Death Valley National Park U

National Park Service Death Valley National Park U. S. Department of the Interior

Visitor Guide Winter/Spring 2015

Winter at Badwater photo by Frank Graves

Average Temperatures What’s Inside?

MAX MIN Support Your Park ...... 2 January 67°F / 19°C 40°F / 4°C February 73°F / 23°C 46°F / 8°C Survive...... 3 March 82°F / 27°C 55°F / 13°C April 90°F / 32°C 62°F / 17°C What To See...... 4 May 100°F / 38°C 73°F / 23°C Walks & Hikes...... 5 June 110°F / 43°C 81°F / 27°C July 116°F / 47°C 88°F / 31°C Park Map...... 6 & 7 August 115°F / 46°C 86°F / 30°C Park News...... 8 & 9 September 106°F / 41°C 76°F / 24°C October 93°F / 34°C 61°F / 16°C Ranger Programs...... 10 November 77°F / 25°C 48°F / 9°C Dark Night Sky...... 11 December 65°F / 18°C 38°F / 3°C Visitor Services...... 8 Official weather station at Furnace Creek

Repair Project at Zabriskie Point During the winter and spring of Currently, the walls are deteriorat- landmark in Death Valley’s “bad- 2014 / 2015, all access to Zabriskie ing to the extent that they pose a lands”. It remains as one of the Point and surrounding areas will danger to public safety. most visited areas within the park. be closed for major rehabilita- The popular vista was built by Other venues in the area to visit tion work to the site. Contractors the Pacific Coast Borax Company during the closure recommended will repair unstable support walls in the 1920s and was named af- by park staff are Golden Canyon, and improve safety conditions. ter the company’s vice president Artist’s Drive, or Dante’s View and general manager, Christian for exceptional vistas of the valley Zabriskie. The site was originally floor and distant peaks. intended as a waystop for visitors in During construction, CA Hwy automobiles to see Manly Beacon, 190 will remain open to through the prominent traffic.

Manly Beacon

Wall base has been undercut. Wall tops are crumbling. Death Valley Visitor Guide 1 Support Your Park

Rules to Live By in Your National Park Entrance Fees

Many park rangers are federal law enforcement officers. They help Pay the park entrance fee at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Scotty’s Castle protect the park and its visitors by enforcing a wide range of federal, Visitor Center, Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station or at one of the automated fee state and local regulations. You can help them by observing these laws: machines placed throughout the park. 7-day pass Lifetime Pass yyObey the speed limit and other yy It is illegal to discharge a Vehicle and passengers...... $20 Interagency Senior Pass...... $10 rules of the road. firearm anywhere in Death Valley (for U.S. citizens 62+) or to bring one into a federal Individual entering on motorcycle, bicycle, or foot...... $10 Interagency Access Pass...... free yyRocks, plants, animals, and building. historic objects in Death Valley Annual Pass (for U.S. citizens with disability) are protected just like in a mu- yy Keep pets on leash and close Death Valley Annual Pass...... $40 Other passes honored...... Golden Age & Golden Access seum. Vandalism and theft are to roads or parking lots. Pets Interagency Annual Pass...... $80 prohibited. are not allowed on trails or in Interagency Military Pass...... free wilderness. yyLet wild animals find their own (for active duty military and dependents) food. They’re good at it and feed- yy Stay out of closed areas. ing them is against the law. Mines, service roads, and other areas are closed for your safety or Death by a Million Cuts yyKeep your car on established the protection of features therein. roads. Unsightly tire tracks in the With about a million people visiting Death Valley each year, every little ac- desert destroy fragile plants and yy Put garbage where it belongs. tion is multiplied. If each visitor did a seemingly harmless thing like stacking wildlife and scar the landscape Litter in the desert spoils the land- stones, scratching their name in the mud, picking a wildflower, collecting a for decades. scape for each person that follows rock, or feeding a chipmunk, the cumulative effect can be devastating. behind you. Help protect America’s national parks by leaving everything in its place and yyCamp only in established not defacing the natural and cultural resources. Other park visitors and campgrounds or in a permit- yy Campfires are allowed in es- future generations will thank you. ted backcountry area. Check at tablished firepits only. Gathering a ranger station or visitor cen- firewood is prohibited. ter for backcountry camping information.

Ephemeral Vandalism Here today, gone...in a decade Cairns are stacks of rocks often If you think stacking rocks is OK used to mark hiking routes in the in a national park, what about this? desert, but in the narrows of Golden Names scraped into the dried mud Canyon, cairns are not necessary to on this little playa near Ubehebe find your way. These visitor-built Crater will eventually dissolve when cairns were assembled one at a time rainstorms flood the surface, but it over a single week, by dozens of may take years before that happens. visitors. Most likely, they were built This is vandalism even if it isn’t as monuments to their visit…and permanent. because someone else had already built one. “If we make only one, what harm could it do?”

Native rock nettle in Titus Canyon Death Valley Wilderness Wildlife Sightings

Death Valley National Park has Around the world, visitors to remote locations are providing important data to the largest area of designated na- researchers by their observations. Your personal observations of wildlife can tional park wilderness in the con- be very valuable. Death Valley National Park is compiling a database to hold tiguous United States at 3,102,456 visitor data and allow us to develop distribution maps of wildlife throughout acres. That’s 91% of the entire the park. National Park! Despite that figure, nearly a thousand miles of paved Two species of special interest are the Nelson’s bighorn sheep and desert and dirt roads intersect the wilder- tortoise, but other wildlife species observations are also welcome. Please ness, providing ready access to all be as accurate as possible and include your contact information. Photos but the most remote locations. provide great information and are always appreciated. Please fill out a In other words, most of the land wildlife sighting form available at any visitor center or ranger station. between the roads in Death Valley National Park has been given an additional layer of protection from further development by being designated Wilderness. Everyone is free to hike or ride horses throughout the wilderness. Although there are few trails and little water, the well prepared trav- eler will find a lifetime’s worth of exploring. Multi-day camping trips are possible, but even a short walk away from the road will immerse you in the solitude and silence that defines the wilderness experience of Death Valley.

2 Death Valley Visitor Guide Survive!

Personal Survival In a Land of Extremes

yy Hiking: Do not hike in the low elevations when temperatures are hot.

yy Dangerous Creatures: Never place your hands or feet where you cannot see first. Rattlesnakes, scorpions, or black widow spiders may be sheltered there.

yy Mine Hazards: Do not enter mine tunnels or shafts. Mines may be unstable, have hidden shafts, pockets of bad air and poisonous gas. Stay Out Stay Alive.

yy Flash Floods: Avoid canyons Echo Canyon Road during rain storms and be pre- Hantavirus pared to move to higher ground. yyWater: Drink at least one gal- While driving, be alert for water Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome How can HPS be prevented? running in washes and across the lon (4 liters) of water per day to (HPS) is a rare but frequently fatal yy Do not use structures if you road. Water can carry rocks and replace loss from perspiration. respiratory disease that occurs find signs of rodent droppings, debris with it and may suddenly Carry plenty of extra drinking throughout the United States and is nests and burrows. water in your car. appear around the next curve in caused by a virus spread to humans the roadway. through contact with the urine, yy Do not clean cabins or other yyHeat & Dehydration: If you droppings, or saliva of infected structures - stirring up dust in- yy In Case of Emergency: Dial feel dizzy, nauseous or get a rodents. creases the potential of inhalation. headache, get out of the sun 911 from any telephone or cell immediately and drink plenty of phone. Cell phones may not work In Death Valley National Park, yy Air out cabins and other struc- water. Dampen clothing to lower in many parts of the park. Do not deer mice, cactus mice, and wood- tures for at least 2 hours before your body temperature. Heat depend on them. rats/packrats may carry the virus. occupying them. and dehydration can kill. Cabins and other abandoned structures are likely habitat for yy Do not disturb rodents’ bur- rodents and potential sites where rows, nests or dens. visitors may be exposed to the virus. It is transmitted to yy Avoid camping near rodent people when they breathe air droppings, nests, woodpiles or contaminated with the virus, dense brush frequented by rodents. touch their mouth or nose yy Wash or sanitize hands if you after handling contaminat- contact rodents or their excretions. Five Injured in Single- ed materials, eat contami- Vehicle Rollover Accident nated food, or are bitten yy Store food in rodent-proof by a rodent. Anyone who comes On the evening of July 31, park containers. into contact with rodents that carry rangers responded to a report of yy Promptly dispose of all garbage a single-vehicle rollover accident hantavirus is at risk of HPS. to avoid attracting rodents. near the Golden Canyon Trailhead. Rangers arriving on scene observed five patients with varying levels of injuries. Two patients were suffering Roadrunner with prey from only minor injuries and refused transport to a hospital. The other Backcountry Travel: Read This Before You Go! three were transported by NPS ambulance to Desert View Regional Medical Center in Pahrump, Nevada. You’ve got two flat tires. Your cell phone doesn’t work. Nobody knows where you are. You’re not sure where you are. You haven’t seen another car since you turned off the highway 12 hours ago. The only thing you can A subsequent investigation showed that the driver had become hear is the ringing in your ears. Is this how you thought it would end? momentarily distracted and over- Most backcountry emergencies begin in fairly commonplace ways: your car gets a flat tire, you run out of corrected when he felt the vehicle’s gas, you sprain your ankle while on a hike, or you get disoriented and turned around in the desert landscape. tires hit the gravel road shoulder. Things that are easy to address in most places quickly become life-threatening emergencies in the backcountry The corrective action caused the ve- as heat, cold, exhaustion, dehydration, isolation and panic set in. hicle to leave the roadway at a high rate of speed, rolling twice before No matter what kind of adventure or experience you pursue in Death Valley, a little planning and caution will coming to rest on the desert floor. send you home with happy and fun-filled memories of your desert trip. Have a safe and inspiring visit to Death Dozens of these accidents occur Valley by following these tips from the rangers: in Death Valley every year, and are yy Plan your visit. Do you have yy Have the necessary tools the desert and into isolated can- the single leading cause of fatalities the appropriate vehicle, tires, tools, (rental cars often lack the proper yons. Common sense and good in the park. Without cell service in the valley, it is not uncommon for camping gear, maps, and skills for tire changing tools!) and know how judgment are far more reliable. your intended route? Do you to use them. an hour or more to elapse yy Call someone at home and before emergency re- have enough fuel and yy Bring food, water and other tell them specifically where you sponders arrive water? If you aren’t sure, at the scene of ask a ranger. essentials for several days, even are going. Have them call 1-888- an accident. if you’re planning a much shorter 233-6518 (Emergency Dispatch) if By observ- yy Be prepared. If you’re visit. you do not return when expected: ing the headed into the backcountry, It takes a long time to search 3.4 speed limit plan on changing a flat tire yy Don’t rely on technology. Your million acres of wilderness. We can and stay- at least once. Check your cell phone won’t work in most of find you faster if we know where ing focused rental car contract to see if the park. Emergency locator bea- to look and what we’re looking on the road, visitors you are covered should cons have a high failure rate. GPS for. Complete a backcountry hiker can avoid becoming something happen to devices frequently tell Death Valley form at any visitor center to ensure victims of these tragic your car on an visitors to turn off well-traveled that we have all the information accidents. unpaved road. roads, and take “shortcuts” over needed to find you quickly.

