Death Valley is the largest national park in the United States, with an area of 7,800 km² of desert. With scant rainfall and weather conditions that allow water to evaporate a hundred times faster than it receives it , the landscape of Death Valley is austere, varied and impressive: warm colors, textures blurred by the heat, and rounded hills that they contrast with sharp-edged spikes.
Why is Death Valley so hot?
Although heat waves of more than 40ºC are already a common place in the summers of many regions of the world -from Southern California to South Korea, passing through Spain-, there is still no place on the planet warmer than the Death Valley.
The highest temperature ever reached in Death Valley was 56.7 ° C , on July 10, 1913, and it is also the highest atmospheric temperature ever recorded on earth . In addition, the situation has not improved over the years: according to an article published in Forbes magazine by climate scientist Brian Brettschneider, last July temperatures remained above 48.8ºC for more than 21 days .
And why are the temperatures so high in this area, despite being in the northern hemisphere -in theory colder-? Brettschneider explains that the geographic environment of the region is ideal to produce warm temperatures, since it is located in a deep gully that is below sea level, has a desert climate and is surrounded by high mountains that cause the heat to concentrate and that it hardly receives any water from the little rainfall that falls in the area.
Why visit Death Valley
The first visitors to Death Valley arrived in 1849 and were ill-prepared gold prospectors trying to find a shortcut to the northernmost gold mines in the state. They did not count on it being so hot in this desert and they almost died of dehydration, a fact from which the name by which this place is known today arose.
Today, people who go to Death Valley do not do so out of necessity, but rather seek to separate themselves from civilization and enjoy a natural setting of extraordinary and unique beauty . It is a very popular destination with photographers and the most daring hikers, but it is also true that some people go just to experience the hellish heat.
When to visit
The weather is too hot in summer with daytime highs of 48 ° C and surface temperatures almost high enough to literally fry an egg on the black roof. The best months are from December to February, when the days are mild . Also, in the rainiest years, interesting and abundant wildlife can be found from February to May.
How to get there and move around the Valley
Death Valley is in eastern California, about a 4-hour drive from Los Angeles . It is right on the border with the state of Nevada, so you can also visit it from Las Vegas , which is only 2 hours away by car.
Death Valley is very wide, but it has few main roads. The accesses are simple and the network of roads is not complicated , so it is more advisable to guide yourself with a physical map than with the GPS, since it is not an area with good coverage.
Before you go there, make sure that your vehicle is in good mechanical condition, with the wheels and tires ready and the radiator at full capacity . Once you have chosen the area of the valley you want to visit, you can walk from one place to another, but do not forget to protect yourself from the sun and heat and carry plenty of water wherever you go.
