Death Valley National Park is a large, dry and hot park located in California and Nevada. It was inhabited by Native American cultures and later mined before becoming a protected park. The park is home to many plant and animal species and attracts visitors with its varied scenery and geographic formations. It is open year-round, but most visitors come in the winter.
Death Valley National Park is an American national park located in the Great Basin between California and Nevada. This park is one of the driest and hottest in the United States, but is still home to many plant and animal species that have adapted to the environment. It is also one of the largest, covering an area of approximately 5,270 square miles (13,649 square kilometers). Originally inhabited by a number of Native American cultures dating back seven millennia BC, the area that is now Death Valley National Park was mined before it became part of the protected park system. Many visitors are drawn to the park’s varied scenery, ranging from fields of wildflowers to mud gullies and salt marshes.
This national park is located east of the Sierra Nevada and encompasses the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert. Most of the territory is in the state of California, but a small portion is within Nevada. The park was initially declared a national monument by President Herbert Hoover in 1933. During the Great Depression and throughout the 1940s, members of the Civilian Conservation Corps graded roads, constructed buildings and barracks, and installed telephone and water lines. It was renamed a national park in 1994 under the Desert Protection Act.
There are approximately four Native American cultures that have lived in the area that is now Death Valley National Park. The first were the Nevares Spring People, who hunted and gathered in the region some 9,000 years ago when there were still small lakes. About 5,000 years ago, this group was displaced by the Mesquite Flat People, who were then themselves displaced 2,000 years ago by the Saratoga Spring People. This group included skilled craftsmen who left stone patterns throughout the Death Valley and Panamint.
The most recent group to reside in this area has been the Timbisha or Shoshone. They moved to the region about a thousand years ago and survived by hunting and gathering beans and pine nuts. They moved as the seasons changed, staying near water in valleys before progressively ascending to higher elevations as the climate warmed and plant food sources became more abundant. Part of the Timbisha Tribal Reservation is located within Death Valley National Park at Furnace Creek.
People of European descent first arrived in the region during the California Gold Rush. In 1849, a party of about 100 wagons got lost and headed into Death Valley. After wandering for several weeks, eating several oxen, and burning many of their wagons, many were able to get out of the valley. Survivor William Lewis Manley recounted this experience in his autobiography Death Valley in ’49.
Mining was established in the area by the end of the 19th century. Borax, salt and talc were mined, and expanding cities sprang up around the mines. Mining continued even after Death Valley was declared a national monument, and surface and open-pit mining techniques changed the landscape. Open pit mining and new mining were prohibited after 1976, and the last mine in the park closed in 2005.
Although Death Valley National Park is one of the hottest and driest places in the United States, there are many different species of plants and wildlife. More than a thousand types of plants live inside the park. Many in the valley floor have very deep roots, while the high peaks are home to pine forests. Most of the plant species are cacti or wildflowers.
Most of the smaller wildlife is nocturnal, while larger animals like desert bighorn sheep prefer cooler altitudes. Wildlife in the park ranges from desert tortoise reptiles to mammals, including bats, horses, and deer. Some wildlife is unique to Death Valley National Park, such as the Devils Hole pupfish, a small fish with iridescent blue coloration that lives only in Devils Hole. There are also many species of butterflies, amphibians and birds.
The natural features and ecosystems of Death Valley National Park are diverse and attract many visitors. There are many geographic formations, including alluvial fan, salt, and granite deposits. Canyons and mountains contrast with the salt marshes and sand dunes. There are also streams and springs throughout the park.
Most visitors come to Death Valley National Park in the winter, but it’s open year-round. The heat is usually too intense for many people by May, but visitors can still visit many points of interest by car. Visitors can reserve a camping space at one of the park’s nine campsites and explore the park at their leisure. There are contact stations, museums and visitor centers near Furnace Creek and in the north end of Death Valley.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
