Camping in Death Valley, California

In 1849 there were a group of emigrants heading for the hills of California seeking gold and glory. They were among the numerous emigrants that swarmed into California as part of the great Gold Rush, but these particular travelers made the mistake of making a wrong turn.

They ended up passing through a 120-mile long basin, a harsh place with no water, incredibly hot, boiling sands and rocks. For two months they traveled through the basin, existing always with the threat of starvation and dehydration looming over their heads, never enough to eat, never enough to drink. When finally they had made it through, one of these hardy folk looked back at the basin through which they had just traveled and said, "So long, Death Valley." And thus the basin got its name.

In the continental 48 states Death Valley is the United States' largest national park, covering 3.4 million acres of harsh desert terrain. Included within its boundaries is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere (282 feet below sea level). It achieves less than 2 inches of rainfall all year. On July 11th, 1913 it reached the highest recorded temperature in all of United States history: 134 degrees Fahrenheit.

Camping in Death Valley

Despite the harsh realities of desert life, Death Valley can be a beautiful place to take a camping trip. There are numerous hiking trails taking you through various parts of the desert, including the sand dunes, an ever-changing constant rippling of landwaves.

Death Valley has 9 separate campgrounds, the most popular of which is Furnace Creek, centrally located and not far from the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Death Valley Museum.

There are 3 year round campgrounds: Furnace Creek, Mesquite Spring and Wildrose. 3 are open between October and April: Texas Spring, Sunset and Stovepipe Wells. 3 Are open between April and October: Emigrant, Thorndike and Mahogony Flat. Thanks to this staggered system there are a total of 6 campgrounds operating at any given time during the year in Death Valley. Costs range between $10 and $16 a night, depending on the campground.

The most important thing to remember when planning a camping trip to Death Valley is to make sure you bring lots of supplies, especially water. One of the dangers of the desert is that the air is so dry the sweat dries off instantaneously, so you do not realize how quickly you are losing water. It is recommended that you drink a quart of water an hour when in the desert, particularly if you are engaged in strenuous activity such as hiking.

Places to See in Death Valley

Death Valley has a number of fascinating sights to see, both natural and manmade. Among the manmade would be the numerous ghost towns that litter the area, such as Rhyolite, Ballarant, Panamint City or the ruins of Ashford Mill. In the northern section of the park there is also Scottys Castle, one of the retreats of an eccentric early 20th century millionaire.

Natural sights are many. There are numerous canyons and passes through which one can hike. Not far from the Furnace Creek campground is the Furnace Creek Oasis, a natural spring that produces over a million gallons of water a day, creating one spot of rich green within the confines of the valley.

Just a little north of the Visitors' Center lie the sand dunes, one of the most spectacular elements of Death Valley. Hiking through the dunes is a rare treat, an experience unlike anything else. One must be exceedingly careful in the sand dunes, however, as it is very easy to get lost and confused.

Telescope Peak, located on the western edge of the park, is the highest point in Death Valley at 11,049 feet. From atop the mountain one can see the entire park, and view far off into the desert landscape.

Another of the great sights to see in Death Valley is something we see every night: the starry sky. Far away from anything, with crystal clean air, you will be hard pressed to find a clearer sky. The stars are dazzling, immense in the sheer enormity of number, hard to find in the city. If you are a fan of the night sky there are few places to go that offer up the celestial views of Death Valley.

Sunrises in the park are also spectacular with their grand mixes of color pouring across the desert. One of the most popular spots for sunrise viewing is Zabrinskie Point, again just a little ways south and east from Furnace Creek.

All in all Death Valley, though a dangerous place, is also a beautiful one. If you are a camping fan it is a wonderful place to go, as there are several amazing hikes as well as astounding day trips that are just a short drive away from any of the 9 campgrounds. Death Valley is well worth the trip.