If you live in Los Angeles and are looking for a weekend getaway that’s hot hot hot, then you’re in luck because the hottest spot in the world is pretty much right here in our backyard. No, it’s not the rooftop pool at the Ace downtown where you’d swipe right on everything with legs, and it’s not at The Original Hoy Ka in Thai Town where a single bite of papaya salad will set your face ablaze. We’re talking about Death Valley National Park, where the hottest temperature, 134 degrees Fahrenheit, was ever recorded on earth in 1913.
Death Valley is located in the Great Basin near the California-Nevada border and is part of both the Mojave Desert and Sonoran Desert. It is also surrounded by four mountain ranges: Amargosa Range in the east, Panamint Range in the west, Sylvania Mountains to the north and the Owlshead Mountains to the south. Consequently this geographic anomaly is also how the valley got its name. Back in the pioneering days, rather than braving the mountains, many people made the fatal mistake of attempting to cross the seemingly harmless valley. What they didn’t realize at the time, was that distance in the flat lands can be deceiving. The lower you go, the hotter it gets.
View from Death Valley National Park
My sister and I are LA’s very own Horror Explorers, so braving temperatures comparable to Satan’s sauna is old news. Naturally, we’re up bright and early on a Saturday morning, Death Valley bound. I pack a small bag with a few things that might come in handy: snacks, a jacket (you read that right) and water, lots and lots of water. It’s roughly a four-hour drive from LA to our destination, and we want to take advantage of the day so we hit the road early. Having little to no idea what to expect, my sister and I hop in the car and program Death Valley National Park into the GPS and we’re off!
So much space!
OK, so maybe flying blind in a place historically known as Death Valley may not have been the smartest idea. So let’s review some useful facts and tips to consider before you go:
Death Valley is Huge
There are four major sightseeing locations to hit: Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells, Scotty's Castle (actual castle currently closed due to flooding) and Panamint Springs.
Panamint Springs Area
Furnace Creek alone is home to: Golden Canyon, Artists Drive, Devils Golf Course, Natural Bridge, Badwater Basin, Harmony Borax Works, Zabriskie Point, Dante's View and Twenty Mule Team Canyon. Each one of these locations is unique and totally worth checking out, however it is impossible to see them all in one day so it’s better to plan a two day adventure at the very least.
Stovepipe Wells Area
Since there is so much to see, I recommend staying at Panamint Springs Resort, where you can pitch a tent or rent a bungalow.
Panamint Springs Resort
It’s also a great place to stop for a bite to eat, and to cough up some cash if you’re in need of gas.
You can't go wrong with a burger
Gas up in advance
Death Valley is the largest National Park in the lower 48 states, so you’re going to be driving a lot if you want to see it all. To our dismay, we found that the area surrounding Death Valley area has an utter lack of gas stations, and once you enter, they are few and far between. So make sure you fuel up ahead of time! And by that I mean, as often as you can before you enter.
Road to Furnace Creek
Hell, you may even want to bring a can of gas just in case. On top of being rare, gas stations around here are extremely expensive– like $5 and up per gallon expensive. Panamint Springs, Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek are pretty much your only choices and all of them are pretty far apart.
Don't get stuck!
Your GPS won’t work here
This one may not surprise most people, but it’s important to remember, especially if you are looking for someplace specific. Unless you want to end up lost and baking your bones in the scorching sun like the early settlers, chances are you’re going to need a map!
I see ... a whole lot of desert
Try picking one up ahead of time at a gas station or if you’re already in the valley, hit up Furnace Creek Resort - General Store.
This hat is functional as well as stylish-ish.
It’s a great spot to snag a map, a snack and some Death Valley memorabilia to commemorate your survival of this extreme terrain.
Furnace Creek Resort - General Store
The desert is more than just sand
Sure, you’ll encounter quite a few sand dunes on your journey, and they are indeed perfect for breaking a sweat, taking a tumble, staging a photoshoot or having a picnic, but there are so many more natural beauties to check off your list. The desert’s biodiversity is breathtaking, so you would be missing out if that’s all you saw.
See, more than just sand!
Besides the impressive 700 feet-tall Eureka Dunes in Scotty’s Castle Area, Stovepipe Wells offers a great mix of scenery like the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Mosaic Canyon Trail, Salt Creek and Titus Canyon.
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Altitude changes = Temperature changes
When you’re known for being hottest place in the world, everyone assumes that you’re always ungodly hot. False! The truth is, you will face an extreme range of temperatures here, and when you hop out out of the car to peep a good vista, you’re going to want a jacket!
Even in the daylight this place is chilly!
Panamint Springs is the perfect area to check out if you are not the type who likes to bake in the low valley. Some great spots to check out that will keep you on the cooler side include Darwin Falls, Father Crowley Point, Lee Flat, the Charcoal Kilns in Wildrose Canyon, Aguereberry Point and Eureka Dunes Dry Camp.
Father Crowley Point
Stay for the sunsets
The daylight is fading and you are tired of driving around. Hold your horses. If you’re not checking in for a relaxing soak at Tecopa Hot Springs Resort or catching a show at Amargosa Opera House and Hotel, you’re going to want to grab a blanket and set up for some stargazing.
Channel your inner flower-child with these pastel sunsets.
No matter where you end up, you’ll catch a spectacular sunset for the perfect end of yet another amazing weekend journey!
Beatty Junction is a great spot to stop for stars!
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Alethea Cho AKA Lady Lovesblood is one of the two Horror Exploring Ichor Sisters. The sisters’ often take trips to many spooky spots and love adventuring into the unknown. Check out more of their wanderings @HorrorExplorers.
Featured image courtesy of Alethea Cho
