Ask Andrew - Death Valley National Park

Ask Andrew - Death Valley National Park

Andrew traveled to Death Valley National Park in February 2016. We asked him for his thoughts on the park, and here is what he wrote. You can learn about Andrew here.

1. What was the most memorable part of your visit to Death Valley National Park?

The visit to the saltwater flats (also known as Badwater Basin) was my favorite part of the trip. We walked all around and looked at all the salt that was there. The wind was so strong while we were visiting that the wind held me up when I was leaning way over. At 282 feet below sea level, Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the western hemisphere. The temperatures here can be very hot, but it was actually cold when we were there due to the wind.  When it is hot, if you have any black leather seats in your car, you would be toast!

Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park

Getting blown over in Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park

2.  Did you see any wildlife on your visit to Death Valley?

We saw a good amount of lizards sunning themselves. We also saw a ton of wildflowers, as we visited during a rare “superbloom.” This happens about once every ten years. They were pretty cool, but this type of an event if quite rare.

Lizard in Death Valley National Park

The Superbloom comes to Death Valley National Park

3. Did you hike at all while you were visiting Death Valley National Park?

We hiked through the Golden Canyon Trail, where the views were pretty amazing. The hike was a slight uphill the entire way through a canyon that was about 12 to 20 feet wide, depending on where you were. Even though the temperatures were not too warm, we almost ran out of water on the hike because it was so dry. During the rest of our trip, we did not do any other hiking because we were pressed for time.

It should be noted that there is a lot of hiking (and other things to do) in Death Valley National Park. My dad wrote up an article on the six reasons why we think you'll fall in love with Death Valley National Park-check it out!

Hiking the Golden Canyon Trail in Death Valley National Park

A view from the end of the Golden Canyon Trail in Death Valley National Park

The end of the Golden Canyon Trail in Death Valley National Park

 

 

4.  What was the level of difficulty of the Golden Canyon Trail (on a scale of 1 to 10)? Why?

I would rate the hike as a 3 because it was a little steep.  If it was a different time of year, it would be rated as a 7 because it gets so hot there.

The Golden Canyon Trail in Death Valley National Park

5.  What is the one “must have” product that you would recommend when visiting Death Valley National Park? Why?

The Platypus water pack is great.  It carries a lot of water, which comes in handy as it is so dry and hot in the park, even in the winter.

6.  Do you have any other comments or suggestions for Death Valley National Park?

Bring lots of water to Death Valley. Trust Me you'll need it!  Also, when you visit, make sure you check out Devil’s Golf Course. All the nooks and crannies of the salt are really amazing to look at. It is also very large!

Devil's Golf Course in Death Valley National Park

7.  When you have a family, do you plan on visiting Death Valley National Park again?

Yes!  I would plan on bringing my family here, because I was surprised at how colorful and beautiful the desert can be.

The superbloom as seen from Badwater Road in Death Valley National Park

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About Just Go Travel Studios

We are Amy & Pete Brahan. Very simply, we are passionate about our National Parks and Public Lands and explore them with our three kids whenever we can.

As much as we enjoy traveling, we also love sharing our knowledge and helping others create everlasting memories through our custom-made travel posters, downloadable travel itineraries and detailed blog articles.

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