Death Valley Visitor Guide 3 What to See

Furnace Creek Area yy Badwater Basin: The low- yy Dante’s View: The most est point in North America, breathtaking viewpoint in Badwater Basin is a sur- the park, this mountain- real landscape of vast top overlook is more salt flats. A tempo- than 5000 feet above rary lake may form the floor of Death here after heavy Valley. The paved rainstorms. Do not access road is open walk on the salt to all vehicles less flats in hot weath- than 25 feet in er. Wheelchair length. accessible. yy Devil’s Golf yy Harmony Borax Course: An immense Works: Follow an easy 1/4 area of rock salt eroded by Titus Canyon Narrows mile walking trail to learn about wind and rain into jagged spires. So this important site in Death incredibly serrated that “only the Stovepipe Wells Area Valley’s history. The Harmony devil could play golf on such rough Borax operation became famous links.” The unpaved road leading yy Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: not as active. The wooden board- through the use of 20 mule teams to it is often closed after rain. Tawny dunes smoothly rise nearly walk loops ½ mile through stands that moved borax from Death 100 feet from Mesquite Flat. Late of pickleweed and past pools re- Valley to nearby communities. afternoon light accentuates the flecting badland hills. Wheelchair Artist’s Palette ripples and patterns while morn- accessible. ing is a good time to view tracks of nocturnal wildlife. Moonlight yy Titus Canyon: The largest on the dunes can be magical, yet and most diverse canyon in the night explorers should be alert for park. Within its lofty walls visitors sidewinder rattlesnakes during the can find volcanic deposits, a ghost warm season. town, Indian petroglyphs, bighorn sheep, and deep, winding narrows. yy Salt Creek: This stream of Titus Canyon is accessible to high- salty water is the only home to a clearance vehicles via a 26 mile, rare pupfish, Cyprinodon salinus. one-way dirt road beginning out- Springtime is best for viewing pup- side the park. The trip will take 3 fish; in summer the lower stream hours from pavement to pavement. dries up and in winter the fish are yy Artist’s Drive: A scenic loop yy Twenty Mule Team Canyon: drive through multi-hued volca- Winding through otherworldly Scotty’s Castle Area nic and sedimentary hills. Artist’s badlands, this 2.7 mile, one-way Palette is especially photogenic loop drive is unpaved, but acces- yy Scotty’s Castle: Prospector tionary island, home to rare and in late afternoon light. The 9 mile sible to vehicles other than buses, “Death Valley Scotty” claimed this endangered species of plants and paved road is one-way and is only RV’s, and trailers. elaborate Spanish-style mansion animals. To give them extra pro- drivable with vehicles less than 25 was built by gold from his fictitious tection, the dunes are off limits feet in length. mine. In reality, it was the 1920s va- to sandboarding and horseback cation home of his wealthy friends. riding. The drive can be rough and Today, living history tours of the will take approximately 2.5 hours castle’s richly furnished interior are from the end of pavement off of given by costumed park rangers. Scotty’s Castle Road. Wheelchair accessible. yy The Racetrack: Rocks mys- yy Ubehebe Crater: Just a few teriously slide across the dry hundred years ago a massive vol- lakebed of the Racetrack, leaving canic explosion caused by magma behind long tracks for visitors to mixing with an underground ponder. A high-clearance vehicle spring, shattered the silence of with heavy-duty tires is needed northern Death Valley. When to traverse the 27 miles of rough the cinders and dust settled, this dirt road; ask a ranger for current 600 foot deep crater remained. road conditions. Once you leave Although easily visible from the pavement at Ubehebe paved road, hikers may want Crater the drive will to circle the crater rim to see take approximately smaller craters. 2.5 hours one-way to the Racetrack. Aguereberry Point yy Eureka Dunes: Rising Scotty’s Castle Panamint Springs Area nearly 700 feet, these are the highest dunes in California. yy Aguereberry Point: One thou- fuel to process silver/lead ore, they Isolated from other sand feet higher than Dante’s View, still smell of smoke today. The last dunes, they are this viewpoint gives a perspective 2 miles of gravel road to the kilns an evolu- over Death Valley from the west. are passable to most vehicles. Along the gravel road are the remains of Pete Aguereberry’s camp yy Father Crowley Vista: A land- and his Eureka Mine. scape of dark lava flows and vol- The last climb to the point may canic cinders abruptly gives way to require a high-clearance vehicle. the gash of Rainbow Canyon below this viewpoint. Walk the dirt track yy Wildrose Charcoal Kilns: east of the parking lot for a grand These ten beehive-shaped struc- overlook of the northern Panamint tures are among the best preserved Valley. Wheelchair accessible. in the west. Built in 1876 to provide

4 Death Valley Visitor Guide Walks & Hikes

yyBefore starting a hike learn the current conditions, water availability, yy Constructed trails are rare in this park. Trails are provided in places and weather forecasts. Backpackers can obtain a free permit from any that are heavily used and sensitive to damage. If a trail is there, please visitor center. use it. Most hiking routes in the park are cross-country, up canyons, or yyAlways carry water. Two liters for a short winter day hike; 4 liters or along ridges. Footing can be rough and rocky. more in the summer or for longer hikes. yy Hiking in low elevations can be dangerous when it is hot. The high yyDogs and bicycles are not allowed on trails or in the Wilderness. peaks can be covered with snow in winter and spring. The best time to hike in the park is October to April.

