Death Valley National Park is in eastern California. The first thing that strikes about Death Valley National Park is its massive terrain. Sprawling over three million acres the park gives you a taste of the wilderness, backcountry roads, historic places and seemingly endless terrain of cliffs, deep canyons, desert peaks and salt flats. Prepare yourself for a host of outdoor activities when in the national park. Hiking, biking on roads and mountains, camping and backpacking are some of them. By sticking to the following regulations you can have an enjoyable and safe trip and return with fond memories of this magnificent national park:

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• Stay on established roads. Do not drive off the roads. Fit ‘off-road’ tires to your car instead of the regular highway or street tires.
• Use bicycles only on permitted paved and dirt roads. Do not bike on trails, closed roads or in the wilderness marked areas of the park.
• It is advisable to travel in a group of large numbers. Carry maps as there are no road signs and you cannot rely on GPS.
• Carry all the required permits for use within the park.
• Drink and carry plenty of water; more than you normally do. The dry climate can dehydrate and water sources are rare to come by in the park.
• Be responsible and do your duty to the environment by cleaning up after you. Protect the desert environment.

If you are here merely for sightseeing you still have lots to do as the place is rife with interesting sights. A few of the many places you can visit in Death Valley National Park are:

Furnace Creek Visitor Center: A good way to start your tour of the park is by being equipped with the knowledge of the park. The Furnace Creek Visitor Center has museum exhibits, seasonal ranger programs and a 20-minute long film to help you do just that.

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Badwater Basin: Prepare to be flummoxed by this basin which is 282 feet below sea level and is the lowest point in North America. The landscape is of long stretches of salt flats. A walk on this continually evaporating salty, mineralized water bed will give a surreal experience.

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Devil’s Golf Course: Thus named because of the vast jagged area of rock salt caused by erosion owing to wind and rain on which a round of golf can be played only by the devil! You get to hear sounds like tiny pops if you listen carefully and the sound is louder when you put your ear to the ground. This sound is caused by billions of tiny salt crystals bursting out as they expand and contract in the heat.

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Zabriskie Point: A very popular point to view the sunrise and sunset, the Zabriskie Point overlooks the golden colored badlands of the Furnace Creek formation.

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Harmony Borax Works:Responsible hugely for the opening of Death Valley and its subsequent popularity, the Harmony Borax Works takes you back in time with its many ruins of the plant and the surrounding town.

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Dante’s View: Standing at 5,475 feet, the Dante’s View offers the most scenic viewpoint in the park. You can catch the breathtaking views of sunrise, the Panamint Mountains, Badwater Basin and also the slightest glimpse of the Sierra Nevadas which has the highest point of USA, Mount Whitney.

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Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: With three types of sand dunes, the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes is the largest dune field in the national park. The sand beds are formed from an ancient lake bed and is of polygon-cracked clay. The presence of mesquite trees create a habitat for wildlife.

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China Ranch Date Farm: This is a family-run organic date farm close to Furnace Creek Road. The farm provides respite in the desert with their delicious dates and other date-based products.

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Amargosa Opera House: Given a lease of life by New York dancer Marta Becket, this former colonial-style courtyard now stands as an opera house. The extravagantly hand-painted opera house is definitely worth a visit.

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Borax Musuem: Located in the Ranch at Furnace Creek, this museum showcases samples of the locally available borate minerals and a large collection of stage coaches and wagon of the pioneer-era.

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