Summer 2016 - National Park Service History eLibrary · 2 Death Valley Visitor Guide Safety & Park...

Death Valley Visitor Guide 1

National Park ServiceU. S. Department of the InteriorDeath Valley National Park

What’s Inside?

Safety & Rules .................. 2

What To See ...................... 3

Park Map .....................4 & 5

Dark Night Sky .................. 6

NPS Centennial .................. 7

Visitor Services .................. 8

Surviving Summer in Death Valley

Visitor GuideSummer 2016

Be Prepared and Travel Safely y Make sure your vehicle, including the spare tire, is in good condition. Carry a jack and tire-changing tools.

y Carry enough water in your vehicle to survive should you have to wait for help. Rangers recommend one gallon per person per day.

y Stay on paved roads. Dirt roads are patrolled infrequently during the summer.

y Cell service is available only in the Furnace Creek area.

y If you have car trouble, stay with your vehicle. Flag down another car and ask them to send help. Wait in the shade of your vehicle.

Hike early or not at all y Know the predicted high temperature for the day.

y On hot days, finish hikes before 10 am.

y Tour by car and use the air conditiioning.

y Higher elevations are cooler. Visit places like Dantes View, or the Charcoal Kilns in Wildrose Canyon.

y If it’s very hot, stay within sight of your vehicle while walking around.

Tips for safe hikes y Carry water & sports drinks. Don’t ration water; drink freely and often.

y Wear a loose shirt, sturdy shoes, sunglasses, and a hat.

y Take advantage of evaporative cooling: wet down your shirt and hair, or wear a wet bandanna around your neck.

Recognize signs of trouble y Thirst is an early warning and means you are already dehydrated. It’s time to drink water.

y If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or develop a headache, get out of the sun immediately, wet your clothing, and take small sips of water.

Coyotephoto by Neal Nurmi

Danger in the Dunes

Of the eighteen heat-related fatalities in Death Valley since 2000, three occurred at Mesquite Sand Dunes. Sand hills quickly block views of the parking area and it’s easy to become disoriented: keep your car in your line of sight. Although the tallest dunes appear to be close, they are actually over a mile (1.6 kilometers) away: do not try walking to the high dunes in the summer heat.

Every summer, park visitors suffer from the effects of heat and sun exposure. Ill effects range from cramps, headache and nausea to fainting, seizures, and even death. Follow these precautions to ensure your safety during your visit.

2 Death Valley Visitor Guide

Safety & Park RulesENGLISH

Safety y Water: Drink at least one gallon (4

liters) of water per day. Carry plenty of extra drinking water in your car.

y Heat & Dehydration: If you feel dizzy, nauseous or have a headache, get out of the sun immediately and drink plenty of water. Dampen your clothing to lower body tempera-ture. Heat and dehydration can kill.

y Summer Driving: Stay on paved roads in summer. If your car breaks down, stay with it until help comes. Be prepared; carry plenty of extra water.

y Stay alert and slow down: The most common cause of death in the park is single car vehicle accidents. A moment of inattention can send you, your car, and your loved ones flipping into the rocky desert.

y Do not rely on technology! Your cell phone will not work in most of the park. GPS devices frequently tell Death Valley visitors to turn off well-traveled roads, and take “shortcuts” over the desert and into canyons. Common sense and good judgment are far more reliable.

y Hiking: DO NOT hike in the low elevations when temperatures are hot. The mountains are cooler in summer.

y Flash Floods: Avoid canyons dur-ing rain storms and be prepared to move to higher ground. While driv-ing, be alert for water running in washes and across road dips.

y Dangerous Animals: Never place your hands or feet where you can-not see. Rattlesnakes, scorpions or black widow spiders may be shel-tered there.

Rules y Entrance fees apply to all visitors!

Please see page 4 for the exact amount you should pay.

y Pets and Bicycles are not allowed on trails or in Wilderness which cov-ers over 90% of the park.

y Do not enter mine tunnels or shafts. Mines may be unstable, have hidden shafts, pockets of bad air and poisonous gas.

y Do not feed birds or animals. This is for your safety and the health of our wildlife. Plus, it is against the law!

y Driving off roads is prohibited. Stay on established roads.

y Do not take anything! Leave rocks, plants and historic objects where you find them for everyone to enjoy.

