Death Valley

This park encompasses 3.4 million acres (1.3 million hectares) of terrain, featuring salt flats, sand dunes, mountains, and multicolored rock formations at elevations from negative 282 feet (negative 86 meters) to 11,049 feet (3,368 meters). Badwater Basin forms North America's lowest point, while Telescope Peak represents the highest elevation. Geological structures display layers of sediments, volcanic rock, and metamorphic formations shaped by tectonic forces over millions of years.

Members of the Timbisha Shoshone have inhabited this region for over a thousand years, adapting their lifestyle to extreme desert conditions. European settlers reached the area during the California Gold Rush in 1849, with several pioneers perishing. Mining dominated economic activity starting in the 1880s, when borax and other minerals were extracted. The area received National Monument status in 1933 and became a National Park in 1994.

During the 1880s, twenty-mule teams transported borax through the desert, establishing an industrial heritage that contributed to American commercial development. The Timbisha Shoshone have used the region for centuries in their traditional practices, maintaining a deep connection to this landscape. The valley now serves as a research site for extreme ecosystems, attracting scientists who study adaptations to aridity and heat stress.

The most comfortable periods to visit are from November through March, when daytime temperatures range between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 27 degrees Celsius). Visitors should carry over one gallon (four liters) of water per person and prepare vehicles with sufficient fuel, as service stations are scarce. Numerous paved roads connect major points of interest, though some areas require four-wheel drive vehicles. Lodging facilities exist at Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells, while campgrounds are distributed throughout the park.

This valley holds the record for the highest reliably recorded air temperature on Earth at 134 degrees Fahrenheit (57 degrees Celsius), measured at Furnace Creek in 1913. Racetrack Playa displays mysterious moving rocks that leave trails across the dry surface, a phenomenon caused by ice crystal formation and wind. The area receives less than two inches (50 millimeters) of rainfall annually on average, making it one of the driest locations in North America.

Location: Inyo County

Elevation above the sea: -85 m

Website: http://nps.gov/deva

GPS coordinates: 36.45694,-116.86528

Latest update: November 27, 2025 19:27