Death Valley is a region of extremes. With more than 2.5 million football fields of protected nature, this is the largest wilderness in the US (excluding Alaska). Death Valley is also the hottest and driest National Park in the country. This is because of its unique setting: the valley – part of the Mojave desert – is surrounded by mountains that block most of the rain showers. Because of these natural rain ‘bouncers’, temperatures can climb above 50 degrees Celsius on an average summer day.
If you are expecting a monotonous lunar landscape, you will be pleasantly surprised! The menacing name was the brainchild of a group of lost gold seekers with few fond memories of the area, but the park is actually teeming with life. The sun, wind and water have forged a unique landscape, packed with geological highlights.