DEUTSCH

Sicherheit y Wasser: Trinken Sie mindestens vier

Liter Wasser pro Tag. Führen Sie im-mer noch zusätzliches Trinkwasser im Auto mit sich

y Hitze & Flüssigkeitsverlust: Wenn Sie sich schwindelig fühlen, Ihnen übel ist oder Sie Kopfschmerzen bekommen, gehen Sie sofort aus der Sonne und trinken Sie reichlich Wasser. Feuchten Sie Ihre Kleidung an, um Ihre Körper-temperatur zu senken. Hitze und Flüs-sigkeitsverlust können tödlich sein.

y Fahren im Sommer: Bleiben Sie auf befestigten Straßen. Wenn Ihr Auto liegenbleibt, bleiben Sie vor Ort und warten Sie, bis Hilfe kommt. Seien Sei vorbereitet: nehmen Sie immer reichlich Wasser in Ihrem Auto mit.

y Bleiben Sie wachsam und fahren Sie langsam: Die hauptsächliche Todesursache im Death Valley ist ein einfacher Autounfall. Ein Moment der Unachtsamkeit kann Sie, Ihr Auto und Ihre Lieben dazu verdammen, in der steinigen Wüste zu enden.

y Verlassen Sie sich nicht auf die Technik! Ihr Handy wird im größten Teil des Parks nicht funktionie-ren. GPS Geräte weisen Besucher des Death Valleys häufig an, die viel befahrenen Straßen zu verlas-sen und “Abkürzungen” durch die Wüste und die Canyons zu nehmen. Gesunder Menschenverstand, eine Karte des Death Valley und ein gutes Urteilungsvermögen sind sehr viel sicherer.

y Wandern: Wandern Sie im Som-mer NICHT in den tieferen Lagen. Die Berge, welche das Death Valley umgeben, sind kühler und dort gibt es viele Wege.

y Sturzfluten: Meiden Sie die Can-yons während eines Sturms mit Regen und bereiten Sie sich darauf vor, jederzeit einen höher gelegenen Ort aufsuchen zu können. Achten Sie während der Fahrt auf Wasser, das in Pfützen und Schlaglöcher läuft.

y Gefährliche Tiere: Setzen Sie nie eine Hand oder einen Fuß an eine Stelle, die Sie vorher nicht sehen konnten. Klapperschlangen, Skorpione oder Schwarze Witwen (Spinnen) könnten dort Unterschlupf gefunden haben.

Regeln y Eintrittsgebühren müssen von al-

len Besuchern gezahlt werden! Bitte informieren Sie sich auf Seite 4 über die genaue Höhe der Gebühren.

y Hunde und Fahrräder sind nicht er-laubt auf Pfaden oder in der Wildnis, die 90% des Parks umfasst.

y Betreten Sie keine Minentunnel oder Schächte. Minen können insta-bil sein, versteckte Schächte haben und Einschlüssen von schlechter Luft oder giftigem Gas enthalten.

y Füttern Sie keine Vögel oder wilden Tiere. Dies dient Ihrer Sicherheit und der Gesundheit unserer Tierwelt.

y Fahren abseits der Straßen ist ver-boten. Bleiben Sie auf den ausgewi-esenen Straßen.

y Nehmen Sie nichts mit! Lassen Sie Steine, Pflanzen oder historische Ob-jekte dort, wo Sie sie finden, damit jeder sich an Ihnen erfreuen kann.

FRANÇAIS

Sécurité y Boire de l’eau: Buvez du moins

un gallon (4 litres) d’eau par jour. Apportez beaucoup d’eau potable supplémentaire dans votre voiture.

y La chaleur et la déshydratation: Si vous ressentez des étourdisse-ments, des nausées, ou des maux de tête, mettez-vous à l’abri du soleil et buvez beaucoup d’eau. Humectez des vêtements afin de baisser votre température corporelle. La chaleur et la déshydratation peuvent vous tuer.

y La conduite en été: Restez sur les routes pavées. Si votre voiture tombe en panne, restez là jusqu’à ce que les secours arrivent. Soyez prêt; apportez beaucoup d’eau supplémentaire.

y Rester vigilant et freiner la voi-ture: La principale cause de décès à Death Valley est un accident impli-quantun seul véhicule. Un moment d’inattention peut faire se retourner votre voiture, lançant vous-même et vos proches dans le désert rocailleux.

y Ne pas dépendre de la technolo-gie! Votre téléphone cellulaire ne marchera pas dans quasiment tout le parc. Les dispositifs GPS indiquent aux visiteurs de quitter les grands chemins et de prendre des «raccour-cis» à travers le désert et dans les canyons. Le bon sens, une carte de Death Valley, et un jugement éclairé sont beaucoup plus fiables.

