Death Valley is a land of extremes—snowcapped mountains form a backdrop for barren rock formations, deep-cut canyons and shifting sand dunes, a maximum of two inches of rain falls every year (on average) yet flash floods are a constant threat and daytime temperatures in excess of 120 degrees are common in summer, as are below freezing nights in winter. It’s stark moonscape came about from a complex history, which includes active volcanoes, sedimentation, tectonic activity and even glaciers. The area was home to numerous lakes when the first of four known Native American cultures first arrived in the area. By the time the last known tribe settled in the area 2,000 years ago, it was the dry, desolate wasteland we know it as today.

It wasn’t until the California gold rush in 1849 that the first Caucasians arrived in the area. Two groups, called the Bennett-Arcane Party, with some 100 wagons heading west to prospect for gold thought they were taking a shortcut off the Old Spanish Trail. Unable to find a pass to get out, they became trapped in the valley, surviving on fresh water from the various springs in the area and meat from the oxen. It wasn’t until they abandoned their wagons that the group was able to hike out of the valley. As they were leaving, rumor has it, one woman in the party turned and said, “Goodbye Death Valley,” bestowing upon the area its enduring name (for historical purposes, it should be noted that only one member of the party died in Death Valley, and he was reportedly an elderly man who was already sick when they became trapped).

What followed was a period of more-or-less unsuccessful efforts to mine ore in the area—salts, talc and borate, the chief ingredient in Borax—were all that was readily available. That soon gave way to tourism as the chief industry in the area, as it is today.

Originally declared a national monument in 1933, the area was renamed Death Valley National Park in 1994. About 95 percent of the 5,219 square-miles the park encompasses are designated wilderness areas, and as such have been under federal protection since the original 1933 designation. The park contains the second-lowest point in the Western Hemisphere at Badwater, which is 282 feet below sea level. It also became the location of the hottest temperature recorded on the North American continent, and the second-highest temperature ever recorded on the planet in 1913 when the temperature hit 134 degrees.

The desolate nature of the park is one of two main draws, the other being the natural beauty of the stark, scorched, moonscape valley. Death Valley today is far less foreboding than it was in the early days. Not only are there luxurious accommodations available inside the boundaries of Death Valley National Park, there are amenities such as golfing and spa services, too. Of course, the pleasant temperatures from late fall to early spring also attract people to this American desert outback, but even during the hottest months of the year, there are plenty of tourists scurrying about.

What to Do
Located two hours from Las Vegas, Death Valley offers an amazing getaway from the hustle and bustle of Sin City. It is a popular place for sightseeing, hiking, bird watching and photography.

There is one golf course in Death Valley—Devil’s Golf Course being an aptly named geographical feature at the park—located at the Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch Resort. This 18-hole, par 70 course is the lowest in the country at 214 feet below sea level. Not only does that mean it gets brutally hot during the day, but the thicker air will take yards off of nearly every shot. Still, with immaculately manicured greens and fairways lined with palm trees and tamarisk (an invasive species also known as salt cedar and likely an unwanted addition to the course), it is one of those courses that every serious golfer should play at least once.

Aside from golfing, there are few other organized activities in the area. The National Park runs some guided tours, but for the most part, visitors are left to their own devices to see what they want in the park. Hiking trails abound, and for the less active, there are plenty of self-guided driving tours. Some of the car trails are classified as primitive roads, which means you really shouldn’t be driving on them with anything less than a mid-sized SUV or truck. High-clearance vehicles are a must, and four-wheel drive can be very handy. Make sure the car is in good condition—check the pressure in the spare, too—before venturing into the more desolate areas of the park, too.

There are several main attractions at the park, and while one or two can be seen during a day trip from Las Vegas, those really wishing to explore all the park has to offer should consider spending a night at one of the locations mentioned below, as the four-hour round trip from Las Vegas leaves only a handful of daylight hours to take in the natural splendor of the park.

Artist’s Drive and Palette is one of the more popular, single-day adventures for those coming from the Las Vegas area. This scenic drive can be successfully navigated in any well-maintained car. Artist’s Drive climbs to the top of an alluvial fan fed by a canyon flowing out of the Black Mountains. The various colors seen along the drive are caused by the oxidation of different metals present in the rocks (red, pin and yellow comes from iron salts, while manganese produces purple colors and decomposing mica creates magnificent greens). The Artist Drive Formation also provides geologists with evidence of the most violently explosive volcanic periods in the park’s history.

Badwater is a large salt flat created when the 30-foot Recent Lake dried up 2,000 or 3,000 years ago. The white surface color is basically pure table salt, the result of the high evaporation rate in the area. During the rainy season, this area is prone to flash flooding. The floodwaters dissolve some of the salt, and as the standing water evaporates, the salt is deposited as sparkling crystals on the surface. There is also an underground aquifer in the area, evidence of which can be seen by digging a few feet into the ground (park rules prohibit this, however). The water in this aquifer is said to have a salt content three to four times greater than seawater.

The cracked, scorched earth of Badwater is perhaps best viewed from the 5,500-foot high vantage point atop Dante’s Peak. The floor at Badwater is more than a mile below this point, which also offered views of the surrounding park and Telescope Peak.

The Devil’s Golf Course is an interesting formation caused by a combination of evaporating ground water and lack of rain. Sitting several feet about flood levels, this area, unlike Badwater, is never home to standing water, and as a result, the salt and soil grow slowly into a dazzling array of spires and pinnacles.

Thanks to Hollywood, the Mesquite Sand Dunes are probably the most popular feature in the park. Featured in movies like Star Wars, The Doors and just about every other movie that looks like it takes place in an African desert, the dunes range in depth from 130 to 700 feet. They were created from tiny grains of quartz and feldspar eroding off of the nearby Cottonwood Mountains to the north and northwest.

Where to Stay
Lodging opportunities near Death Valley are somewhat limited. There are really only two towns, Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells, where accommodations can be found, and a total of three actual lodging properties: Amargosa Opera House and Hotel, and Xanterra Parks and Resorts’ Stovepipe Wells Village and Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch Resort.

Amargosa Opera House and Hotel (www.amargosaoperahouse.com) is the closest to Las Vegas, located about 30 miles west of Pahrump at Death Valley Junction, the intersection of highways 127 and 190. Nearly 100 years old, the hotel offers little in the way of luxury. There are no phones, no televisions and no radios. The nearest restaurant is seven miles away, as is the nearest store. It can be an interesting experience, with threadbare rooms and peacocks roaming the premises. Amargosa is said to be the most economical, with room rates topping out at $67.20 a night.

Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch Resort (www.furnacecreekresort.com) sits on the other end of the spectrum in terms of room rates and amenities. Rooms at the inn range from $265 to $405 a night, while rooms in the ranch are between $115 and $200. The inn offers all the amenities not present at Amargosa, including televisions, data port telephones, free HBO, Nintendo games and some rooms feature spa tubs. The ranch rooms offer only mini-refrigerators, televisions and phones.

The lodging at Stovepipe Wells Village (www.stovepipewells.com) is a happy medium between the luxury of Furnace Creek and the Spartan Amargosa rooms. Rooms go for about $100, and while they have televisions and refrigerators, there are no phones in any of the guestrooms. Like Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells is operated by Xanterra Parks and Resorts, the primary authorized concessionaire in the park.

By Greg Jones

Greg Jones is managing editor of Casino Connection Nevada, as well as associate editor of Global Gaming Business magazine.

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