November 12th – 13th
Death Valley National Park
Located primarily in California, Death Valley is a place of extremes. Holding the title of the hottest and driest and lowest place in North America. Averaging a mere 2 inches of rainfall per year. Spanning a staggering 13,650 sq/km. A dramatic landscape formed by millennia of geological activity. Descending into the valley, the temps climbed, heat at last! Jackets off – shorts on!!
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
The dunes are a playground for all ages, especially kids who disappeared quickly over the first crest! In the carpark were two other camper trucks like ours, Tim was chatting with them. One from Germany, the other Luxembourg, also making their way South. Climbing the dunes I found them, jumping, flipping, cartwheeling and tumbling off the lip again & again. Covered in sand and grinning ear-to-ear. It wasn’t easy to pull them away from their giant sandcastle, they would have been happy to stay and play there all day, but… we had to keep moving, there was much more to see.
At the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, the kids earned their Ranger badges. Learning about the history, from early days of mining to tourism, the transformation into National Park. And of the Geological time line and forces of nature that formed the valley as we see it.
Red Cathedral & Artist Palette
An out and back 5km walk lead to the impressive Red Cathedral rock formation. Sitting at the top for a while enjoying the view, Jaxon notices the rocks sounds almost ‘hollow’. A little un nerving, we don’t stay long, and climbed down into the canyon.
The Artist Palette is a natural kaleidoscope of colour. Located on the West side of the Black Mountains. Sneaking in, past the 25ft, max vehicle length sign. A single lane, one-way drive leading to a pocket of pastel-colored, geological brilliance. Ceated by oxidation and weathering, reds and yellows are formed by iron compounds, greens by decomposed mica, and purples by manganese minerals, remaining evidence of violent volcanic past.
Badwater Basin
We reached the salt flats just as the sun set. At 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level, we are at the lowest point in North America. Once home to the ancient Lake Manly, the basin’s thick salt crust is all that remains after millennia of evaporation. We can’t spend too much time out here as the sun has gone behind the mountains and will soon be dark. Above the carpark, in the rock a white marker indicates ‘Sea Level’, giving us a visual of just how low we are. Crunching salt underfoot, we snapped a few quick photos before having to go find a campsite for the night.
Echo Canyon
Another beautiful night camped under the stars, the stillness was surreal. No wind, no sounds, just us and the valley. Echo Canyon is a ‘dry’ campground, meaning land only. Camping is allowed provided we are one mile from any paved road. A permit is required at $10 p/night. But the office is closed and no wifi, so we take our chances. The camp spots are barely recognizable, they just look like curves in the road or passing lanes. We pass a couple of them before realizing. Not at all level, am not sure what they are charging for? Choosing the best we could, Tim works his magic, when I can’t see how, to get Bruce level. Lifting the front wheel up 6” on the wood blocks we brought, and digging a hole to drop the rear into. The last of the Chicken noodle soup for dinner is delicious. Falling asleep I’m hoping Bruce won’t slip off it’s makeshift perch!
Eager to catch the sunrise, I coax the kids from their warm beds with the hopes of a specular sunrise, that didn’t quite live up to expectations. But the early start allowed us to explore a bit more before the park started to fill.
With Death Valley behind us, we turn towards sin city….Las Vegas