No, we did not bake to death in Death Valley. We got up at 4:30 a.m. in the cool of the morning (80 degrees) to drive to the salt flats at Badwater, the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level). This huge area is often covered by a shallow lake in the spring that evaporates quickly in the summer heat.
The irony of bone-dry Death Valley is that its stunning colors, textures and forms were created by water. The valley itself once contained a 300-foot deep lake that deposited salt and sand, storm waters eroded the canyons, and its colors resulted from mineral salts deposited by ancient springs.
Further up the valley, Artist’s Drive winds through an area
of multi-hued sandstone.
Desert scenes in the first Star Wars film were filmed in Death Valley. Luke Skywalker rode his Landspeeder along the valley
floor…
…and through Golden Canyon.
In the evening we visited the sand dunes at Mesquite Flats.
Where do you stay out in Death Valley? I don't see any motels. Unless there are scorpions that operate B&Bs.
ReplyDeleteI have some great shots of the two motels where we stayed in the valley, but motel and restaurant shots have been judged un-blog-worthy by one of the judges on our panel. I'll be happy to send you a couple. --Anne
ReplyDeleteAnd I would be happy to send you all (I think the total is nine or ten by now) pictures of wild-animal shit I've compiled on our road trips. Your choice, Jane. -- Jim