y La randonnée: NE faites PAS de la randonnée dans les zones à basse altitude en été. Les montagnes qui entourent Death Valley sont plus fraîches et il y a beaucoup de sen-tiers.

y Les inondations soudaines: Evitez les canyons pendant les orages et soyez prêt à vous déplacer en ter-rain plus élevé. En conduisant, soyez attentif aux puissants débits d’eau et aux eaux dans les creux de la route.

y Les animaux dangereux: Ne placez jamais vos mains ou vos pieds là où vous ne pouvez pas d’abord voir. Des crotales, des scorpions, ou des veuves noires peuvent s’y cacher.

Règles y Les droits d’entrée s’appliquent à

tous les visiteurs! Veuillez consulter la page 4 pour le montant exact que vous devez payer.

y Les chiens et les vélos sont inter-dits sur les sentiers ou aux milieux sauvages, ce qui couvre plus de 90 pour cent du parc.

y Ne pas entrer dans les tunnels ou les puits de mine. Les mines peuvent être instables, avoir des puits cachés, ou des poches d’air de mauvaise qualité et de gaz toxique.

y Ne pas alimenter les oiseaux ou les animaux sauvages. C’est pour s’assurer votre sécurité aussi bien que la santé de notre faune et flore.

y La conduite hors route est interd-ite. Restez sur les routes établies.

y Ne rien prendre! Laissez les pierres, les plantes, et les objets historiques là où vous les trouvez pour que tout le monde puisse en profiter.

ITALIANO

Sicurezza y Acqua: Bevete almeno un gallone

(4 litri) d’acqua ogni giorno. Portate più acqua nella vostra macchina in modo da averne abbastanza se finite l’acqua che portate con voi.

y Caldo e Disidatrazione: Se avete la testa che gira, la nausea o mal di testa, trovate subito dell’ombra o un posto dove non c’è il sole e bevete molta acqua. Inumidite i vestiti per abbassare la temperatura del corpo. Il caldo e la disidratazione possono uccidervi.

y Guidare durante l’estate: Rimanete sulle strade asfaltate. Se la vostra macchina si guasta, rimanete con la macchina finché arrivano i soccorsi. Siate preparati; portate tanta acqua.

y State in allerta e rallentate: La causa di morte più comune nella Death Valley è un incidente di una sola macchina. Un momento di disat-tenzione può ribaltare la vostra mac-china nel deserto roccioso, con voi e i vostri cari dentro.

y Non fate troppo affidamento sulla tecnologia! Il vostro cellulare non funziona nella maggior parte del parco. I GPS dicono spesso ai visitatori del parco di prendere una “scorciatoia” attraverso il deserto e nei canyon, lontano dalle strade molto trafficate. Il buon senso, una mappa della Death Valley e decisioni assennate sono più affidabili della tecnologia.

y Escursionismo: Non fate escur-sionismo a basse altitudini durante l’estate. Le montagne intorno alla Death Valley sono più fredde e ci sono molti sentieri.

y Allagamenti: Evitate i canyon durante i temporali e siate pre-parati a muovervi verso un punto più elevato. Mentre guidate, state attenti all’acqua che corre attraverso la strada.

y Animali Pericolosi: Non mettere mai le mani o i piedi dove non potete vedere. Crotali, scorpioni, o vedove nere potrebbero esservi nascosti.

Regole y Le tasse di entrata si applicano a

tutti i visitatori! Per favore, control-late a pagina 4 per il costo esatto che dovreste pagare.

y Cani e Biciclette non sono permessi sui sentieri o nell’area selvatica che copre 90% del parco.

y Non entrare nei tunnel delle miniere o nei pozzi. Le miniere potrebbero essere instabili, avere pozzi nascosti e sacche di aria o gas tossici.

y Non dar da mangiare agli uccelli o agli animali selvatici. Questa regola è per la vostra protezione e la salute della nostra fauna.

y È vietato guidare fuori dalle strade. Rimanete sulle strade segnal-ate.

y Non portate via niente! Lasciate i sassi, le piante, e gli oggetti storici dove li avete trovati in modo che tutti possano goderne.


