Death Valley, by Wander Woman
Hello, inquisitive people. Wander Woman here. A few weeks AGO, I had an extra day off work in honor of Veterans Day, a federal holiday here in the United States that honors all those who have served in the US military.
Naturally, being who I am I decided to capitalize on the slightly longer-than-usual weekend and go see something new.
Traveling to Death Valley, California
California, where I live, is a very large state and Death Valley is a drive of about 560 miles (900 km) from my home – this is why I hadn’t visited it before. So, on my three-day weekend, two of the days were reserved pretty much exclusively for driving. That left us one full day to see as much of the park as we could. We were able to hit several of the top attractions, but by no means did we see all or even most of the park.
For those who want a truly immersive Death Valley experience, I’d recommend a minimum of three full days in the park. We had to content ourselves with the highlights. And I’m grateful for the time we did have!
Few Factors Around Death Valley, National Park
There are a few factors that make Death Valley unique among national parks. It is the largest national park in the “lower 48” United States; only Denali National Park in Alaska is bigger. It is also both the hottest and lowest point in the entire western hemisphere.
Temperatures have been recorded there up to 134 F (56 C). Areas of the park sit hundreds of feet below sea level. The lowest elevation point in Death Valley is the Badwater Basin, which is 282’ (86 m) below sea level.
Places I visited in National Park
This was one of the areas we were able to visit. All told, we visited the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, the Devil’s Golf Course, Badwater Basin, and a vista point called Dante’s View.
When Shall You Visit Death Valley National Park?
In my opinion, November was the perfect time of year to visit because the temperatures were mild. Unless you like being baked alive, I’d recommend avoiding Death Valley in the summer months, but during fall, winter or spring,
this national park is definitely worth a visit. Happy travels!
