Doug and Kerry Hudson in Death Valley, California

World Trip >> USA >> California >> Death Valley NP

Following our brief return to Las Vegas, we returned to the Californian desert and headed to Death Valley. As soon as we left the Interstate we were in desert, and the further in we went the hotter and drier it became. We reached Death Valley by the afternoon, and drove the winding road up to Dante's View high above the valley to get a proper view. The valley floor far below was white from the deposited salt, and the air shimmered as if it were boiling. It was definitely very hot down there.

We proceeded to Stovepipe Wells village where we were staying. The swimming pool there provided some very welcome relief from the intense heat. Later, towards sunset, we headed out to the Mesquite Flats sand dunes nearby, which were spectacular in the late afternoon sun. We walked out onto the dunes (keeping an eye open for sidewinders and scorpions) and took some photos.

Up early the next day, we headed out to do our tour of Death Valley itself before things became too hot. By 8:30 it was already 104°F or 40°C. First on our list was the Devil's Golf Course. You can't play golf there, though. If the intense heat and dryness don't kill you within two hours, you'd never find your ball among the weirdly sculpted and pitted shapes of solid salt anyway.

Next we drove to Badwater. At 282 feet below sea level (72 metres), this is the lowest point in America. This was spectacular for the intense heat, the white salt flats, and the surprising presence of water. This water has a very high salt concentration, and to us smelled slightly of sulphur. Interestingly, highly specialised lifeforms thrive there free from all competition. Did you know that Death Valley has a unique breed of fish found nowhere else? Doug shouted at a Japanese child who thought it was great fun to hurl pebbles into the precious water. Go Doug!

After a drive through Artist's Drive where the rock was a rainbow of different colours from the different chemicals and metals in the soil, we headed back and cooled off in the pool. By then the temperature was 115°F, or 45°C.

We headed out again later and visited Ubehebe Crater, site of a volcanic explosion thousands of years ago. At 800 metres across and 150 metres deep, it was nothing short of spectacular. We also saw a coyote at Scotty's Castle, an actual home built in Death Valley during the 1920s for a millionaire who found the dry desert air to be beneficial for his health.

Doug's highlight of our stay in Death Valley was swimming in the resort pool that evening though. You have never seen so many bats. The sky was milling with them. Doug will always remember floating on his back with a full moon and stars coming out above him, as the bats dipped and swooped over the water all around him. It was an amazing experience.

The next day we set off for Yosemite National Park. Our USA trip was fast approaching its conclusion...

World Trip >> USA >> California >> Death Valley NP

Last updated: Sunday August 27, 2006