Trails & Routes

Golden Canyon Trail Mosaic Canyon Little Hebe Crater Trail Length: 1 mile, one-way. Length: ½ to 2 miles, one-way. Length: ½ mile, one-way. Difficulty: Easy Difficulty: Moderate Difficulty: Moderate Start: Golden Canyon parking Start: Mosaic Canyon parking area, Start: Ubehebe Crater parking area, area, 2 miles south of Hwy 190 on 2 miles from Stovepipe Wells Village 8 miles west of Scotty’s Castle. Badwater Road. on graded gravel road. Description: Volcanic craters and Description: Easy trail through color- Description: Popular walk up a elaborate erosion. Hike along west ful canyon. Red Cathedral located ¼ narrow, polished marble-walled rim of Ubehebe Crater to Little mile up canyon from last numbered canyon. First ½ mile is narrowest Hebe and several other craters. marker. Interpretive trail guides are section. Some slickrock scrambling Continue around Ubehebe’s rim for available. necessary. “Mosaics” of fragments 1.5 mile loop hike. of rocks cemented together can be Gower Gulch Loop seen in canyon walls. Bighorn sheep Darwin Falls sighted occasionally. Length: 4 miles round-trip. Length: 1 mile, one-way Difficulty: Moderate Salt Creek Interpretive Trail Difficulty: Moderate Start: Golden Canyon parking Length: ½ mile round-trip. Start: Darwin Falls parking area, area, 2 miles south of Hwy 190 on 2.4 miles up gravel road toward Badwater Rd. Difficulty: Easy Darwin, turn one mile west of Description: Colorful badlands, can- Start: Salt Creek parking area, 1 mile Panamint Springs Resort on Hwy yon narrows, old borax mines. Hike off Hwy 190 on graded gravel road, 190. up Golden Canyon to marker #10, 13.5 miles north of Furnace Creek. Description: Year-round waterfalls then follow trail to divide below Description: Boardwalk along small and lush vegetation tucked into a Manly Beacon and down Gower stream. Good for viewing rare pup- rugged canyon. Can be overgrown Gulch to finish loop. Two easy dry- fish and other wildlife. Best in late and has some rough spots. There is falls must be scrambled down. Ask winter/early spring. a trail to first waterfall but danger- for Gower Gulch handout at Visitor ous cliffs beyond. Center. (No access to Zabriskie Point Titus Canyon Narrows during closure.) Length: 1.5 miles, one-way. Desolation Canyon Difficulty: Easy Length: 3 miles, round-trip. Start: Titus Canyon Mouth parking area, 3 miles off Scotty’s Castle Road Difficulty: Moderate Mosaic Canyon on graded gravel road. Start: Parking area at end of ½ mile Dante’s Ridge Description: Easy access to lower dirt road off Badwater Road, 3.7 Titus Canyon. Walk on gravel road Length: ½ miles to first summit, 4 miles south of Hwy 190. up wash 1.5 miles through narrows miles one-way to Mt. Perry Description: Narrow canyon through or continue to Klare Springs and Beavertail Cactus colorful badlands. Follow old road Difficulty: Moderate petroglyphs at 6.5 miles. Mountain Hikes and then main wash east continuing Start: Dante’s View parking area toward cliffs, then follow the wash Fall Canyon draining from the south. Hike up Description: Follow ridge north of Cool places to hike when the valley canyon, keeping to the right at the Dante’s View for spectacular vistas Length: 3 miles, one-way. is too hot, but may be snow covered and a cool place to escape summer forks. No trail. Difficulty: Moderately strenuous in winter: heat. No trail for last 3.5 miles Start: Titus Canyon Mouth parking Natural Bridge Canyon area, 3 miles off Scotty’s Castle Road Wildrose Peak Trail Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes Length: 1 mile to end of canyon, ½ on graded gravel road. Length: 4.2 miles, one-way. Length: 2 miles to highest dune mile to natural bridge. Description: Spectacular wilderness Difficulty: Moderately strenuous Difficulty: Easy to moderate canyon near Titus Canyon. Follow Difficulty: Easy Start: Charcoal Kilns parking area on informal path ½ mile north along Start: Natural Bridge parking area, Start: Sand Dunes parking area near upper Wildrose Canyon Road. Stove pipe Wells. base of mountains, drop into large 1.5 miles off Badwater Road on wash at canyon’s mouth, then hike Description: A good high peak to gravel road, 13.2 miles south of Hwy Description: Graceful desert dunes, 2½ miles up canyon to 35’ dryfall. climb (9,064 ft.). Trail begins at 190. numerous animal tracks. Walk cross- You can climb around the dryfall north end of kilns with an elevation Description: Uphill walk through country to 100 feet high dunes. Best 300’ back down canyon on south gain of 2,200 ft. Spectacular views narrow canyon. Large natural in morning or afternoon for dra- side. Canyon continues another 3 beyond 2 mile point. Steep grade bridge at ½ mile. Trail ends at a dry matic light. Also good for full moon miles before second dryfall blocks for last mile. waterfall. hikes. No trail. passage. No trail. Telescope Peak Trail Badwater Salt Flat Length: 7 miles, one-way. Length: ½ mile to edge, 5 mi. across Difficulty: Strenuous Difficulty: Easy Start: Mahogany Flat Campground Start: Badwater parking area, at end of upper Wildrose Canyon 17 miles south of Hwy 190 on Road. Rough, steep road after Badwater Road. Charcoal Kilns. Description: Level walk across low- Description: Trail to highest peak in est place in the western hemisphere. the park (11,049 ft.) with a 3,000 ft. Crust of salt crystals may be cov- elevation gain. Climbing this peak ered with temporary lake after rain in the winter may require ice axe storms. Watch out for muddy areas. and crampons, and only advised for No trail. Do not hike this area dur- experienced winter climbers. Trail is ing hot months. Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes photo by Bill Ratcliffe usually snow-free by June. Death Valley Visitor Guide 5 To

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r To

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A iv

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T Las Vegas

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o Baker

ar mi km N mi km

Las Vegas m

A Tecopa and

S 2 4 3 9

Devils Hole 2 8 4 5

REFUGE

O L

S Death Valley

WILDLIFE To Pahrump National Park

L S NATIONAL

M I

and Las Vegas To Pahrump

A 178

H Shoshone

127 E K

ASH MEADOWS

and Las Vegas

C N

O Ibex Pass

O ft m

C J

I d H

L a S

A Refuge O

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H Eagle Mountain 380 6 116 0

6mi 9km

e 10 Miles

n ft m Ibex Dunes i

Headquarters L

Brown Peak 494 7 150 8 t

t 4mi 6km Lathrop Wells S E mi km Amargosa Opera House Death Valley Junction Amargosa Valley G 2 3 3 7 N Busted Butte

ft m 373 A 127 10 Kilometers R ft Deadman Pass 326 3 99 4 m

Spring I N 331 5

A 101 0 O U N T Saratoga A M mi km C R S 2 5 4 1 C N Y r E Salsberry Pass U 190 I e v Y T E A i R T A L T

L W N

R A sa N U go 1 Watch for ﬂooding mi km ar E V m 1 O A E 1 8 2 9 E

0 0 Lifetime Pass Interagency Senior Pass ...... $10 (for U.S. citizens 62+) Interagency Access Pass ...... $free (for U.S. citizens with disability) Other Passes honored Golden Age & Access Groups Tour Commercial Fee determined by vehicle capacity M S R mi km G ft m

Black Cone 2 0 3 2

E ft R d

m E Jubilee Pass 129 0 39 0 a T o

Big Dune A

W R 304 0 92 7

D N Y E

ft m E e

L K d E L a

No rt h R A ft m C W

Pyramid Peak 670 3 204 3 G V er

Jubilee y iv r mi km A R r

Funeral Peak 638 4 194 5 a Mountain 2 9 4 6 L H S S N A L I B IL A H T sa E o S Schwaub Peak C N g N N ar E U AI D m I T E F N A OU D N O 95 O M S L O

O C

Vehicles longer than 25 feet (7.7 meters) not allowed. G mi km

Owl Lake

G ft N Y m

3 5

E G

ft m

L mi km

Trailer L I

(ruins)

A E parking

V N 1 3 2 1

591 2

R 180 2

O N A R Cofﬁn Peak 550 3 167 7

Information

I T

S N Ashford Mill

(valid up to 7 days)

A A

Hole in the Wall

O A

N C ft

h m

ft m s

O a A

C W Smith Mountain U E mi km View

547 5 Beatty 166 9

M Winters Peak 503 3 153 4 d

O 2 7 4 3 Dantes

k mi km

a Indian Pass e

e R Mormon Point r o 1 0 1 6

M ate Shoreline Butte C Natural Bridge Badw r

A R D

Twenty Mule Team Canyon

L y A c Vehicles longer than 25 feet (7.7 meters) not allowed. A A a a rive

n w r e D E R Nevares Peak u n d F o ay a Artists Palette o

E Zabriskie Point w

mi km R

Mine e H

3 5 5 6 N o Badwater S

t e h

Rhyolite (ghost town)

s s L i d a

U S i Lost Lake mi km L t

374 S W

I r F SEE DETAIL MAP ABOVE t L Vehicle & passengers...... $20Vehicle Individual entering on motorcycle, bicycle, or foot...... $10 Annual Pass Annual PassDeath Valley ...... $40 Interagency Annual Pass...... $80 Interagency Military Pass...... $free (for active duty military & dependents)

S ingle Visit Pass s 1 1 7

Entrance Fees Castle Scotty’s Pay the park entrance fee at Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Ranger Station or at one of the automated fee Stovepipe Wells Visitor Center, machines placed throughout the park. We

A H

Devils NELLIS AIR FORCE BOMBING AND GUNNERY RANGE

below sea level Badwater Basin

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d Lowest elevation in mi

km a N a km

Golf Course

Eagle Borax Works (ruins) g

o 9 km mi O

4 0 n

R Chloride Cliff

E i 6 4

Y one way one North America, 282ft (86m)

1 9 1 2

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a L A

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h mi km N FORT IRWIN MILITARY RESERVATION

A N

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i O ft m N l Keane Wonder Mill and Mine (Area temporarily closed because of safety hazards)

