Death Valley National Park

 “Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the word.”   -Gustave Flaubert

By the time we arrived at Death Valley, we had explored brightly colored rock formations and canyons that were so tall, we were often in disbelief. Now we were in the desert where the scenery was completely different, and yet we were feeling the exact same way as we did in Utah: small and insignificant. Almost every day, I reflect on that. I find it funny that we place negative connotation on those 2 words. We learn from a young age that being small is a temporary stage. As we age, that small feeling we had as a child begins to fade. Our culture teaches us that our size equals importance and as along as we don’t feel small, we can conquer the world.  On an individual level, of course we are all significant. I like to think I am important and that the world somehow benefits from my presence. But I have come to understand that on a larger scale, I’m really not a big deal.

I now see that our exaggerate beliefs about the importance of our existence is detrimental to ourselves and to the world. The way we destroy land for buildings, destruct habitats for goods, or kill animals is justified because it provides us with something we “need”. I am guilty of being a part of that, but I am now grateful that I can see my place in a different light. If there is anything I appreciate on this trip, it’s the ability to feel small and insignificant. I stood on a hill in Death Valley and I accepted that. I am tiny. This desert will continue to live years and years after I am gone and I find that humbling. I am grateful for the ability to feel humility over and over again while we travel. With this humility, I am learning how to distinguish a “need” versus a “want” and my respect for Mother Nature continues to evolve and grow.

We found ourselves at Death Valley the day after we left Zion. The drive is about 4 1/2 hours total, but we split the drive in two by spending the night in Las Vegas. We unexpectedly found ourselves spending the night at a Love’s truck stop in the outskirts of Vegas when we couldn’t figure out where we were going to camp. It may sound a bit sketchy to those who aren’t familiar, but our night at Love’s was pretty legit. We appreciated the availability of restrooms, food and coffee right outside our trailer door. In a sense, the convenience was a bit luxurious compared to what we’ve been experiencing so far.

Love’s is known as a big truck stop and overnight stays are not uncommon. We did ask the workers inside if it was okay for us to park in the main parking lot even though we were certain there would be no issue. The next morning, we contemplated visiting the strip, but decided not to since it was early in the morning. We’ve visited Vegas many times before and figured we’d enjoy Death Valley much more.

The entrance fee for Death Valley is $20 for 7 days. Payment for the park can be accepted at self-service kiosks located at different areas in the park. There are also several campsites located throughout the park and some sites are free (check the NPS website for specific details). Since it was November, the park was fairly crowded. The sun felt warm, but the wind was cool. After experiencing freezing temps in Utah, it felt like summer time for us. We passed a couple campsites filled with RVs and the view looked very familiar. I pictured the scene from Independence Day when all of the RVs are driving through the desert to fight the aliens. The open desert was filled with several campers enjoying the sun.

We spent most our time in the Furnace Creek area. Zabriskie Point was definintely a favorite for us. It might have been because the badlands had awesome colors mixed in, but the view point was an incredible sight to take in. We stopped for lunch at the 49’er Café located on highway 190 in Furnace Creek. Our server was really friendly and also used to live in Colorado Springs! The prices were a bit high. We split a veggie burger and Riley ordered mac and cheese, making our bill over $20. Cooking our own food would have been more budget friendly, but the wind was blowing at 30mph making less than ideal cooking conditions.

Our recommendation when visiting Death Valley is to stop by the Visitor’s Center. There you can watch the orientation video to learn about the land and pick out which sights you want to see.

Interesting facts about Death Valley:

 The lowest point in North America is Badwater Basin at 282 feet below sea level.

The highest ever recorded temperature in the US was in Death Valley, 134 degrees on 7/10/1913