It was late evening in mid-May as we pulled in to the visitor’s center where the thermometer read 106 degrees, but as the hot winds blew across the desert floor, the invitation to explore further could be felt. My father, my greatest hiking partner was along, and we looked at each other and smiled, knowing the other had felt the same call. We made some brief stops, then proceeded to drive, gaining elevation along the way. The park was virtually empty, which was just what we wanted. We found a rugged and almost impassable road and drove back until we had to stop, then quickly donned our backpacks and headed up a trail. Once on foot what formerly looked to be void of life was anything but. We were surrounded by plants and small desert dwellers that made their living in one of earth’s harshest environments. That night as countless stars filled the skies and silence fell all around I had a serene feeling that I was in my element. To truly experience the magic of this place is to fully immerse yourself in its depths and let go.
Sincerely,
Death Valley National Park
A world of extremes, Death Valley is the nation's driest, hottest and lowest place, but also features mountains over 11,000 feet high that experience below-zero weather and snow, as well as colorful badlands, sand dunes and canyons. Its dramatic mountains, valleys and dunes are world renowned for their complex and diverse geology. The park also contains a wealth of well-preserved archaeological sites and petroglyphs.
State(s): California Nevada,
Established: 1933
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Greetings from Death Valley National Park
We absolutely loved getting to see a rainbow in Death Valley National Park, a place that only receives an average of 2 inches of rain per year! Experiencing the diversity of this unique ecosystem with my kids has been a true pleasure.
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Greetings from Death Valley National Park
We were able to spend 2 days at Death Valley helping the park rangers clean up areas that they had not been able to get to because of staffing and time. It was an amazing experience and I can't wait to spend more time there.
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