Eureka Dunes, Sand dune field in Inyo County, California, US.
Eureka Dunes is a dune field in the southeastern tip of Eureka Valley, in the southern part of Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California. The dunes cover about 3 square miles (7.8 km2) and rise roughly 680 feet (210 m) above the valley floor, making them among the highest dune fields in North America. The main ridge is a linear dune trending north–south, parallel to the Last Chance Range, with active star dunes superimposed on it.
The dunes lie in Eureka Valley, a graben in the Basin and Range Province. They became part of Death Valley National Park in 1994, when the park expanded to include the southern section of the valley. The dune field is also a National Natural Landmark. Foot travel is permitted, but vehicles are prohibited on the dunes.
Three plants grow only on these dunes: Eureka dune grass (Swallenia alexandrae), Eureka Dunes evening primrose (Oenothera avita subsp. eurekensis) and shining locoweed (Astragalus lentiginosus micans). After rain, the wet sand shows patterns that reveal how different sand sources built and rebuilt the dune field.
Access is via a gravel road from Big Pine to the Grapevine section of Death Valley, with a 10-mile gravel road to the southern end of the valley. Foot travel on the dunes is permitted, but vehicles are prohibited. A primitive campground sits at the north end of the dune field.
As dry sand cascades down the steepest slopes, it produces deep resonant sounds resembling pipe organ notes, a rare acoustic phenomenon that occurs only under specific conditions. Visitors who experience this sound find it one of the most memorable aspects of their visit.
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