What to See & Do: Summer

Auto Touring

y Zabriskie Point: Surrounded by a maze of wildly eroded and vibrantly colored badlands, this spectacular view is one of the park’s most famous. Zabriskie Point is a popular sunrise and sunset viewing location. The view-point is a short walk uphill from the parking area.

y Twenty Mule Team Canyon: Winding through otherworldly badlands, this 2.7 mile / 4.3 km, one-way loop drive is unpaved, but accessible to vehicles other than buses, RV’s, and trailers.

y Artist’s Drive: A scenic loop drive through multi-hued volca-nic and sedimentary hills. Artist’s Palette is especially photogenic in late afternoon light. The 9 mile / 14.5 km paved road is one-way and is only drivable with vehicles less than 25 ft / 7.6 m in length.

y Devil’s Golf Course: An im-mense 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.” The unpaved road leading to it is often closed after rain.

y Badwater Basin: The lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin is a surreal landscape of vast salt flats. A temporary lake may form here after heavy rainstorms. Do not walk on the salt flats in hot weather. Wheelchair accessible.

y Dante’s View: The most breathtaking viewpoint in the park, this mountain-top overlook is more than 5000 ft / 1524 m above the floor of Death Valley. Cooler temperatures at that elevation al-low for short walks along the ridge. The paved road is open to vehicles less than 25 ft / 7.6 m in length.

y Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: Tawny dunes smoothly rise nearly 100 feet / 30 m from Mesquite Flat. Late afternoon light accen-tuates the ripples and patterns while morning is a good time to view tracks of nocturnal wildlife. Moonlight on the dunes can be magical, yet night explorers should be alert for sidewinder rattlesnakes during the warm season.

y Ubehebe Crater: Just a few hundred years ago a massive vol-canic explosion caused by steam pressure when hot magma contact-ed the underground water table, shattered the silence of northern Death Valley. When the cinders and dust settled, this 600 foot / 183 m deep crater remained.

y Father Crowley Vista: A land-scape of dark lava flows and vol-canic cinders abruptly gives way to the gash of Rainbow Canyon below this viewpoint. Wheelchair acces-sible. Walk the dirt track east of the parking lot for a grand overlook of the northern Panamint Valley.

Panamint Mountains

y Aguereberry Point: One thou-sand feet higher than Dante’s View, this viewpoint gives a perspective over Death Valley from the west. Along the gravel road are the re-mains of Pete Aguereberry’s camp and his Eureka Mine. The last sec-tion to the view point may require a high-clearance vehicle.

y Wildrose Charcoal Kilns: These ten beehive-shaped struc-tures are among the best preserved in the west. Built in 1876 to provide fuel to process silver/lead ore, they still smell of smoke today. The last 2 miles of gravel road to the kilns are passable to most vehicles.

y Wildrose Peak Trail (4.2 miles/ 6.7 km one-way) A good high peak (9,064 ft/2762 m) to climb in the summer. Trail begins at north end of Charcoal Kilns with an elevation gain of 2,200 ft/670 m. Spectacular views beyond 2 mile/3.2 km point.

y Telescope Peak Trail (7 miles/ 11.2 km one-way) This strenuous trail to the highest peak in the park (11,049 ft/ 3368 m) with a 3000 ft/ 914 m elevation gain. Trail is usually snow-free by June. Start at Mahogany Flat Campground at end of Wildrose Canyon Road. Steep road after Charcoal Kilns; high-clearance vehicle recommended.

The higher the elevation, the cooler it will be. The Panamint Mountains are the highest in the park and often snow-covered in winter, but summer is the perfect time to visit. While the valley swelters, wildflowers may be blooming on the tallest peaks. This area is accessible only to vehicles less than 25 ft / 7.6 m in length.

Other Cool Things

y Furnace Creek Visitor Center: The main park visitor center has new exhibits, park film, bookstore, and rangers on hand to answer questions. Free WiFi 10 am to 3 pm.

y Borax Museum: A privately-owned museum located in the Furnace Creek Ranch. Exhibits in-clude a mineral collection and the history of borax in Death Valley. Behind the museum building is an assembly of mining and transpor-tation equipment.

y Swimming Pools: Did you bring your swimsuit? Stovepipe Wells Resort and Furnace Creek Ranch have pools available to use for a fee.

y Nighttime Walks: After the blazing sun sets, you may see more stars than you ever imagined or the desert bathed in moonlight. Although it can still be hot in the evening, night is when desert wild-life becomes active.

Zabriskie Pointphoto by Robert Jacobs

Panamint Mountains

When is the Best Season to Visit Death Valley ?

