A special treat is happening in the Death Valley……spring flowers! With only an average annual rainfall of 2 inches a year, this season, the park got 3 inches of rain so far! Three rare storms in the first two weeks of October was enough to cause millions of dormant wildflower seeds to spring forth.
Our yearly camping trip to Death Valley Nation Park is at Thanksgiving so the chance to visit this past weekend during the super bloom was a special treat. The roads, campgrounds, hotels, and just about everywhere we went was full of enthralled spectators. Never before had we experienced such unique splendor. Death Valley, despite its name, is such a beautiful place anytime of the year. Although barren of many plants, trees, and shrubs, the diversity and beauty of the park is not to be missed. It is this diversity that makes this park so incredibly appealing-from the salt flats to the sand dunes, the mountain tops to the badlands, and the sunrises to the sunsets. It is a land of extremes.
We were going to see Death Valley in the spring and during the extraordinary blooming of spring flowers! Out the door at 3:30AM we arrived full of anticipation and excited to explore. We spent two days driving around the park with many stops along the way.
This is some of the highlights of our trip.
Desert Gold
Deep Purple Phacelia
(If touched can cause a rash)
More than 20 species of wildflower bloom in the park at various elevations.
We saw these at a higher elevation but I don’t know their name.
The Desert Five-Spot
The Gravel Ghost
(see how seems to float from the very interesting leaves hugging the ground?)
The Charcoal Kilns. No flowers but a group of young people making a video!
Badwater Basin. 282 feet below sea level. That is not snow in the background…
…it is a salt flat.
This was a shrub growing among the Desert Gold flowers.
On a normal trip the landscape would look more like this…
…instead of this!
Our second night we were sent packing with 45-60 mph winds… which collapsed our tent….so…we slept in the car! Not the best way to end our trip but worth every minute to have been able to enjoy such a rare sight.
A day earlier than planned we soon found our way home. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it though!
mommermom 