Things to Do Death Valley, California

The hottest and lowest place in North America, Death Valley has been capturing the popular imagination since it was first named by gold-rush pioneers in the 1840s. It remains one of the most extreme deserts on Earth, with an average annual rainfall of only 1.5 inches. While it may not seem like an ideal place for a picnic, there are a lot of fascinating sights and terrain within Death Valley National Park.

Badwater Basin

Badwater Basin is Death Valley's lowest point, at an elevation of 282 feet beneath sea level. Water gathers here, but doesn't last long. The endless cycles of evaporation have left behind a thick crust of table salt. It is this alien landscape that is most impressive to visitors.

Furnace Creek Golf Course

This full 18-hole course, a par 70, is the lowest in the world. The differences in pressure, climate and elevation creates playing conditions different from any other course. Furnace Greek Golf Course is known as one of the hardest courses in the country. If you are looking for an oasis respite from the blighted landscape of Death Valley, Furnace Creek Golf Course can deliver.

Zabriskie Point

Part of the Amargosa mountain range, Zabriskie Point offers a vision of an alien landscape created by millions of years of erosion. Zabriskie Point is full of visually stimulating striations and ridged patterns created 5 million years ago by Furnace Creek Lake.

Devil's Golf Course

The Devil's Golf Course is not a golf course at all, but an impressive natural formation of salt crystal. Thousands of years ago, the Devil's Golf Course was underwater. A lake's slow evaporation left behind the spiky sediment that is so impressive today. The salt deposits actually go down thousands of feet, making the Devil's Golf Course an even more outstanding formation than its stark surface.

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Article Written By Louie Doverspike

Based in Seattle, Louie Doverspike has been a professional writer since 2004. His work has appeared in various publications, including "AntiqueWeek" magazine, the "Prague Post" and "Seattle Represent!" Doverspike holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Hamilton College.

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