diggings. Most were abandoned within a few decades once the ore ran out.
The name Panamint comes from the Timbisha Shoshone people who lived in this land for centuries. Rock art found at several spots in the valley shows how deeply this place was tied to their daily life.
The valley is remote, and Panamint Springs Resort on Highway 190 is the only spot nearby to get fuel, food, or a room. It is a good idea to fill the tank and bring enough water before heading further into the area.
Beneath the valley floor sits a large underground water source that once supplied some of the mining camps through hand-dug wells. This hidden reserve is part of what made the area livable enough to support a small population in such a dry setting.
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