First Impressions of Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is infamous. From its raging heat to its barren landscape, its reputation shapes whatever you might think of this place. Some of those rumors and second-hand experiences might be true, but nothing can prepare you for your first visit.  

Driving from our home in North Hollywood, it was a four-and-a-half-hour drive to the park’s entrance. Hoping to escape the heat, we chose to visit in December. Even in late fall, the temperature still landed between 75 and 80 degrees.  

As you leave the coastal landscape of the Los Angeles basin and head northeast toward the park, which sits near the Nevada border, the view outside your window begins to change rapidly. Green lawns and palm trees slowly begin to fade. The landscape morphs into something more mountainous, arid, ominous, and sparsely populated. Driving toward the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, I was both excited and shocked by the change I witnessed through my windshield.  

Nothing can prepare you for the sheer size of Death Valley National Park. Coming in at 3,000 square miles (about twice the size of Rhode Island), the park is vast, open, and contains more to see and do than you can imagine.  

On this trip, we headed toward Golden Canyon, Gower Gulch, and the Badlands Loop. For some odd reason, I wanted to hike through a landscape that matched my preconceived notions of Death Valley. My choice did not disappoint.  

For hours, my partner and I hiked among the gold-colored hills. We explored narrow canyons and ridges opening to the vast expanse of the park. Beneath our feet, the Earth cracked and baked in the fall Sun. The ground felt like more than just a helpless victim of our star’s violence. It seemed like a painted canvas demanding to be explored. The hills and canyons offered privacy and seclusion. Among them, staying on course was often rewarded with views of impressive mountain ranges and open spaces of indescribable beauty.  

As we arrived back at my car, I found myself overjoyed and dismayed. I felt joy for the reward of such a special place. I felt dismayed, because I knew I had only scratched the surface of this place. As we began our journey back to Los Angeles, I made a promise. This would not be my final visit to this park. There is still so much to explore.  

 Be good to each other,  

Nathan