The most famous region of the USA, the “Valley of Death”, is known to many as a film set for westerns and action films. Death Valley is a desert landscape with a backdrop of bare mountains, the Panamint Mountains.
Death Valley National Park is located east of the Sierra Nevada and is mostly in the state of California. A small part of Death Valley is located in the state of Nevada in the USA.
Due to its location in the Mojave Desert, Death Valley is considered the driest and hottest national park in the USA. The valley is characterized by sand dunes, rock formations, salt lakes and canyons. It is very deep up to 85.95 meters below sea level.
According to Anycountyprivateschools, Death Valley National Park consists of two main valleys within the park, Death Valley and Panamint Valley. It is surrounded by several mountains. The highest mountain chain is the Panamint Range with the 3368 m high Telescope Peak.
The valley was named Death Valley in 1849 when a group of prospectors got lost in Death Valley. As the group found a way out across the Panamint Mountains, one group member reportedly turned and shouted “Good bye, Death Valley.” This is how the valley got its name.
In 1933, Death Valley was designated a national monument. In 1994 it was given national park status.
Elongated salt lakes and dry river valleys bear witness to the merciless summer heat and extremely rare rainfall. The thermals in the valley ensure that the sky is cloud-free and bright blue for most of the year. If a rain cloud does make it into the valley, the rain usually evaporates before it reaches the ground. Only less than 5 centimeters of rain per year manages to reach the bottom of the valley. In addition, hardly any rain gets into the valley because the humid air of the Pacific rains down on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada. The downpours in front of the Sierra Nevada have created other national parks worth seeing, such as Kings Canyon, Yosemite and Sequoia.
Despite Death Valley’s frequent droughts and severe summer heat, the valley can flourish after rains and living beings thrive in the individual oases. The peaks around Death Valley are covered in snow in winter and ensure little wind all year round. It’s even quieter here in the valley than in the secluded forests of Yosemite. All sounds are missing. When the wind is gone, there is absolute silence.
The highway goes dead straight in and out of the valley. The highway through Death Valley is breathtaking. Over the 1600 meter high mountain ridges of the Sierra Nevada straight down to the lowest point in the world (-86 meters below sea level). In spring, Death Valley is not as hostile to life as you might think and it is green and blooming in many places. Around noon we had around 30-32 degrees and a pleasant breeze. The perfect time of year to visit Death Valley.
The National Park includes a small area called Devil’s Hole, an underground water reservoir. The Devil’s Hole is about 30 km northwest of Pahrump, Nevada (USA). Through a rock entrance you can visit the approximately 500,000 year old underground cave system of the Devil’s Hole.
Rules for staying in Death Valley:
- Drink at least a gallon (4 liters) of water a day in Death Valley. Carry extra drinking water with you.
- If you feel dizzy, nauseated, or have a headache, get out of the sun immediately and drink plenty of water. Wet your clothes to lower body temperature.
- Wear high heeled shoes to protect yourself from rattlesnakes, scorpions or black widows.
- Don’t go hiking in Death Valley when the temperature is high
- Do not enter mines, tunnels, mines and shafts
arriving by car
The main street of California Highway 190 runs through Death Valley from east to west.
In eastern Nevada, US Route 95 runs parallel to the park. It provides access to Death Valley National Park at Scottys Junction (State Route 267), Beatty (State Route 374) and Lathrop Wells (State Route 373).
To the south of the park, Interstate 15 runs through Baker from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Baker has connections to Death Valley Park via State Route 127 via Shoshone and Death Valley Junction. From Shoshone via State Route 178 and from Death Valley Junction via California Highway 190.
Entrance fees & opening times to Death Valley
Death Valley National Park is open year round. Modern, well-maintained, and air-conditioned vehicles typically have little trouble traveling across the desert, but summer trips require extra planning and extra care.
Price per private vehicle $20 and entry fee per person on foot, motorcycle, bike $10.
Must-see tips : The starry night in Death Valley. The Sand Dunes (especially at sunrise and sunset), the Zabriskie Poi
The address of the sight Death Valley National Park
www.nps.gov/deva
