Things one can see in Death Valley National Park

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The pictures below were taken at Death Valley National Park proper. One enters without charge, but at the Visitor Center needs to buy a day permit.

Badwater is the lowest point of the valley, almost 300 feet under sea level. The bit of water left there, reminiscent of a time when there was much more water, is salty. Says the story that men trying to cross over to the west would be excited to see water at this point, just to realize soon enough that it was "bad water" to drink.

Keep in mind it is called Death Valley because so many people tried to cross it on their way to California rather than going around the mountains, however realizing soon enough that it was hot hot hot and there was no water. At the time people would only move ahead 10 miles or so per day. How much water could a person carry! Death happened to many here. What a different time it was for those folks. Now we visit it as tourists.

There's other points of interest. The pictures will tell you more. Quite a beautiful place this is. Go in the winter!

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Photos

Temperature - December 25
This is not quite the lowest point in the Valley yet (its the Visitor Center) but you can see that, although it is the winter, it was warm!

Badwater
This is the lowest point of Death Valley, read the sign... so many feet under sea level. The white you see is salt. Left from a sea that would have been here once. You'll see the bit of water that is left in another picture.

Badwater
can you read the explanation? Badwater because the poor people trying to cross over to the west were excited to see water, to feed their horses finally!, but it turned out to be "bad water"... salty water!

White Christmas
made of salt :)

Natural Bridge
you hike a bit to get to this "natural bridge" made out of stone

Painters' palette
The various minerals in these volcanic rocks give them interesting colors that change with the location of the sun.

Somethings never change
Not even in the solitude of Death Valley ;)