Death Valley National Park is usually considered a winter park, but it is possible to visit here all year. When is the best time to visit? It all depends on what you’re looking for.

y SUMMER starts early in Death Valley. By May the valley is too hot for most visitors, yet throughout the hottest months, visitors from around the world still flock to the park. Lodging and camping are available, but only the most hardy will want to camp in the low elevations in the summer. Most summer visitors tour by car to the main points of interest along the paved roads but do little else due to the extreme heat. Those wanting to hike will find the trails to Telescope and Wildrose Peaks are at their best in summer.

y AUTUMN arrives in late October, with warm but pleasant temperatures and generally clear skies. The camping season begins in fall and so do the Ranger Programs, which continue through spring. Although it is relatively uncrowded at this time of year, the weeks leading up to Death Valley ‘49ers Encampment (second week in November) and the Thanksgiving holiday are busy.

y WINTER has cool days, chilly nights and rarely, rainstorms. With snow capping the high peaks and low angled winter light, this season is espe-cially beautiful for exploring the valley. The period after Thanksgiving and before Christmas is the least crowded time of the entire year. Peak winter visitation periods include Christmas to New Year’s, Martin Luther King Day weekend in January, and Presidents’ Day weekend in February. Reserva-tions will be helpful.

y SPRINGTIME is the most popular time to visit Death Valley. Besides warm and sunny days, the possibility of spring wildflowers is a big attraction. If the previous winter brought rain, the desert can put on an impressive flo-ral display, usually February to early April. Check our website for wildflow-er updates. Spring break for schools throughout the west brings families and students to the park from the last week of March through the week after Easter. Campgrounds and lodging are usually packed at that time, so reservations are recommended.

Salt Flatsphoto by Dan Mottaz


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Dark Night SkyNight Sky Almanac

MAY 2016Planets Visible

ËMars: SE after 10 pm, all night ËJupiter: High in South after sunset ËSaturn: SE after 10 pm, all night ËThe Moon

ËNew Moon: May 6 ËFull Moon: May 21

Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower

ËMay 7, Midnight to dawn ËNo Moon; excellent viewing

JUNE 2016Planets Visible

ËMercury: June 5; low in East before dawn ËMars: SE after sunset ËJupiter: High in SW after sunset ËSaturn: SE after sunset

The Moon

ËNew Moon: June 4 ËFull Moon: June 20

Summer Solstice

ËJune 20

JULY 2016Planets Visible

ËMars: South after sunset ËJupiter: West after sunset ËSaturn: South after sunset

The Moon

ËNew Moon: July 4 ËFull Moon: July 19

Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower

ËMidnight to dawn of July 29 ËCrescent Moon after 2:30 am could interfere with viewing

AUGUST 2016Planets Visible

ËMercury: Mid-August; Very low in west after sunset ËVenus: Very low in West after sunset ËMars: South after sunset ËJupiter: Very low in west after sunset ËSaturn: South after sunset

The Moon

ËNew Moon: August 2 ËFull Moon: August 18

Perseids Meteor Shower:

ËMidnight to dawn of August 13 ËNo Moon; excellent viewing

SEPTEMBER 2016Planets Visible

ËMercury: Very low in East just be-fore dawn ËMars: SW after sunset ËSaturn: SW after sunset

The Moon

ËNew Moon: Sept 1; Sept 30 ËFull Moon: Sept 16

Fall Equinox

ËSept 22

OCTOBER 2015Planets Visible

ËVenus: Low in SW after sunset ËMars: South after sunset ËJupiter: SW after sunset

The Moon

ËFull Moon: Oct 16 ËNew Moon: Oct 30

Draconids Meteor Shower:

ËEarly evening Oct 7 ËQuarter Moon, difficult viewing

Orionids Meteor Shower:

ËMidnight to dawn of Oct 22 ËQuarter Moon, difficult viewing

Death Valley National Park harbors some of the darkest night skies in the United States. That dark sky led the International Dark-Sky Association to designate the park as the third and largest International Dark Sky Park.

“The Dark Sky Park designa-tion represents not only the efforts of the park and its partners, but the dedication of avid amateur astronomers who have sought the park’s world-class starry skies for decades,” said Dan Duriscoe, of the National Park Service’s Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division.

To qualify for the dark sky des-ignation, the park improved ex-ternal lighting at facilities in the Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells areas, reducing energy consump-tion, sky glow, and glare. The

designation requires the park to sustain its efforts to protect night sky resources and visitor educa-tion. Implementation of the park’s lighting guidelines will improve the natural character of the night and leave the stars untarnished in other areas of the park.

