Death Valley

As we get closer to Death Valley National Park, the desert scenery becomes more interesting.  We're following the same route a small group of '49ers took through the valley on their ill fated "short cut" to the gold fields. The survivors coined the name "Death Valley."

Just outside the south entrance

Entrance to the park

Since there's no formal ranger booth at the entrance and somewhat confusing instructions on fees, we decide to go on to the Visitors' Center in Furnace Creek. First we load up on a few supplies including diesel fuel, which is ONLY available at Furnace Creek, before moving on to the Visitors' Center.

It's downhill to below sea level at Furnace Creek

Borax Museum at Furnace Creek Ranch

The rangers at the Visitors' Center are very helpful in clarifying camping, road conditions, and the best places to fill up on water (essential for any visit).  The road northward climbs steadily uphill back up to sea level and higher. If you're any kind of geology buff, Death Valley is a great place  as it's features are easy to spot. In fact, we met at least two student groups on geology field trips during our short stay.

Visitors' Center

Back at Sea Level

Giant Alluvial Fan

After getting our campsite at Mesquite Springs settled, we go on to Scotty's Castle. According the information in our AAA guidebook, the last tour is at 4pm which we can easily make. Although these guidebooks are pretty accurate, their recommendations were off on this attraction. At the time of our visit, extensive road construction was well underway causing the staff to shorten the hours from 9am-4pm to 10am-3pm. Consequently, when we arrived at 3:30pm the last tour had already left.

No problem, I think - we'll just buy tickets for tomorrow's tours. Can't be done say the staff. We can ONLY buy tickets over the phone or online and not through them at the desk (but that's not logical). What a Catch-22! There is NO phone service or WiFi and to get it we would have to drive 55 miles all the way back to Furnace Creek. The caring public servants simply shrug their shoulders and announce they were closing the office.

I am flabbergasted. We've always been able to buy tour tickets at National Parks in person in the past. They must be using the cheapest third party online ticket vendor they could find as a "cost saving" measure. Still shaking my head and muttering under my breath, we take a short walking tour around the grounds.

Scotty's Castle

Oasis

Great views of Valley and Panamints

The turn-off to Ubehebe Crater is on our way back to camp, so we take it. On the way, we pass the gravel road towards the Racetrack Playa, which we would dearly love to see, but a large sign at the road's entrance warns in large letters "High Clearance Vehicles ONLY!" As we pass on, we notice a dusty roaster tail being tossed up by a fast moving vehicle coming back from the Playa. After parking the van and getting ready for the hike around the crater, we watch a very dusty old Dodge Caravan dragging it's muffler assembly with sparks flying into the parking lot. That guy is never going to hear the end of this misadventure to the Playa from his angry wife and scornful kids. The odd part is he is going to have to pay more in car repairs than simply renting a 4x4 Jeep in Furnace Creek.

By the way, if you decide to hike this crater, do choose the rim trail rather than the one to the bottom.  Many people just jump out of their cars and head straight down into the crater. It's not hard getting to the bottom, but climbing the steep trail back up on crumbly cinders is another matter. You can see the steep trail down from the parking lot in the photo below.

Our mistake was hiking in sandals. Our Keens, while made for hiking, simply can't keep out the small cinder rocks forcing us to stop frequently to fish them out. Closed walking shoes or hiking boots are much better for this hike.

Ubehebe Crater

The sides of the crater are surprisingly steep and we are all to happy to heed the warning signs about not getting too close to the edges. The views from the top are well worth the climbs up the crumbly rim trail. The crater area is surrounded by a lunar landscape and distant snow-capped mountains.

Rim trail by steep edge of crater

Lunar landscape with distant mountains

Once behind the main crater, the trail to Little Hebe Crater branches off. Although we consider taking it, we decide against it do to the lateness of the afternoon and the fact we have the wrong hiking shoes. It does look like a fun spur to take.

Little Hebe Crater and trail

We reach our campsite as the sun is slipping behind the Panamints. The moon's almost full and most campers are huddled in their shelters as the wind has picked up. We miss the hot springs soaking tubs and showers, but we are quite comfortable in the van.

The next morning dawns clear and still. We enjoy coffee outside in the sun warms after the chilly night. It always amazes me how cold deserts can be at night. As we enjoy our coffee Al and Leslie walk up to say hi and check out our Sprinter van. They have a similar Sprinter based van and want to compare features. We strike up a conversation and learn they are from Rhode Island and have just started a two year adventure of living full time on the road. They also have a blog of their travels online at travelswithhaRVy.

