The hottest temperature ever recorded, as per the World Meteorological Organisation, is 56.7°C. While we cope with the sweltering summer heat across India, the world’s highest recorded temperature might offer you some consolation.
In 1849, a group of pioneers, in the midst of the California Gold Rush, stumbled upon an unforgiving landscape and gave this region — one of the world’s hottest places — its deadly, almost forbidding name — Death Valley. Often referred to as the ‘Lost 49ers’, these pioneers braved the Mojave Desert, assuming it would be their final resting place. Surprisingly, all but one survived. But the name, somehow, stuck.
Death Valley National Park in California, USA Shutterstock
The California Gold Rush began in 1848, which kicked off the call to ‘Go West’, attracting hundreds of thousands of people to California from across the United States and around the world. Almost two centuries later, these inhospitable terrains have become one of the most visited spots in California.
Easy drive from Vegas
A vertical panorama view of an endless straight road running through the barren scenery
In 2023 alone, more than 1.1 million people visited the Death Valley National Park. Like most of these visitors, I picked a relatively cool winter’s day for the two-hour drive from Las Vegas through surreal landscapes with one of my school buddies. I had just completed a demanding trek in Bryce National Park in Utah a couple of days before this and the idea of a drive through Death Valley seemed like a welcome respite for my tired feet. That’s one of the things about Death Valley — it’s a relatively easy option even if you have been cheating on your gym workouts. The region is also one of the driest parts of the world, with an average of 6cm of annual rainfall, thanks to its location in the rain shadow of four mountain ranges.
It doesn’t get bigger than this
Tourists at the famous thermometer at Furnace Creek in Death Valley, which shows over 120°F Shutterstock
Death Valley has been home to the Timbisha, a native American tribe, for more than a millennium. In 1913, Furnace Creek recorded the now-famous temperature high of 56.7°C, a reading that some modern experts dispute. Furnace Creek also houses the visitor centre and the headquarters of Death Valley National Park, designated an American National Monument in 1933. Spread over 13,848 sq. km, Death Valley is the largest national park in the contiguous United States. And yet, it’s still possible to cover many of the key spots in a single day. If you leave at the crack of dawn, it’s also possible to make stops at some of the famous Wild West ghost towns like Rhyolite. Many boomtowns sprang up through the late 19th century and the early 20th century but their quest for gold and silver mostly proved fruitless. But there was another resource they discovered — borax.
Hit a new low
Badwater Basin, located at -282 feet is the lowest point in the US
One of the most photogenic spots in Death Valley is Badwater Basin, located at -282 feet, which makes it the lowest point in the US. It’s also known for lending its name to Badwater Crater, the lowest place on Mars. This is probably the most visited spot within Death Valley and it’s customary to pose with the -282 feet sign. You can walk past the salt flats and even crunch on some fresh rock salt while you do.
Hollywood’s backyard
Caution sign at Death Valley National Park, California Shutterstock
If there’s one spot that rivals Badwater Basin’s photogenic appeal, it’s the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at the northern end of the valley floor. It’s just four hours away from Los Angeles and this proximity to Hollywood that made it a popular filming location (including for the Star Wars films) until restrictions at US National Parks kicked in. There are multiple spots to visit and it’s best if you plan your route in advance and plot them on Google Maps. Mobile networks are almost non-existent in most parts of the Death Valley. We ended up leaning on an old-school physical map that we collected at the Visitor Centre at Furnace Creek.
Stunning landscapes
Landscape view of Death Valley National Park during the day as seen from Dante's View Shutterstock
Among the must-stop destinations is Dante’s View, where you can see the central part of Death Valley from a vantage point of 1,700 metres. The landscape is an interesting contrast of highs and lows that make for great videos as you drive. What’s interesting is that the highest point within the contiguous United States — Mount Whitney (at an altitude of 14505 feet/4421 m) is just 136 km away from Badwater Basin. One of my favourite spots is Zabriskie Point that makes a great picture for its erosional, almost Martian landscapes.
Zabriskie Point that makes a great picture for its Martian landscapes
Death Valley is undeniably one of the most unique and otherworldly spots in the US. You can cover some of the key spots in a day but I’d recommend staying a night and exploring these stunning landscapes over two or even three days. But visit there in the cooler months unless you want to fry an egg on your car bonnet or on the road (something the park rangers discourage), that’s become a social media phenomenon. But there’s more to Death Valley than just these gimmicky videos and photo spots. It’s the never-ending, stunning and often shifting landscapes that make it one of the most rewarding drives in the US.