Park rangers offer monthly night sky programs and hold stargazing events with astronomy organiza-tions. Using high-powered tele-scopes, visitors can explore the mysteries of Death Valley’s dark, night skies.

“At Death Valley the sky liter-ally begins at your feet,” said Tyler Nordgren, Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Redlands (Calif.) and International Dark-Sky Association board member. “When my students and I

Death Valley: International Dark Sky Park

“You have never really seen the stars till you have seen them in Death Valley. The clear, limpid atmosphere brings them very close. You feel you could reach up and pull them down.” – Bessie Johnson

look up at night from our southern California campus, we can usually count 12 stars in the sky. However, less than a five hour drive from Los Angeles there’s a place where anyone can look up and see the universe the way everyone could 100 years ago.”

The park’s actions to reduce unnecessary lighting also tie in with “Starry, Starry Night,” one of the goals in A Call to Action—the National Park Service’s steward-ship and engagement priorities for its second century.

For more information about the National Park Service’s Night Skies Program, visit www.nature.nps.gov/night/.

The International Dark-Sky Association is online at www.dark-sky.org.

Very little has changed about the Death Valley sky since Bessie John-son wrote these words. In February 2013, the International Dark Sky Association certified Death Valley National Park as a “Gold Tier” Inter-national Dark Sky Park. This means the night skies in Death Valley are very dark and minimally impacted by city lights.

The modern world is losing its dark skies. Due to growing cities, a vast majority of Americans can-not see the Milky Way from their homes, and many children born today will never see a truly dark sky. Death Valley is an oasis of dark nights in a bright world. Ninety-one percent of Death Valley National Park is designated wilderness. Per-manent developments are prohib-ited within wilderness, and the few park developments outside wilder-ness are small and isolated.

Thanks to reduced lighting inside the park, and limited city lights out-side the park, our eyes can see many wonders in the dark the night skies. On moonless nights, bright planets like Jupiter and Venus dominate the view. You can also see the Milky Way, star clusters like the Pleiades, and even the distant Andromeda Galaxy – 2.5 million light years away – all with the naked eye. Conversely, when the moon is full, it outshines all but the brightest stars. Explor-ing Death Valley by the light of the full moon is like seeing a completely different place as the moon casts dramatic shadows on a once-famil-iar landscape.

photo by Dan Duriscoe


National Park Service Centennial 1916 - 2016Death Valley’s First Decade With the National Park Service

Seventeen years after the start of the National Park Service (NPS,) Death Valley National Monument was established by Presidential Proclamation and was immediately one of the largest sites in the national park system at 1.7 million acres (second to Yellowstone.) After several boundary changes over the years, Death Valley was “upgraded” by Congress to National Park status in 1994, and enlarged to become the largest national park outside Alaska at 3.4 million acres. With that came an increase in visitation, from less than 1000 people the first year to a million visitors annually now.

The monument’s first decade began in the depths of the Great Depression and ended with the start of the Second World War. As a national monu-ment, the park budget was not adequate or even guaranteed. Only a skeleton crew of NPS employes managed a vast area. Fortunately, President Frank-lin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal program created the Civilian Conservation Corp—the CCC—which not only employeed otherwise out-of-work young men, but was the driving force behind the development of the new Death Valley National Monument. Necessary infrastructure, improved roads, and campgrounds were all built with CCC funding and manpower.

The National Park Service has changed and grown over the years. Death Valley has also changed since its recognition as a monument, however it still contends with many of the same issues that challenged the park in the first decade. These issues includes mining, invasive species, off-road damage, and visitor safety in an extreme environment. Below read excerpts from the 1930s about these issues and compare it with the 2016 response.

Excerpt from NOVEMBER 1933 - Superintendent John R. White’s letter to NPS Director

“Perhaps the most interesting thing in Death Valley was the establish-ment of a feeding station for wild animals at the Furnace Creek garbage incinerator. I note that in another report from Mr. Gilman he saw 10 magpies, 7 ravens, and 6 burros among other visitors. Fox tracks were numerous and it is expected that in time both foxes and coyotes will be-come tame enough to make a show for visitors.

2016: As you may have guessed, the National Park Service no longer feeds wild animals for the entertainment of tourists. But at the time, this was a popular activity in many parks, including Sequoia which shared Superintendent Col. John R. White also managed. Feeding wild animals in parks is not allowed. Coyotes especially become habituated to hand-outs, turning them into dangerous pests that beg on the roadside and often are hit by cars.

