Greetings from Death Valley National Park

I could actually have written this story about all the parks in this area, including Northern Arizona and Southern Utah. But Death Valley holds a special place for its stark beauty. I first visited there in July of 2017, and it was as hot as advertised, 125. Still, the desolation of the park struck a cord as I first saw it from the Daylight Pass Rd. Beautiful landscapes, beautiful mountains. This March I went back for a stop on my grand tour of the parks of the Southwest. Temps were much milder, 83 being the high. I drove the park from Stovepipe Wells to the Jubilee Pass Rd, coming into the park from Death Valley Junction. Again, the beauty of the park is staggering, and I video taped my drive. I stayed the night at Armagoosa Opera House Hotel, adding to the historical flavor of the trip. There are so many other places I want to visit, including Yellowstone and Glaciers, but Death Valley calls to me, in much the same way as the Mojave Preserve, and I hope to someday return.

Sincerely,
Doug

Death Valley National Park

A world of extremes, Death Valley is the nation's driest, hottest and lowest place, but also features mountains over 11,000 feet high that experience below-zero weather and snow, as well as colorful badlands, sand dunes and canyons. Its dramatic mountains, valleys and dunes are world renowned for their complex and diverse geology. The park also contains a wealth of well-preserved archaeological sites and petroglyphs.

State(s): California Nevada,

Established: 1933

“I was born and raised in Florida, and have seen what happens when rampant development goes wild. A lot of our beautiful places are gone. I don't want to see that happen to the places the National Park, Monuments and Preserves protect.”

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