Artists Point Death Valley National Park CaliforniaGaelyn and Jeremy at Artists Point, sorry for the poor stitch job
We left Badwater Basin to return to camp after a very full day of sightseeing: Salt Creek trail, the Harmony Borax Works, Furnace Creek and the hike to Natural Bridge. Yet wait, there’s a scenic 9-mile (14.48 km) one-way loop road that winds through colorful mud hills. The day’s not quite over at Death Valley National Park Artists Drive.
Artists Drive Death Valley National Park CaliforniaArtists Drive
Because of the lack of vegetation here, Death Valley easily displays the magical yellows, oranges, and browns of the earth presented in brilliant contrast to the startling blue skies.
Mud hills along Artists Drive Death Valley National Park CaliforniaMud hills along Artists Drive
These multi-colored hills, representing 5000-foot (1524-meter) thick deposits of cemented gravels, ancient lake sediments, and volcanic debris form the foot of the Black Mountains.
Mud hills along Artists Drive Death Valley National Park CaliforniaIron oxides show as reds, yellows, browns and blacks. Purple hues are produced by magnesium. Copper, or possibly the breakdown of mica, is responsible for the green color.
Mud hills along Artists Drive Death Valley National Park CaliforniaSome of these rocks reveal fossil diatoms, a phytoplankton that lived in water, and microscopic plants that indicate an environment which existed about 10-30 million years ago.
Last light Death Valley National Park CaliforniaLast light
I was in awe as we drove out of Artists Drive back into the valley and headed back to camp.
Moon over the Black Mountains Death Valley National Park CaliforniaMoon over the Black Mountains
Yet I knew we had another day for more explorations at Death Valley, like a castle built in this “hell-hole turned tourist-trap”.