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Prior to reaching the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes from the Furnace Creek side of CA-190, you’ll notice an interesting feature on either side of the road. This is the Devil’s Cornfield. During the early days of Death Valley National Park, promoters gave interesting landmarks and features unusual names.
"Father Crowley Vista Point was a favorite stopping place for travelers, long before the creation of Death Valley National Park. One of those travelers was Father John J.
"These dunes are the best known and easiest to visit in the national park. Located in central Death Valley near Stovepipe Wells, access is from Hwy. 190 or from the unpaved Sand Dunes Road. Although the highest dune rises only about 100 feet, the dunes actually cover a vast area. This dune field includes three types of dunes: crescent, linear, and star shaped. Polygon-cracked clay of an ancient lakebed forms the floor. Mesquite trees have created large hummocks that provide stable habitats for wildlife. Sand boarding is permitted on these dunes."
"Tucked behind an unassuming yellow landscape, the rainbow of Artists Palette is the highlight along the Artists Drive Scenic Loop. Here, visitors marvel at an array of colors (red, orange, yellow, blue, pink, and green), splashed across the hills. These colors are from volcanic deposits rich in compounds such as iron oxides and chlorite, which creates a rainbow effect ... When visiting Artists Palette, allow approximately 30 minutes to detour from Badwater Road along the one-way Artists Drive Scenic Loop. The drive begins 8.5 miles (13.7 km) south of the Hwy 190/Badwater Rd.
This rollercoaster of a 2.5 mile (4 km) gravel road will take you through "colorful, eroded badlands" and parts of where scenes from "Star Wars VI: Return Of The Jedi" was filmed. Located just east of Zabriskie Point off of CA-190, "the road is usually fine for most cars, those with especally low clearance are not recommended. Check with a ranger for current conditions."
“The source of Badwater’s salts is Death Valley’s drainage system of 9,000 square miles—an area larger than New Hampshire. Rain falling on distant peaks creates floods that rush ever lower. Along the way, minerals dissolve from rocks and join the flood. Here, at the lowest elevation, floods come to rest, forming temporary lakes. As the water evaporates, minerals concentrate until only the salts remain. After thousands of years, enough salts have washed in to produce layer upon layer of salt crust.”
Zabriskie Point, "named after Christian Brevoort Zabriskie, vice president and general manager of the Pacific Coast Borax Company in the early 20th century, which had its mining operations in Death Valley," is an iconic location for watching (and photographing) sunrise, sunset, and night skies.
While "thunder bumpers" make for starkly beautiful images, dark storm clouds in the distance are not to be taken lightly in Death Valley National Park. Thunderous rainstorms blowing debris across the road and flash floods can ruin a good trip pretty quickly. The Traveler wrote about the August 2022 flood in this national park.
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Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.
Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.
You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.
