C-DEATH+VALLEY


 * History **

The first non-Native Americans arrived in Death Valley in 1849 looking for a shortcut to the California gold fields. Only one member of their party died, but it was enough to give it the name Death Valley. Various mining operations used the valley afterwards, mostley for borax mining. When mining prospects went sour, the Pacific Coast Borax Company lobbied for federal protection of Death Valley, in order to develop tourism. President Hoover declared about two million acres of the area a national monument in 1933. In 1994 the monument was expanded by 1.3 million acres and declared a national park.

The park is about 3,336,000 acres of land. This land is truley a land of extremes. It is one of the hottest places on the surface of the Earth with summer temperatures averaging well over 100 degrees and as many as 1,227,585 people visit here a year long. It is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere reaching depths of 282 feet below sea level, and it is the driest place in North America with an average rainfall of 1.96 inches a year.
 * Park Profile **

There are lots of beautiful sights here too. There is a beautiful sunrise across the eroded badlands of Zabriskie Point to strike Manly Beacon, and the setting sun and lengthening shadows on the Sand Dunes at Stovepipe Wells, and the colors of myriad wildflowers on the hills above Harmony Borax on a warm spring day.
 * Amazing Sights **

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Activities **



For young kids around age 6 and up there is a Junior Ranger program. This program is somewhat a challenge for the young kids, they have to complete projects that are given to them and when they are complete there is a ceremony given by the park staff and they are awarded with badges.For the older guests, they can enjoy a great experience with rock climbing, fly fishing in the deep valley's and horseback riding.

**Life in Death Valley** Death Valley is home to many plants and animals, in the reptile category there are lots of Snakes, Lizards and even Turtles. There are 51 species of mammal and the one in my opinion to be the most adapted is the Bighorn Sheep. These mammals have very flexible toes so they can live in the mountains away from predators. These animals are very advanced rock climbers. There are also other great animals here such as the Mountain Lions, Coyote, and Bobcat.





As for plant life, there are over 1000 species of plant life. Death Vally's enourmous landscape contains Cacti and thousands of wildflowers, like this Sage above.



Death Valley is a treasure trove of scientific information about the ancient Earth and about the forces still working to shape our modern world. It is home to plants, animals, and human beings that have adapted themselves to take advantage of its rare and hard won bounty. It is a story of western expansion, wealth, greed, suffering and triumph. Death Valley is a land of extremes, and much more.

[|nps.gov]

[|national parks.com] [|deathvalley] [|Death Valley Chamber] [|History of Death Valley] [|Wildlife in Death Valley] [|Animals in Death Valley] [|U.S. Parks] [|NPCA.org] [|Climate in Death Valley]