In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life survives in Death Valley.

Straddling the border of California and Nevada, located east of the Sierra Nevada, it occupies an interface zone between the arid Great Basin and Mojave deserts in the United States. The park protects the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert and contains a diverse desert environment of salt-flats, sand dunes, badlands, valleys, canyons, and mountains.

It is the largest national park in the lower 48 states and has been declared an International Biosphere Reserve. Approximately 91% of the park is a designated wilderness area. It is the hottest, driest and lowest of the national parks in the United States. The second-lowest point in the Western Hemisphere is in Badwater Basin, which is 282 feet (86 m) below sea level. The park is home to many species of plants and animals that have adapted to this harsh desert environment. Some examples include creosote bush, bighorn sheep, coyote, and the Death Valley pupfish, a survivor from much wetter times.

Dante’s View

At 5,475 ft (1,669 m), the most breathtaking viewpoint in the park. Facing west, the view of the Panamint Mountains towering over the lowest point (-282ft / 86m) in North America (Badwater Basin) offers one of the best sunrises in the park. The barely visible mountains on the far western horizon are the Sierra Nevada, home to the highest point (14,505ft / 4,421m) in the contiguous United States - Mount Whitney, however the peak itself isn't quite visible.

Devil’s Golfcourse

An immense area of rock salt eroded by wind and rain into jagged spires. So incredibly serrated that "only the devil could play golf on such rough links". Listen carefully and you'll hear sounds like tiny pops and pings. Bend your ear to the ground and the sound grows louder. The sound is literally billions of tiny salt crystals bursting apart as they expand and contract in the heat.

Artist’s Drive

A scenic loop drive through multi-hued volcanic and sedimentary hills. The drive takes you through canyons and past mountains, many of which are covered in loads of fantastic colors. The colors are produced by the oxidation of the metals and elements found in the ground here, and it produces everything from purple and blue to even a slight green.

Heading Back to the Oasis

In between the iconic places with numerous people, are other interesting sites. Including the weathered stone just off the road.