Death Valley National Park: America’s Hottest Natural Wonderland

There’s no other national park quite like Death Valley National Park. In a place where temperatures frequently reach 120 degrees in the shade and water appears in short supply, there is a surprising history of human endeavor and exploration. Why would someone want to make a name for themselves in such a seemingly uninhabitable place? The answer, as with most desolate destinations staked out by man, is money. Take a tour with us as we dive back into the prehistoric and decent past of Death Valley National Park.

The strange beauty of Death Valley National Park

It’s odd, wouldn’t you say, that Death Valley would be so alluring to us. This barren landscape is almost alien in its appearance: unending dunes of Martian coloring, with sand so hot it can melt shoes. But in the pursuit of wealth, man has and always will be willing to lose a boot or two.

Just north of California’s Joshua Tree and east of the Sierra Nevada, Death Valley spans countless miles of the awesome Mojave Desert. Somewhere within its borders, Death Valley boasts the lowest point on North American soil. It is the largest park in the contiguous United States, and must be seen to be fully understood. Long ago in the age of dinosaurs, Death Valley National Park would have been covered with glistening lakes surrounded by thick forest. Today, it is rock, clay and mineral.

In the early 19th century, man was drawn to Death Valley in search of minerals worth a very pretty penny. Tent cities were erected to house miners and haulers, and eventually stone settlements cropped up throughout the region. Some of them remain somewhat intact as ghost towns; the rest have been eroded by harsh sunlight back to the dust from whence they came. Of those buildings that remain on display in Death Valley National Park, the most spectacular is Scotty’s Castle, named for wild Death Valley Scotty.

Park visitors can discover Scotty’s story, and flex their muscles along the way as they explore and uncover the secrets of this natural wonderland. Book your trip today!