In recounting my tale of woe about Scotty's Castle the previous afternoon, Lesley remarks it's her impression Death Valley is one of the poorest managed of our National Parks. Needless to say, I gotta agree with her.

Moon rise over Mesquite Springs

Time to shut down for the night.

New full timers

It's late morning by the time we make it to Mosaic Canyon, our hiking destination for the day. This is one of the more popular hikes in the park so we're not too surprised to find the large parking lot at the trail head almost full. The hike starts through a narrow slot canyon which widens before narrowing again and ending in a rock fall. After some scrambling through the narrow section, it's not a hard hike up a steady incline on loose shale. However, with the late start and temps climbing into the low 90's, the heat starts to get to me and I stop 1/4 mile short of the end.

Road to Mosaic Canyon

Peter emerges from the narrows

Blue skies about water shaped rock formations

This canyon gets its name from the rock mosaics lining the walls. 

Rock mosaic

Wow - imagine this narrow in high water

Peter is almost back to the parking lot

After the heat of the hike we stop at Stovepipe Wells for cups of soft ice cream at the market. Here we meet an employee on his day off. He's from SoCal originally, but went to college at U of Alaska in Fairbanks. He's looking forward to the extreme heat of the summer. After 50 below winters in Alaska he's looking forward to 130 degree heat? He's clearly a man who likes to experience extremes.

After lunch, we check out Artist Drive, a one way drive just south of Furnace Creek. There's a warning against vehicles over 25 feet using the road, but since we're 22 feet, we're good to go.

Driving south through Death Valley

Cyclists at entrance to Artist Drive

Starting along one lane road.

The road snakes in and around increasingly more colorful hills. About half way through, we take the turn off to Artist's Palette and we're glad we did.

Road snakes through the hills

We can see why the length limit

Turn off towards Artist's Palette

Artist's Palette is aptly named

The road back takes us right by the famous Furnace Creek Inn, a AAA four diamond resort. The Inn was built in the 1920's by Pacific Coast Borax Company to host company visitors and to boost sales on their newly built Death Valley Railroad. Room rates started out at $10/night including meals when they opened on Feb. 1, 1927. Needless to say, their rates have changed since then. Now a stay here will set you back over $400/night sans meals.

Too rich for our budget. Still it's free to wander around and we consider having dinner or a drink at the bar here.

Road to Furnace Creek Inn from the south

The Inn at Furnace Creek

The entry to the Inn from their large parking lot is through a tunnel. This cool dark tunnel would be a welcome change during hot weather. A short elevator ride takes up to the dinning room and bar. Although the dinner menu looks interesting, the prices and clean white table cloths make us decide to dine ala Leisure Travel Van.

I enter the tunnel

Classic 1920's Dinning Room

Love the fireplace

Next we check out the grounds by walking through another long tunnel.

Looks like an oasis

Nice pool

Beautiful garden

Palm waterfall

Great place to relax

Back to parking lot

On our last morning at Mesquite Springs, I take some rocks we've found to a large students geology group from Smith College in Massachusetts. One of the Geology professors leading the trip takes an interest in our samples and we strike up a conversation. He is disappointed Titus Canyon is closed to through traffic due to washouts as it's a great place to explore with their students.

Although we can't drive through the canyon, we decide to take the short two way road to the trail head so we can explore part of it before leaving. Since we're walking up a dirt road, the hiking is very easy.

Road into Titus

Interesting canyon walls

Narrow steep canyon

Hiking in Death Valley's Titus Canyon

Road into Titus Canyon trail head

Fuel warning sign pointed wrong direction

Just as we get back to the main road from Titus, the tire indicators start flashing warnings. Fearing a flat, we pull off into a turnout. Fortunately, it's nothing major. Apparently, one of the tire monitors got scrapped off by a rock as we pulled to the side to let an oncoming car pass. Peter runs back along the road on foot to see if he could find the missing monitor, which is a black disc about the size of a fat dime. After about 30 minutes he returns to the van triumphant. Just when he was about to give up, he saw it lying in a rock pile alongside the road.

Back on the main road traveling south, we laugh at a sign announcing "NO FUEL at Scotty's Castle" because it's pointing in the wrong direction towards traffic coming away from Scotty's Castle. Yup, park management could be improved. Still despite the harsh environment, it's a beautiful desert offering many surprises.

We'll be baccck!! Next time with a high clearance 4x4 drive vehicle.

Good-bye Death Valley - until we meet again