I was sad to leave Death Valley, and if I had it to do over, I would have reserved an additional night.

We packed and loaded up the car (I don’t travel light for a 16-day road trip!). We hadn’t actually seen the front of the hotel, so we walked around the building and up the hill to the main entrance. As expected, it was beautiful! We did the old-fashioned check out at the front desk and explored the area for a few minutes before taking off (pocket camera in hand).

Up ahead the huge mountain that almost gave me a breakdown on day two!

Holy Cow! ⬇️

Going down!

We made a stop on the other side of the valley, and yes, up another mountain! Father Crowley Point named after the Father Crowley, known as the “Desert Padre” who ministered in the area in the 1920s and 1930s.

Rainbow Canyon runs along the point and is used for low level aviation training. It is part of one of the largest military training areas in the US. It has been used continuously since the 1930s.

It was difficult to really capture the depth in a photo. Can you imagine military planes flying through this? We talked to a visitor who actually witnessed it. He freaked out and was amazed! My husband did notice a military plane on our way out of the park, but not while we were at this location.

Heading back down again into the valley:

Our turnoff out of the park is back at the bottom of the valley. That was quite a drive up and over the mountain range on the other side. But the views were amazing!

My Death Valley Adventure is something I hope I never forget. It both terrified me and amazed me! Being so isolated and in such an unfamiliar terrain was almost more than I could fathom. What a crazy fun way to celebrate my 60 years!

My favorite experiences:

• Badwater Basin
• Dante’s View
• Staying at the Inn at Death Valley

My regrets:

• Not staying another night
• Not trying a couple more dirt roads (we were being cautious in our rental)
• Not trying to walk out to Salt Creek to see the pupfish (sadly the dirt road out there was so bad the road was closed)

There were a few places we simply could not go. You needed a rugged 4 wheel drive, and to know where you were going. People get lost, people die.

Scotty’s Castle was closed due to fire and flooding, it is a fascinating story and if you have interest, learn more here. The road north was closed due to flooding so we couldn’t even explore that area. Fun fact: the road opened the day we left!!

I can’t put it all into words. The discoveries, the history, the ghosts and the tragedies. The determination of early explorers. The hard work and brilliant ways the resources were utilized is unfathomable in today’s world. And yet, it’s there. We have the opportunity to go back in time and in a small way, get a feel for what it was like a century ago.

If you get the chance, go! Plan ahead, be aware of the heat and hazards, and expect to be amazed!

“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.”
~ Paulo Coelho

“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.”
~ Christopher McCandless

Today, when I think back over the adventures I’ve experienced, and the number of times I’ve gone outside my comfort zone, I honestly can’t believe I did it! It inspires me to do it again, and for as long as I can.