USA South West Death Valley

Introduction Empty

Safety precautions Empty

Vital information Empty

Ghost towns Empty

Phil's log

Death Valley National Park has more than 3.3 million acres of spectacular desert scenery, interesting and rare desert wildlife, complex geology, undisturbed wilderness, and sites of historical and cultural interest. Bounded on the west by 11,049 foot (3,368 m) Telescope Peak and on the east by 5,475 foot (1,669 m) Dante's View. Badwater is near the lowest point (- 282 feet / - 86 m) in the western hemisphere.

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Some safety precautions

Always tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
Be alert for flash floods when it looks stormy. Do not ford low places when water is running. Flood waters can undercut pavement or sweep a car from the road.
Abandoned mines can be dangerous. Do not explore them without assurance they are safe. Forgotten caches of explosives are sometimes found; do not touch them, but report them to park rangers immediately. Vertical shafts are invisible from within dark tunnels, and wooden supports can give way at any time, both of which could be fatal.
Carry plenty of water - one gallon per day per person - and drink it!
Wear comfortable, sturdy footwear and a hat; use sunscreen.
If your vehicle breaks down, stay with it. It is much easier to find a vehicle than a wandering person.
Check out the Park Services Morning Report for updated park information and weather forecast.
If you intend to travel on any of the 4WD tracks, make sure you have some Food with you. Even though all open roads are checked by the Park Service, waiting for help in case of a vehicle break down might take some time.
Do not travel on backcountry roads which are marked by Road closed signs. These roads, although they might look quite fine, are not checked by the Park Service

Directions	The park is transected from east to west by California Highway 190. On the east in Nevada, Highway 95 parallels the park from north to south with connecting highways at Scotty's Junction (State Route 267), Beatty (State Route 374), and Lathrop Wells (State Route 373). South of the park, Interstate 15 passes through Baker, California on its way from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. State Route 127 travels north from Baker to Shoshone (State Route 178) and Death Valley Junction (Highway 190). West of the park, State Route 178 passes through Ridgecrest and Trona on its way north to a junction with 190. Also to the west, Highway 395 parallels the park from north to south with connections to Highway 190 at Olancha and Lone Pine. Map

Operating hours	Furnace Creek Visitor Center	8:00 am - 6:00 pm
	Scotty's castle	9:00 am - 5:00 pm
	The park is open all year

Admission fees	Death Valley National Park	USD 10.-- per car
	Cards honored	Golden Eagle, Golden Age, Golden Access Passport, Death Valley Park Pass
	Living History Tour at Scotty's Castle	USD 8.-- per adult	Golden Age Card and children's discounts apply

Address	Death Valley National Park P.O. Box 579 Death Valley, CA 92328

Phone	(760) 786 23 31
	(760) 786 23 30 Park Rangers, Emergencies
Email	Unknown If you know the Email Address of Death Valley National Park, Please tell me.

Official home page	http://www.nps.gov/deva/

Other links	Desert USA GORP Great Outdoor Recreation Page American Southwest Area Parks network Visitor guide This independent visitor guide provides comprehensive information about Death Valley National Park Panamint Springs Visitor Guide Provided by Panamint Springs Resort Janet Westbrook' site provides good advice to the prospective Death Valley visitor. Janet is the webmistress of the Maturango Museum in Ballarat, a nearby town. Obviously, she knows Death Valley pretty well. Ballarat This Ghost Town in Death Valley has its own home page Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resort Movies filmed in Death Valley For some reason, the editors of the Internet Movie Database have decided to list the movies made in Death Valley in different sections. So, here are the search results from these locations (which all refer to the same place, Death Valley) Death Valley Death Valley National Monument Death Valley National Park

Since there are all kinds of mineral resources to be found in the Death Valley area, quite a number of Ghost Towns can be found within the National Park's boundaries. Apart from settlements and mines that came into existence during several gold rushes, there are also a number Borax mines left. Borax, scientifically known as sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is a soft and colorless crystalline substance which is used in many ways - as a component of glass and pottery glazes in the ceramics industry, as a solvent for metal-oxide slags in metallurgy, as a flux in welding and soldering, and as a fertilizer additive, a soap supplement, a disinfectant, a mouthwash, and a water softener.

These are some of the Ghost Towns you can visit during your trip to Death Valley:

Ballarat	Ballarat home page
Leadfield	Picture of Leadfield
Panamint City

Phil's visit to Death Valley

Arrival

Friday, September 29, 2000 8:00 am

Departure

Saturday, September 30, 2000 2:00 pm

Time spent

30:00 Hrs

Accommodation

Furnace Creek Camp Ground
Highway 190
Death Valley CA 92328

Phone	1 800 365 22 67 (Reservations)
Cost per night	USD 10.--
Located near the park's visitor center

When approaching Death Valley from Nevada, entering the park on Titus Canyon Road is a very good alternative to the paved road (Highway 374) from Beatty NV. Driving thru Titus Canyon is a really spectacular experience. Although the road is not too rough and, in dry conditions, 4WD is probably not necessary, some sections require high ground clearance, so using an off road vehicle is recommended. If you're not into camping, accommodation in Death Valley NP is rather expensive. Staying at a motel just outside the park's boundaries might well save you some money. Beatty, for example, is located just 9 miles (14.5 km) east of the park (39.5 miles / 63.5 km from Furnace Creek) and features some affordable motels, like the Burro Inn where I stayed before I relocated to the Furnace Creek camp ground.

Although driving an off road vehicle allows you to explore some of the park's remote sections, all major attractions are accessible on sealed roads.

My pictures of Death Valley

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