Excerpt from NOVEMBER 1934 - NPS Monthly Report“The dynamiting of the Salt Pools, an annual Death Valley event, was

carried out on the last day of the month to the great interest of a number of holiday visitors.”

2016: The Devils Golf Course is where the Salt Pools were located and in the ‘30s they were the big attraction. Salt Pools are naturally forming sinkholes where underlying pockets of water have dissolved the thick crust of rock salt, creating crystal-lined pools of extremely briny water. When the easiest access pools crusted over (as they tend to do) the NPS would blast them open again. Needless to say, this is not something we would do today. The Salt Pools eventually stopped forming and the jag-ged spires of the Devils Golf Course became the main attraction in that area. In the last decade, a few salt pools have been discovered, but now we let nature take its course.

Excerpt from NOVEMBER 1934 - NPS Monthly Report“The radio station KNLO, Death Valley National

Monument, is in continuous service with a schedule to March Field and also a daily schedule with Yosemite National Park. Letters are being received from all over the United States west of the Mississippi River stating that they had picked up this station and asking for pamphlets, maps, and information, on Death Valley National Monument.”

2016: Times have indeed changed. Instead of a radio station to share information about the park with the out-side world, the internet is our new venue. The park has an official website (www.nps.gov/deva) and we are on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DeathValleyNP), Twitter (twitter.com/DeathValleyNPS) and Tumblr (deathval-leynp.tumblr.com/)

Excerpt from DECEMBER 1934 - NPS Monthly Report

“During the month of December the most notable event in the Monument was the re-discovery of a very fine natural bridge in a canyon of the Funeral Range, about three miles north of Bad Water. This bridge, while known by the old timers, had been apparently forgotten until Geologist Levi Noble located it last winter. It was again visited by a party from the Borax Company and the Automobile Club of Southern California, which advertised it to such an extent that it became necessary in the interest of safety to grade a primitive road to the site, It was very heavily visited during the month.”

2016: It may seem strange that the Natural Bridge, one of the park’s major attractions, was (re)discovered after the National

Monument was established, but other natural bridges and arches are still being discovered even now. Tucked deep in slot canyons or high on canyon walls, adventurous hikers have found several of these natural rock spans over the last few years, but this one is the largest known in the park.

Excerpt from JULY 1942 - NPS Monthly Report“Gold and silver mining is now practically at a standstill, but develop-

ment of strategic minerals in and about the Monument is increasing rap-idly. The bill introduced by Congressman Harry L. Engelbright to permit leasing of Monument lands for the purpose of development of strategic minerals is a source of considerable concern to the Superintendent as its passage would undoubtedly lead to a flood of unsightly development at-tempt all over the floor of the Valley.”

2016: Once the U.S. got involved in World War II, the NPS was caught between the preservation mandate of National Parks and the need for resources for the war effort. Mining shifted from precious metals to “strategic minerals” such as tungsten, lead, antimony, talc, and even salt, so previously undisturbed areas were developed to access minerals that were unprofitable to mine before the war. Although there are still valid mining claims in Death Valley, the Mining in National Parks Act of 1976 added protections that make the development of mines unlikely.

Excerpt from JULY 1939 - NPS Monthly Report“Almost two weeks were spent in a survey of the desert bighorn sheep

(Ovis Nellsonii). Accomplishment did not reach expectation but it was satisfying to note that the bighorn are more numerous than our estimates heretofore.”

“During the above survey, burros were noted with increasing frequen-cy in most regions of the monument visited, and in one locality cattle and

horses were found. It has been the experience of all wildlife observers that the bighorn and the burro and cattle are incompatible. With

the notable success that has attended the protection of the big-horn to date, it is all the more reason that every effort be made

to give then the freedom of the range to the exclusion or at least the control of the burro.”

2016: Burros are not native to the American deserts—min-ers brought them to the area as work animals. Unfortunately, they breed quickly and damage food and water sources that bighorn sheep need to survive. In the early years, the method of control was to shoot the burros. These days, round-ups and an adoption program is a less cost-effec-tive but more compassionate method.

Excerpt from SEPTEMBER 1938- NPS Monthly Report

“A ranger investigated the accident occurring in the Wildrose CCC camp wherein an enrollee lost part of

three fingers and a thumb by an explosion. Particles found in roof and walls indicated a detonator had been exploded. The boy later admitted having found two in

an abandoned mine. Two companions were treated by the camp doctor for minor injuries resulting from the explosion.”

