Death Valley National Park, California (2016)

Above Photo: You gotta love the super bloom in Death Valley. It happens about every ten years or so.

postcard

We came to Death Valley National Park to check out the super bloom. And what a bloom it is! Well worth the trip.

Texas Spring Campground, Death Valley - National Park Campground, near Furnace Creek CA: Site #86 (92 RV sites total) - This site has: water nearby. Campground Notes: flush toilets • dump station available • trails nearby • -17’ elevation. March 1st - 8th. Miles traveled: 64 miles.

Overall Experience: smile

Texas Spring Campground – a no generator zone. The first pic is the view from our site, and the second looks down at the campground, which is tucked into the base of the hills. The Texas Spring was actually flowing through the campground during our visit, and we were almost able to bushwhack to the head of the spring.

Warm Spring Canyon Road. A nice detour from the crowds. We had an enjoyable lunch on a bluff overlooking the valley.

A chuckwalla (about 20" long), a raven showing off, and a roadside coyote begging (he didn't get a snack from us!)

A collection of blooming desert flowers.

Another view from Warm Spring Canyon Road.

A nice view of the Desert Golds from Badwater Road. Some of the largest concentrations of these flowers could be found on the southern section of this road.

Harry Wade Road was another area with various blooming desert flowers that was off the beaten path. This pic is where it crosses the Amargosa River. See the river?

A collage of our hike into Mosaic Canyon. Description from Death Valley web site: "Popular walk up a narrow, polished marble-walled canyon. First, ½ mile is the most famously polished section. Some Slickrock scrambling necessary. "Mosaics" of fragments of rocks cemented together can be seen in canyon walls. Bighorn sheep sighted occasionally."

This time, another collage's our hike into Fall Caynon with our friends Sue & John. Description from Death Valley web site: "Spectacular wilderness canyon near Titus Canyon. Follow informal path ½ mile north along the base of mountains, drop into the large wash at canyon's mouth, then hike 2½ miles up-canyon to 35' dry falls. You can climb around the dry falls 300' back down the canyon to access the best narrows on the south side. The canyon continues another 3 miles before the second dry falls blocks passage. No trail.

The meeting of the cats! We saw pics of Sue's Christmas gift – a cat-eye sunscreen; we had to get one for our coach. The two finally got to meet up for a photoshoot in Sunset Campground just before leaving the park.

Additional Info: Death Valley National Park is a protected area in the Mojave Desert of California and Nevada. It is the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in the United States, and is known for its extreme and varied landscape, which includes sand dunes, salt flats, badlands, and mountains. The park is home to a number of unique and endangered species, as well as several important cultural and historical sites.

The park is located about 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, and covers an area of about 3.4 million acres. It is home to a number of notable landmarks, including Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, and Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet.

Death Valley is a popular destination for hikers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts. The park offers a wide range of recreational activities, including hiking, biking, camping, and backpacking. It also has several scenic drives and interpretive programs, which provide visitors with the opportunity to learn about the park's geology, history, and natural resources.

Visitors to Death Valley National Park should be prepared for extreme temperatures, which can reach over 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months. It is important to carry plenty of water and other supplies, and to be mindful of the park's safety guidelines.



Any comments, questions, etc? Contact us.

Previous Post Next Post