Golden Canyon Y

1 9 3 0

O y

A Y E

Interpretive Trail

a CANYON N L

N Y

D N T

MUSTARD

A A 190 N

G V A

O C Daylight Pass 431 6 131 6 G N

A N G Y

C U O

Sugarloaf Peak

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f Interpretive Trail N

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Cuto E N

km F

y I A M

tt L

a C

e L

T 1 0 B

1 6 k

P L e N

H e A

A Cr S I

A Harmony Borax Works O

U V

L S A R P Hells Gate

B M

U F N U

A H

Salt Creek Interpretive Trail Q

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mi T J mi A W km O

S km

7 N A 7 H

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U Corkscrew Peak R

N 1

1 N

O P

T Y A S

N C A

Y Furnace Creek

C A

N ft m m

A Buttes

B E A

H Information

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Information T t

l L

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Red Pass O ft m

a A V

N Brown Mountain 512 5 156 2

Stonewall Mountain 8875ft 270 5 C N

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ft m

Needle Peak T A

R I T

Death Valley

Scottys Junction T

A Aguereberry Point Day use only 643 3 196 1

Leadﬁeld (ghost town) Y

E Hills S Kit Fox 813 3 247 9

S L

N L Devils Peak

Porter Peak A

N Cornﬁeld

ft m E T Y

N Wingate Pass T

U O

Thimble B

I Mahogany Flat Thorndike ft N

Y M

Charcoal Kilns

mi m A

N km

C A

A 9

Mengel Pass N Sentinel Peak 963 6 293 7

1 4 Y C N

Y T A

mi km E

Telescope Peak 1104 9 336 8 C

N ft Panamint City (ghost town)

m N N

I Road conditions require experienced four-wheel drivers. 1 6 2 6

Wahguyhe Peak

H ft P E U ad Historic 906 4

o 276 3

O R ft m

O N Peak

e 673 2 2052m

l Eureka Mine

t R

s Stovepipe Wells Village

N a Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes Y

ft m C S G O M E Striped Butte

y’s Flats

O t Mount Palmer 7979ft 2432m t N

L Bennett

U co Sand Y

S Emigrant Pass 531 8 162 1

Dunes

Y m T

I N

Rogers Peak

Harrisburg

N N

TUCKI MOUNTAIN

Stovepipe Well

d C T 267 N

a Wildrose Peak A G

Grapevine Peak 873 8 266 3 A

O o

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R C C

Y N mi

Skidoo (townsite) Day use only

Y mi km 719 6

N O 219 3

N A

L Y

2 1

L 2 6 4 2

C 3 4

n A E

A N

To Tonopah and Reno F

T o C S

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Manly Peak

Mosaic O

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T Canyon n

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Wildrose

Two-way trafﬁc to mouth of Titus Canyon. P

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Straw Peak Road conditions require experienced four-wheel drivers. t

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N NEVADA 1 3 m L

N N E

O 3 5 3 Vehicles longer than 25 feet (7.7 meters) not allowed. E B I ANYON E

R C S N G E O

CALIFORNIA V E K A Emigrant W R R T A CHINA LAKE

Lida Junction T H I D

266 E Y

Ballarat (ghost town) L

JA I E

E P Q

W T

S Road temporarily CLOSED due to wash-out. G

Y A E A E D

E M L

R R

G G

N h

A s A Y

O a

S V W

N mi D

K Pinto Peak E

ey O 9 G

A l

I l I NAVAL AIR WEAPONS STATION

1 4 L

J a

V N

T A

N L

N h

t E C

M Gold Mountain

a ft

N D

E m

e O

L A Y

W O E

ft Mount Dunfee

m Y L

mi L

km A

N V

O V

495 6

151 1 S

A T 1 8

A 2 9

91 4 L

300 0 R

D E

I E C N

I E

B L S

V N

D R

Towne Pass

E mi km O A

P T Y M

A N

3 1 5 0

R mi km Gold Point A G N

mi km d I 1 5 2 4

3 5 E Ro

Panamint Butte

N T M

O ey

B l ft

N l

m SEARLES LAKE

Y I V A R

mi km E N G t

190

R M

Scotty’s Castle 641 1

5 8 n

195 4 Deep sand

O i A G m

A a P Trona n

E a

N P

R N S

O N I

H A

T T Mount Jackson G I White Top Mountain

N ft m

Visitor Center and Museum B M O U Grapevine A O O D A W 61 9 203 0 ft m N

Ubehebe Crater at L l O F Lake Hill P Panamint Dunes T Sand

Tin Mountain 895 3 272 9 T

S O mi km Mesquite Spring C 4 5 7 2 d mi km a In winter carry chains. Road may be closed.

Ro 2 5 4 0

mi km

e a

o Y

n LE N

R L

i A

Lida

2 0 3 2 V

P k

E O

c D a

r ID

t H e Y

c a

ig R B N

E To L A

Panamint Springs TU N C

ft m O Death Y Valley S CAN Store Wheelchair-accessible Telephone Airstrip Gas station Food service Lodging Flat N Junction

I Ulida A

T Magruder Mountain 904 6 275 7 Teakettle Junction N W duty tires.

U O

South Pass Falls Sharp rock; B

O To ft

m N

M Y I Darwin

K VALLE A O requires heavy- RACETRAC R T E The G The Grandstand 745 4 T N 227 2 k A Hunter

E ft e m e R

r Racetrack M C E ft m L C Mountain Furnace N Artists Drive A A 178 Texas

P 896 0 and Badwater Creek Inn mi 273 1 H km S Spring C Dry Mountain 867 4 264 4 LL 7 HI ft d T m Cottonwoo S 1 A ARWIN Vista Point D N L T 567 8 YO 173 1 LA N Crankshaft Junction F

CA Father Crowley h 190

Steel Pass a

Palmetto Mountain E C

Darwin In winter carry chains. Road may be closed. W Ubehebe Peak

N Sunset Deep sand A Shoshone Timbisha trust lands Area below sea level Salt ﬂat H C EE L

N A mi km Ranger station Sanitary disposal station Picnic area Campground

o O L

To Stovepipe Wells t Y

t E 3 5 3

e N G m A N

l Road conditions a C O A RIDGECREST P Y R four-wheel drivers.

N K A require experienced 266 C Dunes T O C Eureka N O LA G O

8456ft R F 257 7

N S L k

U G L A e I Mountain

N E N e

M I E r G N

Last Chance Y N N O G E C A Y T

E R 0.5 Mile

C N

N Creek

L E E Borax Museum

U A L L C Timbisha Shoshone Village (private; no visitor services)

C H R Furnace A L E mi km d V W a A LO 1 3 2 1

o V To ft m San R E 0.5 Kilometer BR N Furnace Creek Ranch 395 SYLVANIA MOUNTAINS I 279 9 Cerro Gordo Peak 918 4 Paved road Unpaved road High clearance recommended Hiking trail e L Four-wheel-drive road

n A

i A Bernardino S

w K o

l 395

l E

i R W g Visitor Center i U Furnace Creek 0 0 B E Furnace Creek Saline Valley Dunes

E including bicycles, must stay on roads. Vehicles, Y LE I N AL L

V A

E S

A N S

L O

H Y S N FI

A N 178 C AT ft m L S F ts 190 U a I mi km CT Fl CA s Keeler 1 8 2 9 Chocolate Mountain 770 3 234 8 s ka

Jac E L

A 14

To B

mi km

EY mi km R L

Dyer AL k 1 5 2 4 V A

E 4 2 6 8 e S

T RO To Los Angeles M e r Y A

C E

South Haiwee Reservoir D

N L (dry) A

y In winter carry chains. Road may be closed.

e V

l l

136

n E r

h V

395

North Haiwee Reservoir w U N N

168

s OWENS LAKE t O

Y Mount Inyo 11107ft 3385m

u O UCT N L

d k h D

L A s E

o o e A U A J V Q o e A R C

r M ES

w Waucoba Mountain 11123ft 3390m EL G R

C LOS AN

n S

o G

E N t I

t n R

Deep Springs Lake I

o P 178 S a

C O S Owens Peak N m mi km

P A

y E

E Y M D 2 1 4 0 W S E

INYO N N E

A R E

G L E

E U

FOREST E

D T U I 395 C F S

O O W L NATIONAL Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center To Manzanar National Historic Site To Lake Isabella To Big Pine Lone Pine To Big Pine

6 Death Valley Visitor Guide To

T N

r To

I e

A iv

A R L

T Las Vegas

F sa

o Baker

ar mi km N mi km

Las Vegas m

A Tecopa and

S 2 4 3 9

Devils Hole 2 8 4 5

REFUGE

O L

S Death Valley

WILDLIFE To Pahrump National Park

L S NATIONAL

M I

and Las Vegas To Pahrump

A 178

H Shoshone

127 E K

ASH MEADOWS

and Las Vegas

C N

O Ibex Pass

O ft m

C J

I d H

L a S

A Refuge O

C R

H Eagle Mountain 380 6 116 0

6mi 9km

e 10 Miles

n ft m Ibex Dunes i

Headquarters L

Brown Peak 494 7 150 8 t

t 4mi 6km Lathrop Wells S E mi km Amargosa Opera House Death Valley Junction Amargosa Valley G 2 3 3 7 N Busted Butte

ft m 373 A 127 10 Kilometers R ft Deadman Pass 326 3 99 4 m

Spring I N 331 5

A 101 0 O U N T Saratoga A M mi km C R S 2 5 4 1 C N Y r E Salsberry Pass U 190 I e v Y T E A i R T A L T

L W N

R A sa N U go 1 Watch for ﬂooding mi km ar E V m 1 O A E 1 8 2 9 E

Black Cone 2 0 3 2

E ft R d

m E Jubilee Pass 129 0 39 0 a T o

Big Dune A

W R 304 0 92 7

D N Y E

ft m E e

L K d E L a

No rt h R A ft m C W

Pyramid Peak 670 3 204 3 G V er

Jubilee y iv r mi km A R r

Funeral Peak 638 4 194 5 a Mountain 2 9 4 6 L H S S N A L I B IL A H T sa E o S Schwaub Peak C N g N N ar E U AI D m I T E F N A OU D N O 95 O M S L O

