Skip to Content
National Park Foundation
Donate

Death Valley National Park

I have always loved the desert. You sit down on a sand dune. You see nothing. You hear nothing. And yet something shines, something sings in that silence…
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
A Land of Extremes
Stark in appearance and haunting in name, Death Valley is a very-much-alive desert set between high, snow-capped mountains. The name doesn’t do justice to the vibrancy of Death Valley—the mysteries of the life sustained in this arid and isolated landscape capture the attention of adventurers.
America’s lowest, hottest, and driest national park, adventurous visitors enjoy Death Valley for its many extremes and mysteries such as the sailing stones.

From the magical burst of wildflower blooms in spring to the allure of ghost towns, historic mining operations, wildlife, and raw natural beauty, Death Valley National Park offers something for everyone.

Named a national monument in February of 1933, Death Valley National Park owes much of its early development to the Civilian Conservation Corps, or the CCC. From 1933 until 1942, twelve CCC companies improved the area by creating trails, buildings, and camps. They also introduced phone and water service to some areas of the valley. Much of what they built is still in existence and utilized in Death Valley National Park today.

Not only rich in beauty and pioneer history, Death Valley was known as a prosperous mining mecca for many decades. The valley was mined extensively for gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, antimony, and borax. The last mining operation, the Billie Mine, located along the Dante's View road, ceased operations in 2005.

Park Updates