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| Heading into Death Valley National Park |
Back to the Road
After a day off, we were up early and back on the road. Today's trip was one that we were really anxious to do. We were headed to Death Valley National Park. I had done some research on the park but no amount of research would prepare me for the amazing beauty that I was about to see.
The drive to Death Valley wasn't terribly long. It was just a little over 2 hours and while a remote drive, it was not a boring one. I would recommend picking up some snacks and drinks to take along for the ride because once again there are no amenities on the road to Death Valley. Make sure you gas up your vehicle before heading into the park also. There is a gas station in the park but it is very expensive as you would expect. After the Great Basin trek, this drive was a welcome relief. As soon as we got close to the park, the scenery began to change and the colors of the desert began to appear.
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| Mesquite Sand Dunes |
Death Valley National Park
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| Mesquite Sane Dunes |
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| Mesquite Sand Dunes |
We took Route 190 into the Park from the East. Made a quick stop at Furnace Creek Visitor's Center. There are restroom facilities at the Visitor's Center and quick orientation of the Park. There is a small gift shop here also. There are a few places nearby to eat but since we took snacks with us, we kept on going. A little further west on 190 we came to the Mesquite Sand Dunes. This was a really cool area. You could actually get out, park and take a walk on the sand dunes. The day we were there it was relatively cool (86 degrees) so we were able to do a little exploring.
After the Sand Dunes, we headed back toward Furnace Creek and then took Badwater Road.
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| Devil's Golf Course |
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| Badwater Basin |
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| Badwater Basin |
We stopped at the Devil's Golf Course on our way and then went straight to Badwater Basin. This is the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below sea level. This was an awesome place to see. You have the salt flats stretching out in front of you leading up to beautiful mountains in the distance. After walking around and taking in the sights, we headed back up Badwater Road and stopped off at Artist's Palette. This is a beautiful area....not to be missed! There is a one way scenic drive (Artist's Drive) that will take you around the sights. If it isn't too hot, make sure you stop off and take a walk around. You will be amazed by the colors you will see!
After our detour down Badwater Road we headed back on Route 190 and stopped at Zabriskie Point and Dante's View. Both were well worth the stop. There is a bit of a steep walk at Zabriskie Point to get to the observation area. Take your time if you must, but make it up there....the view is worth the walk! Dante's View was also breathtaking. It's a bit of a winding road to the top but if you have the time, it is worth the visit.
We ended up spending about 4-5 hours in the park and felt like we got to see most of the highlights. I really can't say enough about how much we enjoyed this park. It was just so unexpectedly beautiful!
Just take a look at some of the amazing beauty we saw:
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| Artist's Palette |
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| Zabriske's Point |
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| Zabriske's Point |
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| Zabriske's Point |
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| Zabriske's Point |
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| Dante's View |
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| Dante's View |
A Short Drive Back
This day trip took us about 8-9 hours with travel time and was well worth the time to visit. We were lucky that the day we chose was a cooler day. I can imagine that on a warmer day, it would be a little harder to traverse some of the walkways but if you are able, get out and do a little exploring at this park. It is well worth the time!
We were able to get back to the City by the time that night set in so we headed out on the town. We decided to have dinner at the buffet at Caesars. Here is a tip for the Buffets at the "Total Rewards" hotels which we weren't aware of and not informed of when we purchased the buffet. The buffet at these resorts is $50.00/person. However, if you keep your receipt, you can eat at the breakfast/lunch/dinner buffet at any of the resorts for 24 hours without an additional charge.
Since we didn't realize this important tidbit about the buffet, we were rather shocked at the price. While this buffet had quite a bit of diversity, we found the offerings to be much less appealing than the buffet at the Bellagio and more expensive (since we didn't have the opportunity to go to another buffet in the 24 hour period). This really wasn't one of our best dining experiences in the city.
Soon it was time to head back to the hotel and get ready for our next (and final day trip)...Joshua Tree National Park.
Coming up Next: Las Vegas and Beyond - Day 9: Joshua Tree National Park
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