O C

Vehicles longer than 25 feet (7.7 meters) not allowed. G mi km

Owl Lake

G ft N Y m

3 5

E G

ft m

L mi km

Trailer L I

(ruins)

A E parking

V N 1 3 2 1

591 2

R 180 2

O N A R Cofﬁn Peak 550 3 167 7

Information

I T

S N Ashford Mill

(valid up to 7 days)

A A

Hole in the Wall

O A

N C ft

h m ft m s

O a A

C W Smith Mountain U E mi km View

547 5 Beatty 166 9

M Winters Peak 503 3 153 4 d

O 2 7 4 3 Dantes

k mi km

a Indian Pass e

e R Mormon Point r o 1 0 1 6

M ate Shoreline Butte C Natural Bridge Badw r

A R D

Twenty Mule Team Canyon

L y A c Vehicles longer than 25 feet (7.7 meters) not allowed. A A a a rive

n w r e D E R Nevares Peak u n d F o ay a Artists Palette o

E Zabriskie Point w

mi km R

Mine e H

3 5 5 6 N o Badwater S

t e h

Rhyolite (ghost town)

s s L i d a

U S i Lost Lake mi km L t

374 S W

S ingle Visit Pass s 1 1 7

A H

Devils NELLIS AIR FORCE BOMBING AND GUNNERY RANGE

below sea level Badwater Basin

Y e

t O

d Lowest elevation in mi

km a N a km

Golf Course

Eagle Borax Works (ruins) g

o 9 mi km O

4 0 n

R Chloride Cliff

E i 6 4

Y one way one North America, 282ft (86m)

1 2 1 9 s

W N s

a L A

P C

S t

L N

h mi km N FORT IRWIN MILITARY RESERVATION

A N

g N I

i O ft m N l Keane Wonder Mill and Mine (Area temporarily closed because of safety hazards)

Golden Canyon Y

1 9 3 0

O y

A Y E

Interpretive Trail a CANYON N L

N Y

D N T

MUSTARD

A A 190 N

G V A

O C Daylight Pass 431 6 131 6 G N

A N G Y

C U O

Sugarloaf Peak

N O

Y O

A G

R Y

f Interpretive Trail N mi f C

Cuto E N

km F

y I A M tt L

a C

L e L

T 1 0 B

1 6 k

P L e N

H e A

A Cr S I

A Harmony Borax Works O

U V

L S A R P Hells Gate

B M

U F N U

A H

Salt Creek Interpretive Trail Q

A H N

N O

G mi T J mi A W km O

S km

7 N A 7 H

Y I

U Corkscrew Peak R

N 1

1 N

O P

T Y A S

N C A

Y Furnace Creek

C A

N ft m m

A Buttes

B E A

H Information

M L

Information T t

l L

O I

Red Pass O ft m

a A V

N Brown Mountain 512 5 156 2

Stonewall Mountain 8875ft 270 5 C N

A S R

ft m

Needle Peak T A

R I T

Death Valley

Scottys Junction T

A Aguereberry Point Day use only 643 3 196 1

Leadﬁeld (ghost town) Y

E Hills S Kit Fox 813 3 247 9

S L

N L Devils Peak

Porter Peak A

N Cornﬁeld

ft m E T Y

N Wingate Pass T

U O

Thimble B

I Mahogany Flat Thorndike ft N

Y M

Charcoal Kilns mi m A

N km

C A

A 9

Mengel Pass N Sentinel Peak 963 6 293 7

1 4 Y C N

Y T A

mi km E

Telescope Peak 1104 9 336 8 C

N ft Panamint City (ghost town)

m N N

I Road conditions require experienced four-wheel drivers. 1 6 2 6

Wahguyhe Peak

H ft P E U ad Historic 906 4

o 276 3

O R ft m

O N Peak

e 673 2 2052m l Eureka Mine

t R

s Stovepipe Wells Village

N a Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes Y

ft m C S G O M E Striped Butte

y’s Flats

O t Mount Palmer 7979ft 2432m t N

L Bennett

U co Sand Y

S Emigrant Pass 531 8 162 1

Dunes

Y m T

I N

Rogers Peak

Harrisburg

N N

TUCKI MOUNTAIN

Stovepipe Well

d C T 267 N

a Wildrose Peak A G

Grapevine Peak 873 8 266 3 A

O o

N O

R C C

Y N mi

Skidoo (townsite) Day use only

Y mi km 719 6

N O 219 3

N A

L Y

2 1

L 2 6 4 2

C 3 4

n A E

A N

To Tonopah and Reno F

T o C S

L A

A y

Manly Peak

Mosaic O

L C A

T Canyon n

F T

Wildrose

Two-way trafﬁc to mouth of Titus Canyon. P

E A C N

E R W

I L

N U

L H S mi

D C

km S

Straw Peak Road conditions require experienced four-wheel drivers. t

E E 8 n A

E a R

I r

R ig E mi km

N NEVADA 1 3 m L

N N E

O 3 5 3 Vehicles longer than 25 feet (7.7 meters) not allowed. E B I ANYON E

R C S N G E O

CALIFORNIA V E K A Emigrant W R R T A CHINA LAKE

Lida Junction T H I D

266 E Y

Ballarat (ghost town) L

JA I E

E P Q

W T

S Road temporarily CLOSED due to wash-out. G

Y A E A E D

E M L

R R

G G

N h

A s A Y

O a

S V W

N mi D

K Pinto Peak E

ey O 9 G

A l

I l I NAVAL AIR WEAPONS STATION

1 4 L

J a

V N

T A

N L

N h

t E C

M Gold Mountain

a ft

N D

E m

e O

L A Y

W O E

ft Mount Dunfee m Y L

mi L

km A

N V

O V

495 6

151 1 S

A T 1 8

A 2 9

91 4 L

300 0 R

D E

I E C N

I E

B L S

V N

D R

Towne Pass

E mi km O A

P T Y M

A N

3 1 5 0

R mi km Gold Point A G N

mi km d I 1 5 2 4

3 5 E Ro

Panamint Butte

N T M

O ey

B l ft

N l m SEARLES LAKE

Y I V A R

mi km E N G t

190

R M

Scotty’s Castle 641 1

5 8 n

195 4 Deep sand

O i A G m

A a P Trona n

E a

N P

R N S

O N I

H A

T T Mount Jackson G I White Top Mountain

N ft m

Visitor Center and Museum B M O U Grapevine A O O D A W 61 9 203 0 ft m N

Ubehebe Crater at L l O F Lake Hill P Panamint Dunes T Sand

Tin Mountain 895 3 272 9 T

S O mi km Mesquite Spring C 4 5 7 2 d mi km a In winter carry chains. Road may be closed.

Ro 2 5 4 0 mi km

e a

o Y

n LE N

R L i A

Lida

2 0 3 2 V

P k

E O c D a

r ID t H e Y

c a ig R B N

E To L A

Panamint Springs TU N C ft m O Death Y Valley S CAN Store Wheelchair-accessible Telephone Airstrip Gas station Food service Lodging Flat N Junction

I Ulida A

T Magruder Mountain 904 6 275 7 Teakettle Junction N W duty tires.

U O

South Pass Falls Sharp rock; B

O To ft m N

M Y I Darwin

K VALLE A O requires heavy- RACETRAC R T E The G The Grandstand 745 4 T N 227 2 k A Hunter

E ft e m e R r Racetrack M C E ft m L C Mountain Furnace N Artists Drive A A 178 Texas

P 896 0 and Badwater Creek Inn mi 273 1 H km S Spring C Dry Mountain 867 4 264 4 LL 7 HI ft d T m Cottonwoo S 1 A ARWIN Vista Point D N L T 567 8 YO 173 1 LA N Crankshaft Junction F

CA Father Crowley h 190

Steel Pass a

Palmetto Mountain E C

Darwin In winter carry chains. Road may be closed. W Ubehebe Peak

N Sunset Deep sand A Shoshone Timbisha trust lands Area below sea level Salt ﬂat H C EE L

N A mi km Ranger station Sanitary disposal station Picnic area Campground

o O L

To Stovepipe Wells t Y

t E 3 5 3

e N G m A N

l Road conditions a C O A RIDGECREST P Y R four-wheel drivers. m

N K A require experienced 266 C Dunes T O C Eureka N O LA G O

8456ft R F 257 7

N S L k

U G L A e I Mountain

N E N e

M I E r G N

Last Chance Y N N O G E C A Y T

E R 0.5 Mile

C N

N Creek

L E E Borax Museum

U A L L C Timbisha Shoshone Village (private; no visitor services)

C H R Furnace A L E mi km d V W a A LO 1 3 2 1 o V To ft m San R E 0.5 Kilometer BR N Furnace Creek Ranch 395 SYLVANIA MOUNTAINS I 279 9 Cerro Gordo Peak 918 4 Paved road Unpaved road High clearance recommended Hiking trail e L Four-wheel-drive road n A

i A Bernardino S

w K o l 395

l E

i R W g Visitor Center i U Furnace Creek 0 0 B E Furnace Creek Saline Valley Dunes

