Death Valley National Park

First order of business on the morning of Death Valley: Stop by the archery range and shoot some arrows with Tom and Heather Wilson! We were very glad to be able to spend some time hanging out with them between bouts of arching! When the final arrow had found its way to the bulls-eye, they took us for a quick joy ride in the convertible, then we headed out for a much longer joy ride in the pickup through southern California to Death Valley... we kinda wished we were still in the convertible...

We arrived at Death Valley and proceeded with our documentation of the process. This involved taking pictures of us with the sign. And taking pictures of us in the shadow of the Valley of Death, and in the mountains surrounding said Valley, and a few other pictures... and some videos. Once documentation was complete we felt that it was time to leave as the sun was setting, and the park (at least where we were) was pretty much all the same... This was not an extended tour, but we felt we got what we were there for.

Personnel:
We definitely did not see any personnel during our foray into the park. In fact, we didn't even see any building or locations that would normally house them. So they were probably lurking like ninjas all around us, we just weren't aware of it... park rangers are tricksy like that...

Climate/weather:
Gotta be honest, this was an awesome time to visit Death Valley from a weather perspective. It was comfortable in the sun, and cool (maybe a little cold) in the shade. None of this blazing deathly heat that you think of when you consider this park.

Facilities/signage:
We didn't stop at any of the park facilities during our park exploration, so we assume that they were excellent and fully stocked! The entrance sign was above average, and the other signs in the park were clear and effective where needed.

Hiking experience:
We went on a few short (off trail) walks, but we opted out of any major hikes. Hiking in Death Valley just doesn't seem that appealing, and everything looked pretty much the same scenery wise.

Driving experience:
When you are in the valley it is very flat, but to get to the valley you have to drive over some surprisingly steep mountain terrain. The pickup made it up... maybe not in the fastest time ever... it was kinda like the little engine that could... Some good views from the mountain areas of the surrounding valley. Also some good views from the valley areas of the surrounding mountains

Camping options:
There are over 750 campsites in the park campgrounds, all first come first served except Furnace Creek. We are wondering why anyone would want to camp here... especially in the summer! There are also some hotel type areas you can stay at in the park if camping isn't as appealing.

Hammockability:
Ha!

Scenery:
The park is very dry. Not a lot of rivers, foliage, or other things to add color to the scene. The valley is surrounded by mountains, but they are pretty monochromatic, which has a beauty to it, but it sure feels like it is missing color.

Nearby food:
There is food in the Furnace Creek area, but that is about it in the park, and there aren't a lot of nearby towns, so best to bring food with you for your visit. Also bring water.


We were in Death Valley, we saw what we wanted to see, and we left. We only saw a limited part of the park, and there are probably some things that we missed, but it isn't very high on our priority list to return to and explore.

Next stop: Pinnacles National Park.