Elizabeth BoatmanThis is my third story about Death Valley National Park. Obviously I was quite impressed by it. Honestly it was an unexpectedly spectacular place, but I also discovered a few things that took me by surprise.
Perhaps I’ve lived a sheltered existence but I was startled to discover that civilization hasn’t come to the California desert. The drive to Death Valley was so different from that up the west coast along CA Highway 1. There certainly weren’t many towns along the way and the roads were uncertain. Our Google map suggested we take the Trona Road but due to floods or something it turned to gravel just after we crossed into Inyo County. The gravel ended eventually and we were back on asphalt again but I simply hadn’t considered the possibility that the paved road wouldn’t be there.
This lack of towns was even more pronounced once we entered the park. We stayed at Stovepipe Wells, which on the map looked like a good-sized resort area. I was thinking that it would have a couple restaurants, a store or two, a deli. perhaps a photo gallery. I guess the Village area in Yosemite Valley has distorted my idea of park services. Stovepipe Wells is small.
W every quickly learned to think of this as a metropolis. After all there was a store, lodging, a small airport, a restaurant and a ranger station!
A major discovery was that there is no internet in Death Valley. I had hoped to use my laptop in my hotel room but that didn’t work out. The only connectivity was in the restaurant or the guest lounge and even then it wasn’t dependable. Nor is there cell phone service. None. Period. So don’t rely on your phone’s GPS. Actually the park doesn’t advise that you depend on the GPS in your car either. I suppose this makes sense if I had thought about it beforehand. I just didn’t consider it.
Death Valley National Park is huge, or should I say HUGE!
Much of this area is considered backcountry and while I’m sure it has some amazing things to see, I just am not prepared at this time to venture out into it. First I have the wrong kind of vehicle. The park’s visitor guide suggests that I will have at least one flat tire while I’m out there. Really? Oh dear, that definitely isn’t something I’m up for. After reading about all this I realized that this park is a place in which one could actually die. Now there’s something to think about.
Yet for all the scary things, and that doesn’t count the critters, the park is fascinating. Will I go again? And to the backcountry? You bet. I don’t want to miss it. I just have to plan a little better now that I know what to expect.
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