Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Salt Flats

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Welcome to Death Valley National Park!

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Death Valley has mountains, is hot, dry, and very much a desert. Thankfully the roads were very well maintained. There aren't many people or amenities in the park, so breaking down in this park and the heat would not be pleasant. Keep in mind this is one of the largest national parks.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. A view of the mountain ranges in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. There are a lot of colors in the hills/rocks/sand of Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. You can see the salt flats off in the distance. Death Valley boasts the lowest elevation in the United States at 282 feet below sea level. You can see it's dropping down.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Note that there isn't a cloud in the sky, however that pesky moon hung around for much of the day. Kinda eery when you can see the sun and the moon at full height at the same time.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. The Harmony Borax Works mined borax from within Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. A view of the Harmony Borax Works from the distance. Though the operation is no longer running, this is an interpretive walk that explains how the operation ran.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. The structures in the top corners of this picture are the ruins of homes that once stood in what is now Death Valley National Park for the workers of the Harmony Borax Works.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Teams of 20 mules were used for moving the borax in large carts.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. These wagons were once used to haul borax out of what is now Death Valley National park, pulled by a team of 20 mules.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Remnants of the buildings that were used to refine the borax that was pulled up from what is now Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Once used to refine borax in what is now Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. The visitor center at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. The Visitor Center at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. A covered parking lot for the Visitor Center at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park. Smart to keep your car slightly cool in the hot desert.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Inside the Visitor Center at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Inside the Visitor Center at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Inside the Visitor Center at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley National Park. A hotel, general store, and more.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley National Park. A hotel, general store, and more.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Furnace Creek Inn, looks like a great hotel for lodging within the park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Parking area at badwater, the lowest elevation in North America.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Walking out into Badwater, the lowest elevation in North America. This once was a lake full of water. Now it's just a dried up basin in the desert heat of Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Though not the lake it once was, there is a little bit of water left in the Badwater basin in Death Valley national park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. A moth taking a swim in the little bit of water in the Badwater basin in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. There is a lot of salt in Death Valley National Park. It was once mined here.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Devils Golf Course in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Devil's Golf Course in Death Valley National Park. You can't really see it in this picture, bu there are white crystals that often grow on the rough terrain.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Artists Drive in Death Valley National Park. Notice how there are several colors in the rocks. The hills are knows on this drive for the variation of colors.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Entering Artists Drive in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Such a variation of colors in the hills. Driving through Artists Drive in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Driving through Artists Drive in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Artists Drive in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Artists Drive in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Artists Drive in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Entering the Stovepipe Wells Village area in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Stovepipe Wells Village in Death Valley National Park. This is one of several buildings/amenities in this area.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Hotel reservations and more at Stovepipe Wells Village in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Driving through Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Panamint Springs in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Camping at Panamint Springs in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Artists Drive in Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Rhyolite - Though this is not part of Death Valley National park, it is so close that it's a must visit. Rhyolite is a ghost town located just a few miles out side of the east entrance to Death Valley National Park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. The visitor center in Rhyolite; a ghost town located just outside the east entrance of Death Valley National park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. Artwork that is on display at the entrance to Rhyolite, a ghost town just outside the east entrance to Death Valley National park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. A symbolic piece of art at Rhyolite, a ghost town just outside the east entrance to Death Valley National park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. The bottle house. This house is covered with the bottoms of glass bottles. Located in Rhyolite, a ghost town just outside the east entrance to Death Valley National park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. The mercantile building at Rhyolite, a ghost town just outside the east entrance to Death Valley National park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. The remains of the school in Rhyolite, a ghost town just outside the east entrance to Death Valley National park.

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. The remains of the bank in Rhyolite, a ghost town just outside the east entrance to Death Valley National park. Notice that the building wasn't able to withstand the dry arid heat of the desert, but yet the vault is still standing strong!

Death Valley National Park, California, United States. The Rhyolite casino. Rhyolite is a ghost town located just outside the east entrance to Death Valley National park. A great visit!