Death Valley National Park
Death Valley Sand Dunes
Death Valley National Park
We drove from LAX to Death Valley National Park on the morning of April 29, 2022. Easy drive, however once you get off the main highway past Edwards Airforce Base you begin to lose cell phone coverage. Our coverage was completely lost by the time we reached the town of Trona.
Trona seemed nearly abandoned, although there were clearly some mining operations still actively operating. Trucks and trains were carrying out Borax, Soda Ash and other minerals on a regular basis.
As we drove between Trona and Death Valley National Park, the surrounding area was very desolate. Tiny two lane lightly paved roads eventually connected us to Highway 198. Once on Hwy 198 the road was well paved, lined and marked. We took Highway 198 to our destination: The Oasis at Death Valley. An old, but beautiful resort in the middle of the desert located less than 3 miles from the National Park’s Visitor Center.
That first evening, we spent on the sand dunes walking around and waiting for nightfall. There was no moon that night and the star gazing was spectacular. It was simply beautiful to look up at the stars in the pitch-black night and see so many stars. We were told by many, that Death Valley National Park is one of the 5 best places in the United States for star gazing. It would be hard to believe there could be anywhere better.
Earlier Saturday morning April 30th we climbed up a path behind the Oasis resort to a satellite reception area for the hotel. It felt like we were climbing mountain, but at best it would really be considered a high hill. The view from the top looking down on the valley and the resort was worth the climb up.
The Death Valley National Park Visitor Center is a must see and the movie about the park is highly recommended. We walked 2.5 miles from the Visitor Center to the historic Old Harmony Borax Works mine. The paved path made the walk easy in the 98-degree temperature.
One interesting fact is that Death Valley is slightly below sea level. The area of Badwater, in Death Valley National Park is the lowest point in the United States at 282 feet below sea level.
Saturday evening, we attended a wedding for our friends’ son and his now wife. The wedding and reception were fantastic and the evening temperature for the outdoor event was heavenly. The Oasis resort did a great job with food and drink. All had a great time.
