Why is death valley so deep

Amazingly, Death Valley also supports populations of amphibians, including the Pacific treefrog, which lives in areas with water sources, including around Furnace Creek. Survivors of the days when Death Valley was covered by water, five different species of tiny pupfish are hanging on during these decidedly drier times. Less surprisingly, Death Valley is also a reptile paradise, where nearly 40 species thrive, including Mojave Desert sidewinder snakes and desert iguanas.

With both numerous resident birds and hundreds of other species passing through during migratory seasons, savvy birders know that Death Valley offers all sorts of spotting opportunities. Even casual observers are bound to see plenty of roadrunners. Just as a diverse assortment of wildlife has managed to figure out survival strategies in the desert, an eclectic group of people have lived and worked in Death Valley. Some folks, like the pioneers in wagon trains, arrived here accidentally and suffered great tragedy.

But miners and prospectors came to the valley in search of treasure, while plenty of desert rats appreciated the solitude that the area provided. Indeed, eccentrics just seem to come to come with the territory, none more so than Walter Death Valley Scotty Scott.

They carved out an existence, ranging from the valley and into the surrounding mountains to find food sources. Members of the tribe still live in a small village near Furnace Creek. The entire resort recently underwent a complete renaissance with an extensive renovation.

For information and reservations, visit The Oasis at Death Valley or call Specializing in California, the Southwest, and Hawaii, Matt Jaffe is an award-winning former senior writer at Sunset magazine and contributes to a variety of publications, including Los Angeles, Arizona Highways, and Westways.

By continuing to use our site, you consent to our use of cookies as described in our cookie policy. The vertical drop from the peak to Badwater Basin is twice the depth of the Grand Canyon.

Named by gold prospectors struggling through the area in , Death Valley has been inhabited by Timbisha Shoshone Native Americans; gold prospectors, including slaves; Chinese immigrants mining for silver and borax; Basque immigrants who settled here at the turn of the 20th century; and Japanese Americans temporarily interned here during World War II.

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Animals Wild Cities Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London. Animals Wild Cities Morocco has 3 million stray dogs. Established on October 24, , Death Valley National Park is a beautiful but challenging landscape where unique wildlife have developed ingenious adaptations to the arid, harsh environment.

Death Valley is the lowest point in North America. At feet below sea level, Badwater Basin is a surreal landscape that tricks the senses. What many visitors mistake for snow covering the ground is actually a thick layer of salt on the valley floor.

But how did the salt get there? Rain and minerals dissolved from rocks drain to lower elevations. Here, at Badwater Basin, the water forms temporary lakes after heavy storms. As the water evaporates, minerals concentrate until only the salts remain. After thousands of years, enough salts have settled here at the bottom of the continent to create this vast, surreal scene. In July , the hottest place on Earth experienced its hottest month on record. The average temperature was Visitors are urged to stay in well-traveled areas of the park, so that other people might provide help in case of a vehicle break-down.

Be sure to come prepared -- cell phones often have no reception in the park. Other tips for a safe visit include drinking plenty of water, eating snacks, limiting activities outside of air-conditioning and visiting viewpoints at higher, cooler elevations.

Wildflowers bring life to the desert. Contrary to its name, Death Valley comes alive with color and life in the spring.

While the park is famous for its rare and spectacular wildflower displays, flowers are never totally absent in the off years. When conditions are right, the hills and valleys explode into a carpet of gold, purple, pink or white flowers.

Deep soaking rain is essential for a desert floral display. To begin, a rainstorm of a half inch or more is needed to wash the protective coating off wildflower seeds and allow them to sprout. For plants to continue growing, rainstorms must come at evenly-spaced intervals throughout the winter and spring.

Superblooms are fleeting, but they leave a lasting impression with park visitors and attract large numbers of pollinators such as butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. Some of the rocks move on their own at Death Valley. Scattered across the bottom of this dry lakebed are hundreds of rocks that leave trails on the ground when they move. Some of the rocks, which weigh up to pounds, have traveled over 1, feet. For years, the source of their movement has gone unsolved, but in researchers discovered a rare combination of events that move the rocks.

When the playa floods and cold winter nights freeze the water into a thin layer of ice that then break into large floating panels as night turns into day, winds drive the rocks forward across the slippery surface, which leave trails in the soft mud below. Although scientists have discovered the secret of the moving rocks, the fascination remains the same.

If you listen closely, the sands will sing to you.