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Why would any traveller consciously choose to explore an area characterized by high temperatures, arid climate and a very unfriendly environment in North America? At first glance, Death Valley appears to be not exactly a place one expects people to add to their travel wish lists. The very name gives a hint of peril than of adventure. The fact that it is the hottest region in the world only adds to the confusion.

But despite the heat, every year, thousands of tourists visit Death Valley. Families have stops on their road trips, photographers get ready at dawn, hikers discover the canyons and stargazers spend their nights here. The reason why people visit this place is not its hot climate, but the fact that it constantly surprises.


Death Valley: More than just an empty desertWhen coming for the first time, many tourists have a pretty clear picture in mind. They imagine endless sand dunes, dead space and an extremely poor landscape. Deserts have been portrayed this way by movies and TV for a long time. But actually, Death Valley is much more interesting than most people think.

The main myth that comes to people's minds when they hear about Death Valley is that it is a huge wasteland where there is nothing special to see. But it is definitely not like that. Inside the national park, there are mountains, salt flats, canyons, mineral-stained hills, badlands and dune fields. The area of Death Valley is bigger than 13,000 square kilometres.

It comes as a surprise due to the diversity of the Valley since there is no place like any other there. One can travel around finding oneself first surrounded by snowy salt formations and then surrounded by the mountains covered with the colors of red, yellow, and green. Some places seem to be so weird that tourists even call them landscapes from another planet.


The hottest place on Earth , but not all year roundOne cannot ignore the facts about the place. The Death Valley has been recognized as the place which has set the world record of the highest air temperature recorded on Earth: 56.7 degrees Celsius, or 134 degrees Fahrenheit, which was recorded in July 1913 at Furnace Creek. And it is mainly this fact which causes curiosity. Everyone hears about the statistics and wonders why do people visit this place which can be so hot.

However, there is one more myth behind this fame. Many people think that Death Valley is unbearably hot all year round. It is true for summer, but only for it when temperatures can reach up to 49 degrees Celsius.

In the winter season, day temperatures can turn out to be quite comfortable. Many visitors can witness weather conditions that are perfect for hiking, exploring sights and photographing them. Instead of experiencing extremely high temperatures, travellers can enjoy cooler mornings, nice afternoons and spectacular desert landscape.


The landscapes that people visit here forSurprisingly enough, people do not go around talking about temperature levels once they return from Death Valley. They mostly speak about the landscapes.

One of the most popular places to visit is Badwater Basin located some 86 meters below sea level and considered the lowest point in North America. It gives visitors a weird feeling of perspective since there are signs on the adjacent mountains that show where sea level is located.

The scenery itself looks almost surreal. The white salt crystals on the ground form shapes resembling geometric designs that stretch out into the distance to the mountains. At particular times during the day, the light makes changes in how the scenery looks, making it especially exciting for photographers.

In other areas of Death Valley, tourists get to see Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Contrary to the idea of desert dunes going on for miles without end, the sand dunes here co-exist with the mountains around, thus making the scenery always different depending on how the wind forms the sand.

There is also Zabriskie Point in Death Valley, which is among the most photographed points in the national park. The hills in the area look carved by design rather than natural formation. The layers of rock and sediments form hills that look great especially at dawn or sunset.


The mystery of rocks that seemed to move on their ownDeath Valley has also been a source of mystery for many years, when it comes to moving rocks.

It was found that rocks were situated on the surface of a desert lake named Racetrack Playa. They had trails, indicating that rocks have moved from one place to another independently. Various suggestions have been made for this phenomenon for many years. Someone believed that it could be caused by extremely strong winds. Another idea was based on the presence of mysterious forces or magnetic fields.

In reality, this phenomenon has an ordinary explanation. It turns out that in certain conditions, some sheets of ice appear on the surface of Racetrack Playa. When the temperature is changing, they start breaking into pieces and are moving together with the rocks on the surface because of the wind.


Is there anything living in Death Valley?Another misconception about Death Valley involves the idea that nothing can survive there. The name itself encourages this belief. Yet nature repeatedly proves otherwise.

Although the area is harsh in nature, there are quite a number of animals that have successfully adapted to life in the region. Desert bighorns survive in rough terrains, coyotes cross open terrains while reptiles and birds survive in an environment that seems impossible to thrive in at first glance.

One of the most shocking cases of adaptation is that of pupfish. These little fish live in ponds of water found in different parts of the desert. Their presence shocks visitors since it is not easy to think about fish in one of the hottest places on earth.


Death Valley can suddenly turn colourfulDeserts are known for the brown, beige and gray color scheme they carry. However, due to heavy rainfall at certain times, the dormant seeds under the soil can start blooming. During special super blooms, there can be yellow, orange and purple flowers in some parts of the desert.

This might shock many due to its contradiction with what many expect of deserts.


The experience changes after sunsetWhile Death Valley may seem exciting during the day, there is no doubt that some of the most intriguing experiences that a visitor may find happen once the sun sets for the night. Due to the lack of light pollution, the park has become one of the best places for stargazing in America.

For visitors who come from big cities, where light pollution is abundant, this feeling will seem almost alien. Thousands of stars can be seen above, and the night sky is perfectly visible from one end to the other.

But what makes the people come back time and again?The reason is far removed from the climate of the park itself. People come to Death Valley precisely because of its ability to defy all expectations. Death Valley seems to be a place where nothing would be expected to live, but that is far from reality.