E including bicycles, must stay on roads. Vehicles, Y LE I N AL L

V A

E S

A N S

L O

H Y S N FI

A N 178 C AT ft m L S F ts 190 U a I mi km CT Fl CA s Keeler 1 8 2 9 Chocolate Mountain 770 3 234 8 s ka

Jac E L

A 14

To B

mi km

EY mi km R L

Dyer AL k 1 5 2 4 V A

E 4 2 6 8 e S

T RO To Los Angeles M e r Y A

C E

South Haiwee Reservoir D

N L (dry) A

L y In winter carry chains. Road may be closed.

e V l l a

136 n E r o

h V

395

North Haiwee Reservoir w U N N

168

s OWENS LAKE t O

a l

Y Mount Inyo 11107ft 3385m

u O UCT N L d k h D

L A s E

o o e A U A J V Q o e A R C

r M ES w Waucoba Mountain 11123ft 3390m EL G R

C LOS AN

n S

o G

E N t I

t n R

Deep Springs Lake I o P 178 S a

C O S Owens Peak N m mi km

P A y E

E Y M D 2 1 4 0 W S E

INYO N N E

A R E

G L E

E U

FOREST E

D T U I 395 C F S

O O W L NATIONAL Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center To Manzanar National Historic Site To Lake Isabella To Big Pine Lone Pine To Big Pine

Death Valley Visitor Guide 7 Park News Climate Change Puts Endangered Devils Hole Pupfish at Risk of Extinction by Mike Wolterbeek, University of Nevada, Reno Climate change is hurting reproduction of the endangered Devils Hole to sustain the newly hatched larvae. The research found that increasing pupfish, threatening the survival of this rare species that has numbered temperatures will likely reduce the optimal period by another two weeks as few as 35 individuals, new research by the University of Nevada, Reno by mid-century. and Desert Research Institute shows. There are now 107 Devils Hole pupfish observed living in the thermal Scientists report that geothermal water on a small shelf near the surface pool. The population, which fluctuates throughout the year, is down from of an isolated cavern in the Nevada desert where the pupfish live is heat- 553 fish when the population counts began in 1972. ing up as a result of climate change and is likely to continue heating to “This is a fish that does live in a fishbowl, an incredibly hostile fish- dangerous levels. bowl, and you can’t move the fishbowl,” said Scott Tyler, lead scientist The hotter water, which now reaches more than 93°F, has shortened in the project and professor of hydrological sciences at the University of by one week the amount of time pupfish larvae have to hatch during the Nevada, Reno. “This is a species that can’t adapt or change or leave to go optimal recruitment periods. This 10-week period is when water tem- to a better environment, though it’s most likely gone through tremendous peratures are conducive to egg hatching and sufficient food is available genetic bottlenecks in its more than 10,000 years of evolution.” “While the population of the pupfish has declined, we are hoping they are in a period of recovery,” Kevin Wilson, aquatic ecologist for Death Valley National Park, said. “Climate change is threatening the already small population size.” The scientists combined climate projections, models of water circula- tion in the deep, water-filled fissure, and food web ecology to understand how climate change could affect the ecosystem within the pool. “The techniques used to model the impacts of climate change for the Devils Hole pupfish can be applied to other species in other desert locations to see how they might respond to the changing climate,” Tyler said.

Biologists Try to Rescue Pupfish Considered the world’s rar- population into a captive breeding est fish, with one of the smallest program, an extreme measure he geographic ranges of any wild called a “California condor mo- vertebrate, the tiny Devils Hole ment” because such a controversial pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) action was used to rescue the con- neared extinction in spring 2013 dor from extinction in 1986. when populations dropped to an He noted that, unlike the slow- all-time low of 35 observable pup- reproducing condor that does not Devils Hole is a water-filled limestone cavern in a detached unit of Death Valley National fish. While more recent fish counts breed until 5 or 6 years of age, the Park in Nevada near the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. It is an extreme en- showed some recovery, the species Devils Hole pupfish has the poten- vironment, with water temperatures and dissolved oxygen concentrations near lethal is considered critically endangered. tial for faster population growth limits for most fish. The iridescent blue, one-inch-long pupfish have lived in the top 80 feet of the water-filled cavern for more than 10,000 years. The dire situation spurred the because it matures quickly and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can reproduce multiple times in its to open the Ash Meadows Fish short life span of 8 to 16 months. Conservation Facility, which is “Somehow, this handsome little less than a mile from Devils Hole. fish has heroically persisted in the Tourism to Death Valley National Park Previous attempts to establish harsh desert environment through refuge populations of pupfish have Creates $75 million in Economic Benefits thousands of years of drastic not fared well, either because the climate warming and droughts,” transplanted fish did not survive or A new National Park Service report shows that close to one million said Beissinger. “Should the human visitors to Death Valley National Park in 2013 spent more than $75 mil- because they cross-bred with other condition ever arrive at this point lion in communities near the park. That spending supported 883 jobs in species of pupfish. Biologists from after another century of increasing the local area. the agencies managing the pupfish carbon dioxide emissions and cli- captive breeding program wanted a “Death Valley is proud to welcome visitors from across the country mate warming, we may need some- and around the world,” said Superintendent Kathy Billings. “We are de- risk assessment to determine which one to help us out of our hole.” lighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides methods have the highest chance and to use the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of of success. the country and all that it offers. National park tourism is a significant A risk analysis by Steven driver in the national economy - returning $10 for every $1 invested in Beissinger, UC Berkeley professor the National Park Service - and it’s a big factor in our local economy as of environmental science, policy well. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communi- and management, found that when ties.” it came to reducing impact on the wild population, it was better to The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. transfer pupfish eggs to a captive Geological Survey economists for the National Park Service. The report shows $14.6 billion of direct spending by 273.6 million park visitors in breeding facility rather than adults, communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending sup- and that it was preferable to transported more than 237,000 jobs nationally, with more than 197,000 jobs fer fish in the fall, when the popula- found in these gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to tion tends to be larger, rather than Recycling Fuel Bottles the U.S. economy of $26.5 billion. in the spring. According to the 2013 economic analysis, most visitor spending was In addition, Beissinger found that For your convenience we have for lodging (30.3 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.3 per- moving more than six adults per placed these baskets in our cent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), admissions and fees (10.3 percent) and year for three consecutive years campground for the recycling of souvenirs and other expenses (10 percent). rapidly increases the risk of ex- empty propane and white gas canisters. Please do not dis- The largest jobs categories supported by visitor spending were restau- tinction. The results showed that pose of canisters in the trash or rants and bars (50,000 jobs) and lodging (38,000 jobs). the wild pupfish faces a 28 to 32 recycle dumpsters. If you have To download the report visit http://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/ percent risk of extinction over the a partially full canister that you economics.cfm. The report includes information for visitor spending at next 20 years. do not wish to take with you, individual parks and by state. Beissinger also calculated that if please leave it with the camp- the wild Devils Hole pupfish num- ground host so they may pass it on to anyone who is in need. bers become small enough, it may be necessary to remove the entire

8 Death Valley Visitor Guide Park News Racetrack Playa’s Moving Rocks Mystery Solved Racetrack Playa is home to one of Death Valley’s most enduring mysteries. Littered across the flat, dry surface of this dry lake, also called a “playa’, are hundreds of rocks – some weighing as much as 700 pounds (320 kilograms) – that seem to have been dragged across the ground, often leaving synchronized trails that can stretch for hundreds of feet. What powerful force could be moving them? Researchers have investi- gated this question since the 1940s, but no one has ever seen the process in action – until now. In a new paper published in August 2014, a team led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, paleobiologist Richard Norris report on first-hand observations of the phenomenon. Because the stones can sit for a decade or more without moving, the researchers did not originally expect to see motion in person. Instead, they decided to monitor the rocks remotely by installing a high-resolution weather sta- Racetrack Playa and moving rock tion capable of measuring gusts to 1 second intervals and fitting 15 rocks photo by Bob Greenburg with custom-built, motion-activated GPS units. (The Park Service could trails formed by grounding ice panels – features that had been thought to not let them use native rocks, so they brought in similar rocks from an be the result of people stealing rocks. outside source.) The experiment was set up in Winter 2011 with permis- sion of the National Park Service. Then they waited for something to “The last suspected movement was in 2006, and so rocks may move happen. only about one millionth of the time,” said Lorenz. “There is also evi- dence that the frequency of rock movement, which seems to require But in December 2013, Norris and co-author James Norris arrived in cold nights to form ice, may have declined since the 1970s due to climate Death Valley to discover that the playa was covered with a shallow pond change.” no more than 3 inches (7 cm) deep. Shortly after, the rocks began moving. So is the mystery of the sliding rocks finally solved? “Science sometimes has an element of luck,” Richard Norris said. “We expected to wait five or ten years without anything moving, but only two “We documented five move events in the two and a half months the years into the project, we just happened to be there at the right time to see pond existed and some involved hundreds of rocks”, says Richard it happen in person.” Norris, “So we have seen that even in Death Valley, famous for its heat, floating ice is a powerful force driving rock motion. But we have not seen the really big boys move out there....does that work the same way?”

The Racetrack is located in a remote area of the park and road conditions are variable at best, requiring high clearance vehicles and heavy duty tires. Do not attempt a trip to the Racetrack without a plenty of fuel and water. There is no cell phone service in the area. Be prepared for the possibility of spending the night if your vehicle becomes disabled.

