Driving through one of the hottest places on Earth

Death Valley National Park is known as one of the hottest, driest, and lowest places on Earth. Located in Eastern California, USA, this park has the highest recorded temperature ever, which is 134 degrees Fahrenheit, or 56.7 degrees Celsius. This temperature was recorded on July 10, 1913.

On the subject of Death Valley being one of the lowest places on Earth, a specific area in the park called Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the USA and North America altogether. This basin is endorheic, meaning that it has no outlet to any external body of water.

Although the ground looks like it is covered in snow, the white surface is actually a layer of salt formed by rain and minerals dissolved from rocks that gradually run down to the lower elevation points. When the water evaporates, the minerals eventually become concentrated to the point that only the salt remains, making for a surreal, unique landscape.

Walking around the baron landscape of Badwater Basin feels otherworldly; it’s what I imagine what it may be like to walk on Mars, as the landscape is so desolate.

Also, the most popular driving route through Death Valley National Park is Badwater Road. Some sights along this route include Badwater Basin, Artists Palette, several different canyons, and more. Many of the sights are just off the road, so it’s easy to park the car and closely explore a lot of the beauty this park has to offer.

Artist’s Palette is a unique area in the park that allows for some easygoing (and colorful) hiking! This is one of those attractions that allows for convenience, as you can walk right to these mountains from where you park your car; it’s right there. It’s amazing to not only see this area, but to walk on it too!

If you were wondering, the array of colors on these mountains is formed by volcanic deposits that are oxidized by metals and chlorite. The way I understand oxidation is that it is a chemical reaction in which a substance encounters oxygen, which influences the color of the given substance (in this case being these mountain ranges). It is very interesting, and is truly like a palette.

While Death Valley is known for its heat, it is simultaneously dry. The reason why it is so dry here is because it is subject to the rain shadow of the major mountain ranges in the area, including the Sierra Nevada and the Panamint Range. A rain shadow is a given area of land that ultimately becomes a desert because of mountain ranges preventing any rainfall from reaching the land.

When I was there, I got to see the sun setting and it was beautiful because it lit up the mountain peaks in the distance. Seeing some of the mountains shaded and other ones beamed with the day’s final sunlight made for some cool shots, like this one. Plus, there were plenty of people still out and about hiking.

Death Valley National Park is a special, unique place that has intimidating, yet beautiful characteristics. It can be inferred that this national park is a place of many extremes, so prepare accordingly.