2016: Although mining has not occurred in the National Park for nearly a decade, dangerous materials are still occasionally found by hikers in remote sections of the park. Several discov-eries of old blasting caps and even unstable dynamite have had to be destroyed by explosives experts. Caution should always be used around old mining sites and explosives found should be avoided and reported to a ranger.


Visitor Services

CAMPGROUNDS Season Elevation Fee Sites Water Tables

Fire Toilets

RV Dump pits Hookups Station

Furnace Creek (NPS) all year -196´ $12** 136 yes yes yes flush some** yes

Sunset (NPS) Oct 15-Apr 15 -196´ $12 270 yes no no flush no yes

Texas Spring (NPS) Oct 15-Apr 15 sea level $14 106 yes yes yes flush no yes

Furnace Creek Ranch RV all year -218’ $38 26 yes no no flush yes yes

Fiddler’s (Xanterra) all year -218’ $18 35 no no yes flush no no

Stovepipe Wells (NPS) Sept 15-early May sea level $12 190 yes some some flush no yes

Stovepipe Wells RV Park all year sea level $31 14 yes some no flush yes yes

Panamint Springs Resort all year 2000’ $7.50-$30 76 yes some yes flush yes no

Mesquite Spring (NPS) all year 1800´ $12 40 yes yes yes flush no yes

Emigrant (NPS) tent only all year 2100´ free 10 yes yes no flush no no

Wildrose (NPS) all year 4100´ free 23 yes yes yes vault no no

Thorndike* (NPS) Mar-Nov 7400´ free 6 no yes yes vault no no

Mahogany Flat* (NPS) Mar-Nov 8200´ free 10 no yes yes vault no no

*Accessible to high-clearance vehicles only. 4-wheel drive may be necessary. **Regular $18 camping fee is discounted to $12 in the summer season only. Year-round additional $12 Utility Fee for electric, water, and sewer hook-ups; Utility Fees are not subject to Lifetime Pass discounts.

Furnace Creek Visitor Center National Park Service Death Valley Natural History Association

760-786-3200www.nps.gov/deva

Park information, exhibits, park film, bookstore, ranger talks, drinking water and restrooms. Pay park entrance fees and purchase passes.

Scotty’s Castle Visitor Center National Park Service Death Valley Natural History Association

760-786-2392reservations: 877-444-6777 or recreation.gov

CLOSED DUE TO FLOOD DAMAGE.

Stovepipe Wells Village Death Valley Lodge Company (park concession)

760-786-2387escapetodeathvalley.com

Lodging, restaurant, bar, gift shop, convenience store, ATM, gas station, showers, swimming pool, paved airstrip, RV hookups, NPS campground, and ranger station.

Panamint Springs Resort (privately owned) 775-482-7680

deathvalley.com/psrLodging, restaurant, bar, gas station, campground, RV hookups, and showers.

Furnace Creek Inn & Ranch Resorts Xanterra Parks & Resorts (privately owned)

760-786-2345furnacecreekresort.com

760-614-1018Stables

Lodging, restaurants, bars, general store, gift shops, ATM, gas station (gasoline, diesel, propane, tire & minor auto repair) post office, showers, laundromat, swimming, bike rentals, horse rides, RV hookups, borax museum, golf course, tennis courts, and paved airstrip.

Farabee’s Jeep Rentals Farabee’s is located across the street from the Furnace Creek Inn.

760-786-9872877-970-5337DeathValleyJeepRentals.com

Four-wheel-drive Jeep rentals and guided tours. Tire & minor auto repair (garage at FC Ranch gas station)

location contact services

y Generator hours are from 7 am to 7 pm, unless otherwise posted. Generators are not allowed at Texas Springs Campground.

y Sunset Campground: To assist us in the event of an emergency, please back in your RV unit or use a pull-through site.

y Texas Springs Campground (Upper Loop) Limits on RV site use may apply in springtime to accom-modate increased demand for tent camping space. No generators allowed.

y RESERVATIONS for Furnace Creek Campground (up to 6 months in advance) and group campsites (up to 12 months in advance) for the camping season of October 15 to April 15 may be made on-line at recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777.

Summer 2016 - National Park Service History eLibrary · 2 Death Valley Visitor Guide Safety & Park...

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Transcript of Summer 2016 - National Park Service History eLibrary · 2 Death Valley Visitor Guide Safety & Park...