New Conditions for Sporting Events The moratorium on permitted sporting events in Death Valley National Park issued on October 1, 2013, has been lifted. The NPS also released the findings of its safety assessment report and the required conditions on future permitted sporting events at the park. The safety assessment was conducted to evaluate risks associated with permitted sporting events at Death Valley National Park. Safety conditions will be included in future permits and are focused on decreasing Windowpane” Ice” risks and providing a safer and more enjoyable experience for partici- photo by Neal Nurmi pants, visitors, and employees, visitors. Their observations show that moving the rocks requires a rare com- Specific requirements for future permits include increasing visitor awareness of events taking place, increased traffic control, strategic bination of events. First, the playa fills with water, which must be deep locations for aid stations, increased warning signs, specific conditions for enough to allow formation of floating ice during cold winter nights but medical support teams, restrictions on time of year and time of day, and shallow enough to expose the rocks. As nighttime temperatures plum- increased monitoring and enforcement of permit conditions. met, the pond freezes to form sheets of “window pane” ice, which must Previously, park employees who monitored these events and respond- be thin enough to move freely but thick enough to maintain strength. On ed to emergency situations were exposed to unsafe conditions, including sunny days, the ice begins to melt and break up into large floating panels, extreme weather and locations of events on high-speed roads. Visitors which light winds drive across the playa pool. The ice sheets shove rocks to the park experienced increased congestion and traffic conflicts with in front of them and the moving stones leave trails in the soft mud bed participants during events. Additional risks noted during events included below the pool surface. limited visibility of participants on some sections of roads; cyclists and “On December 21, 2013, ice breakup happened just before noon, with runners participating in events side-by-side on narrow, two-lane park roads, causing traffic back-ups and dangerous passing situations; ex- popping and cracking sounds coming from all over the frozen pond sur- treme temperatures and other weather conditions; and events held at face”, said Richard Norris. “I said to Jim, ‘This is it!’” night with limited and low visibility. These observations were surprising in light of previous models, which Sporting events within National Parks are a conditional use that may had proposed hurricane-force winds, dust devils, slick algal films, or thick be allowed with the issuance of a Special Use Permit. In the past ten sheets of ice as likely contributors to rock motion. Instead, rocks moved years, Death Valley National Park averaged ten large scale sporting under light winds of about 10 miles per hour (3-5 meters per second) and events per year with up to 300 participants, plus support teams, for each were driven by ice less than 0.25 inches (5 mm) – too thin to grip large event. rocks and lift them off the playa, which several papers had proposed as a A copy of the safety assessment report is available at mechanism to reduce friction. Further, the rocks moved only a few inches www.nps.gov/deva/parkmgmt/businesswithpark.htm. per second (2-6 m/minute), a speed that is almost imperceptible at a distance and without stationary reference points. “It’s possible that tourists Please Share the Road. have actually seen this happening without realizing it,” said Jim Norris. Many cyclists and runners come to Death Valley “It is really tough to gauge that a rock is in motion if all the rocks around to enjoy the solitude and relatively empty roads to enjoy their respective sports. Effective 1 January 2014, it are also moving”. California passed regulation AB 1371 which established the Individual rocks remained in motion for anywhere from a few seconds “Three Foot for Safety Act” which requires drivers to allow at to 16 minutes. In one event, the researchers observed that rocks three least a 3-foot distance between their vehicle and a cyclist when passing. football fields apart began moving simultaneously and traveled over 200 When 3 feet cannot be provided because of traffic or roadway condi- feet (60 m) before stopping. Rocks often moved multiple times before tions, drivers must slow and pass only when they will not endanger the reaching their final resting place. The researchers also observed rock-less safety of the cyclist. Please respect cyclists and runners by slowing and keeping a safe distance when passing.

Death Valley Visitor Guide 9 Ranger Programs

Scotty’s Castle Tours

The grounds of this 1920s era, Spanish-style mansion may be toured on your own, but visitors must join a park ranger to tour the castle’s gorgeous interior, its system of tunnels, or Scotty’s ranch.

House Tour Individual Discounts General Admission ...... $15 Youth (ages 6-15)...... 50% Underground Tour Children 5 and younger...... Free General Admission ...... $15 Interagency Senior Pass holder..... 50% House & Underground Combo General Admission...... $25 Interagency Access Pass holder.... 50% Lower Vine Hiking Tour General Admission...... $20 Explore With a Park Ranger Park Rangers can introduce you to a new canyon, explore the night sky House Tour with you, guide you across the moonlit sand dunes, take you back in time or just answer your questions. A variety of Ranger-led programs are offered Best tour for first-time visi- throughout the winter months (November 13, 2014 – April 18, 2015) that tors. Tours are led by National are designed to help you experience the park in a myriad different ways. Park Service Rangers, dressed For a complete list of programs and opportunities to visit with a ranger, in 1939 clothing. The guide will refer to the weekly Ranger Program Schedule available at visitor centers, share stories about the heyday online at www.nps.gov/deva, and posted throughout the park. Tours are of the Castle in the late ‘30s, the free except for Scotty’s Castle and Lower Vine tours. Some tours require construction in the 1920s, and advance registration. Programs may change for special events or cancelled the curious relationship between due to inclement weather. the Johnsons and Scotty. The yy Want to sit in a warm, comfortable auditorium and listen to a park house is fully furnished with the ranger? Then join us for an Indoor Evening Program. 7 PM Thu–Sun (check Johnsons’ original decorations. schedule for topics) Some of their clothing even yy Prefer to be out under the moon or stars? Attend an Outdoor Evening hangs in the closets! A highlight Program. 7:30 or 8 PM, Thu–Sun (check schedule for location, topic & time) of the program is listening to the yy While exploring popular sites, such as Badwater or Golden Canyon, look Welte Mignon theater organ. for Roving Park Rangers who can answer questions and point out features Tours offered daily, times vary. you might not notice on your own. 2 PM–4 PM, Thu–Sun (weather permit- One hour. Wheelchair lift may be ting) available. yy Want to learn more about the park, but not lose precious exploring time? Bring your lunch to the Furnace Creek Visitor Center Patio and Picnic Underground Tour with a Ranger. 12 Noon–1 PM, Thu–Sun. Scotty’s Castle was very remote when it was built in the 1920s. The y y Check the weekly Ranger Program Schedule for additional programs underground tour focuses on how the Johnsons built a comfortable available Thursday–Sunday. A more limited number of programs are offered Monday–Wednesday. vacation home in Death Valley. The tour sees the basement, underground tunnels, heating system, original pipes, original power generation and power storage systems. A highlight is the demonstration of electrical generation using an original Pelton water wheel. Offered The Moon and the Stars most days from November through April, times vary. One hour. Tour Twice a month something magical happens in Death Valley; a full moon involves stairs, no lift available. and a new moon. During full moons rangers explore the sand dunes and/ or Badwater by the wondrous light of the moon, view moonrises through Lower Vine Hiking Tour binoculars and provide opportunities to learn more about this orb that impacts our lives in ways we never think about. During new moons, Scotty’s Castle was not Scotty’s home. Albert and Bessie Johnson when the moon can’t be seen and the sky marches out all its stars, rang- had the structures at Lower Vine Ranch built partly as a residence ers set up telescopes and help you explore the wonder of the dark night for Scotty and partly to lock up water rights near the Castle. Scotty’s sky, a disappearing resource that also impacts our lives. Check ranger modest cabin and out buildings are seen on this 2-mile, 2½ hour round program schedules for full moon and telescope events and come experi- trip ranger-guided hike over uneven surfaces. Offered occasionally. ence the magic of Death Valley nights. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Tour Suggestions Paleontology Tours yyReservations are not necessary for House and Underground Tours, but can reduce wait time once you arrive. Reservations are strongly Millions of years ago, Death Valley’s landscape and lifeforms appeared recommended for Lower Vine Hiking Tours. very different from the harsh desert of today. On the Paleontology Tour, a park ranger will lead you into the wilder- yyTickets may be purchased at least one day in advance from ness through a dramatic canyon with high cliff walls opening into a multi- www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. On the day of the colored basin. There you will have a close up encounter with well-preserved tour, tickets may only be purchased in person at the Scotty’s Castle fossilized tracks of bird, horse, camel, and mastodon-like creatures. Visitor Center.

