Colors of life captured in Death Valley
As we drove through the park, our first stop brought us to Zabriskie Point. Breathtaking views of rolling hills and mountain peaks greeted us as our feet met the last step. These stunning rolling hills are composed of sediments from Furnace Creek Lake, which dried up 5 million years ago, long before Death Valley existed. A young writer perched on a rock, deep in thought, in search of the words best suited to capture the beauty before her. Each hill bore its own unique footprints, some seemingly resembling blood vessels splitting in all directions, as though they were lifelines to Mother Earth.
Our next stop took us to the salt flats of Badwater Basin. These salt flats cover nearly 200 square miles and are composed mostly of sodium chloride, also known as table salt. As we made our way toward the flats, we removed our shoes; this grounded us and heightened our senses to the tiny salt crystals beneath our feet. With each step, we left behind our footprints—a postmarked proof that we had been there.
Our next stop brought us to Artist’s Palette. These pastel-colored rocks, formed primarily due to mineral deposits, display stunning hues of red, orange, yellow, blue, pink, and green. As the sun dipped behind the clouds, the colors became softer and more vibrant. We sat on a nearby rock and took in the stunning view as the rocks changed colors before our eyes.
As the day wound down, we raced to make the drive to the top of Dante’s View. Dante’s View is a 5,475-foot viewpoint offering panoramic views of the valley and surrounding mountains. As we made our way to the top of the winding road, nothing could have prepared us for how spectacular the view would truly be. The sun radiating off the salt flats as it slowly began its descent behind the mountains was a breathtaking sight. While we took a few moments to soak it all in, we knew that with every fading moment of the sun, it was time to set up camp for the night.
We made our way down the mountain and pulled our cozy home on wheels into a quiet corner of the Sunset Campground. We dined on our pre-prepped meal for the night as we reflected on the beautiful day spent exploring the wonders of Death Valley.