Although this fragile paleontological resource area is usually closed to the yy Visitors are encouraged to public, there will be three ranger-led tours on selected dates. Each hike is limited to 15 people. enjoy the picnic area and to walk outside the buildings freely dur- The free hike is an all day, seven-mile round trip with a 1,500 foot eleva- ing business hours. Pre-packaged tion gain. Due to the loose footing and rugged nature of the terrain, this sandwiches, soft drinks, snacks, hike is considered moderately strenuous and not recommended for anyone with mobility or breathing difficulties. The hike is appropriate for older books and souvenirs are available. children, age 10 and up. No gasoline or lodging. To enter the tour lottery, phone 760-786-3280 or email deva_informa- [email protected] (use Paleo Hike Lottery in tagline) on sign-up dates ONLY. Leave a message clearly stating your name, the number of people in your party (limit of 4 including yourself), your phone number and email address. 2014 - 2015 tours: yy Friday, November 28, 2014 (lottery sign-up on November 2-4, 2014) yy Saturday, January 17, 2015 (lottery sign-up on December 17-19, 2014) yy Saturday, February 7, 2015 (lottery sign-up on January 7-9, 2015)

10 Death Valley Visitor Guide Dark Night Sky

Night Sky Almanac OCTOBER 2014 Planets visible ËËMercury: East before dawn, late Oct ËËMars: SW in the evening ËËJupiter: East after 1 am ËËSaturn: West after sunset The Moon ËËFull Moon: October 8 ËËNew Moon: October 23 Partial Solar Eclipse ËËOctober 23, 2-4 pm photo by Dan Duriscoe ËËuse solar viewing glasses Orionid Meteor Shower “You have never really seen the stars till you have seen them in Death Valley. The clear, limpid atmosphere brings ËËPeak: October 21-22 them very close. You feel you could reach up and pull them down.” – Bessie Johnson Very little has changed about the Death Valley sky since Bessie Johnson wrote these words. The night skies in NOVEMBER 2014 Planets visible Death Valley are very dark and minimally impacted by city lights. ËËMercury: East before dawn, early Nov The modern world is losing its ËËMars: SW in the evening dark skies. Due to growing cities, a ËËJupiter: South to SE at dawn The Moon vast majority of Americans can- ËËFull Moon: November 6 not see the Milky Way from their ËËNew Moon: November 22 homes, and many children born Leonid Meteor Shower today will never see a truly dark ËËPeak: November 17-18 sky. Death Valley is an oasis of dark DECEMBER 2014 nights in a bright world. Ninety- Planets visible one percent of Death Valley ËËVenus: SW at dusk, late December National Park is designated wilder- ËËSaturn: SE before dawn ness. Permanent developments are ËËMars: SW at dusk prohibited within wilderness, and ËËJupiter: East after 9:30 pm The Moon the few park developments outside ËËFull Moon: December 6 wilderness are small and isolated. ËËNew Moon: December 21 Winter Solstice Thanks to reduced lighting inside ËËDecember 21 the park, and limited city lights Geminid Meteor Shower outside the park, our eyes can see ËËPeak: December 13-14 many wonders in the dark the night JANUARY 2015 skies. On moonless nights, bright Planets Visible planets like Jupiter and Venus ËËMars: West after sunset dominate the view. You can also ËËJupiter: East after 9 pm see the Milky Way, star clusters like ËËSaturn: SE before dawn the Pleiades, and even the distant The Moon Andromeda Galaxy – 2.5 million ËËFull Moon: January 4 ËËNew Moon: January 20 light years away – all with the naked Quadrantids Meteor Shower eye. Conversely, when the moon is ËËJanuary 4, Midnight to dawn full, it outshines all but the bright- est stars. Exploring Death Valley FEBRUARY 2015 by the light of the full moon is like Planets Visible ËËMars: West after sunset seeing a completely different place ËËVenus: West after sunset as the moon casts dramatic shad- February 20-23 Venus & Mars close ows on a once-familiar landscape. ËËJupiter: East after sunset ËËSaturn: SE before dawn The Moon ËËFull Moon: Feb 3 ËËNew Moon: Feb 20

MARCH 2015 Planets Visible ËËVenus: West after sunset ËËJupiter: High in SE after sunset ËËSaturn: South before dawn The Moon Image by Dr. Tyler Nordgren ËËFull Moon: March 5 ËËNew Moon: March 20 Spring Equinox Death Valley: International Dark Sky Park ËËMarch 20

Death Valley National Park Creek and Stovepipe Wells areas, of Physics at the University of APRIL 2015 harbors some of the darkest night reducing energy consumption, sky Redlands (Calif.) and International Planets Visible skies in the United States. That glow, and glare. The designation re- Dark-Sky Association board ËËVenus: West after sunset dark sky led the International quires the park to sustain its efforts member. “When my students and I ËËJupiter: High in South after sunset Dark-Sky Association to designate to protect night sky resources and look up at night from our southern ËËSaturn: SW before dawn the park as the third and largest visitor education. Implementation California campus, we can usually The Moon ËËFull Moon: April 4 International Dark Sky Park. of the park’s lighting guidelines will count 12 stars in the sky. However, Partial lunar eclipse: maximum 5 AM “The Dark Sky Park designa- improve the natural character of less than a five hour drive from ËËNew Moon: April 18 the night and leave the stars untar- Los Angeles there’s a place where Lyrids Meteor Shower: tion represents not only the efforts ËËApril 23 Midnight to dawn of the park and its partners, but nished in other areas of the park. anyone can look up and see the the dedication of avid amateur Park rangers offer night sky pro- universe the way everyone could MAY 2015 astronomers who have sought the grams and hold stargazing events. 100 years ago.” Planets Visible park’s world-class starry skies for Using high-powered telescopes For more information about the ËËVenus: West after sunset ËËJupiter: High in SW after sunset decades,” said Dan Duriscoe, of or naked-eye viewing visitors can National Park Service’s Night Skies ËËSaturn: Early May SW before dawn; the National Park Service’s Natural explore the mysteries of Death Program, visit www.nature.nps. late May east after sunset Sounds and Night Skies Division. Valley’s dark, night skies. gov/night/. The Moon ËËFull Moon: May 3 To qualify for the dark sky desig- “At Death Valley the sky liter- The International Dark-Sky ËËNew Moon: May 17 nation, the park improved external ally begins at your feet,” said Tyler Association is online at www.dark- Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower lighting at facilities in the Furnace Nordgren, Associate Professor sky.org. ËËMay 6, Midnight to dawn

Death Valley Visitor Guide 11 Visitor Services

Location Contact Services Furnace Creek Visitor Center National Park Service 760-786-3200 Park information, exhibits, park film, bookstore, ranger Death Valley Natural History Association www.nps.gov/deva talks, drinking water and restrooms. Pay park entrance fees and purchase passes.

Scotty’s Castle Visitor Center National Park Service 760-786-2392 Tours daily (fee charged), park information, bookstore Death Valley Natural History Association reservations: 877-444-6777 and restrooms. Soft drinks, sandwiches and snacks are or recreation.gov available. Pay park entrance fees and purchase passes.

Stovepipe Wells Village Death Valley Lodging Company 760-786-2387 Lodging, restaurant, bar, gift shop, convenience store, (park concession) escapetodeathvalley.com ATM, gas station, showers, swimming pool, paved airstrip, RV hookups, NPS campground, and ranger station.

Panamint Springs Resort (privately owned) 775-482-7680 Lodging, restaurant, bar, gas station, campground, RV panamintsprings.com hookups, and showers.

Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resorts Xanterra Parks & Resorts 760-786-2345 Lodging, restaurants, bars, general store, gift shops, ATM, (privately owned) furnacecreekresort.com gas station (gasoline, diesel, propane, tire repair) post office, showers, laundromat, swimming, bike rentals, horse rides, RV hookups, borax museum, golf course, tennis courts, and paved airstrip.

Farabee’s Jeep Rentals Farabee’s is located across the street 760-786-9872 Four-wheel-drive Jeep rentals and guided tours. from the Furnace Creek Inn. 877-970-5337 (privately owned) DeathValleyJeepRentals.com photo by Carole Wendler Fire RV Dump CAMPGROUNDS Season Elevation Fee Sites Water Tables pits Toilets Hookups Station

Furnace Creek (NPS) all year -196´ $18* 136 yes yes yes flush 18* yes

Furnace Creek Ranch all year -218’ $32 12 yes no no flush yes yes

Sunset (NPS) Oct 15-Apr 30 -196´ $12 270 yes no no flush no yes

Texas Spring (NPS) Oct 15-Apr 30 sea level $14 106 yes yes yes flush no yes

Stovepipe Wells (NPS) Sept 15-early May sea level $12 190 yes some some flush no yes

Stovepipe Wells RV Park all year sea level $31 14 yes some no flush yes yes

Panamint Springs Resort all year 2000’ $7.50-$30 76 yes some yes flush yes no

Mesquite Spring (NPS) all year 1800´ $12 40 yes yes yes flush no yes

Emigrant (NPS) tent only all year 2100´ free 10 yes yes no flush no no

Wildrose (NPS) all year 4100´ free 23 yes yes yes vault no no

Thorndike** (NPS) Mar-Nov 7400´ free 6 no yes yes vault no no

Mahogany Flat** (NPS) Mar-Nov 8200´ free 10 no yes yes vault no no

*Additional $12 Utility Fee for electric, water, and sewer hook-ups; Utility Fees are not subject to Lifetime Pass discounts. **Accessible to high-clearance vehicles only. 4-wheel drive may be necessary.

yyRESERVATIONS: yy Generator hours are from 7 am yy Sunset Campground: To assist yy Texas Springs Campground for Furnace Creek Campground to 7 pm, unless otherwise posted. us in the event of an emergency, (Upper Loop) Limits on RV site use (up to 6 months in advance) and Generators are not allowed at Texas please back in your RV unit or use a may apply in springtime to ac- group campsites (up to 12 months Springs Campground. pull-through site. comodate increased demand for in advance) for the camping sea- tent camping space. No generators son between October 15 to April allowed. 15 may be made at recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.

12 Death Valley Visitor Guide