Journey to USA – day 11 (Mammoth via Death Valley to Las Vegas)

 

Following our night stay at Mammoth, we started early in the next morning because there will be another 7 hours trip to reach Las Vegas via Death Valley National Park. From Mammoth, we head to south and ramped onto US 395 road, on the way we sub passed several towns such as Bishop, Big Pine until we reached Lone Pine, and from there near Keeler, we turned left onto CA-136 and entered CA-190 E.

Bye Bye Mammoth

Welcome Death Valley

 

We used CA-190 to enter Death Valley National Park, the road become curvier as it heads down to the Panamint Valley. Panamint Valley is a big closed drainage basin that retains water (usually from heavy rain) but no outflow to rivers or oceans. The view up there was so spectacular that we think it can beat the beauties of Yosemite Valley. Well, no conclusion yet until we see the Grand Canyon.

Overseen Panamint Valley

 

We went further until we into the Death Valley. As we head down more, we can see the wildflowers in bloom at surrounding. The average temperature was between 24-28 degree. Death Valley is unique and worth to visit because it is the lowest, hottest, driest location in North America. As we went further towards the Death Valley junction, we’re at lower sea levels as before until we reached the Badwater Basin – the lowest elevation in North America at 282 ft below sea level.

Spectacular views of Death Valley 

 

Further towards higher elevation road

Wildflowers bloom

Over thousand of wildflower varieties found in Death Valley, these are one of them

 

We spent an hour doing visit Mesquite Sand Dunes inside the park, where often be the film location for most Hollywood movies, including Star Wars series. My first time visit to dessert, gave me unforgettable experience. When we about to leave the place, we’re once worried that we’ll be trapped inside there, because the sand dunes looked all the same to one another, and some “illusions” plus the hot weather plus no water, we almost lost our way to go back. Luckily, we didn’t went too far. But we had conclusion after this visit, we rather die because too cold compared to too hot, at least we still can get the water from ice and survive.

 

 

 

Enough say, after sand dunes visit, we reached the Death Valley Junction and soon left the park via CA-127, then turned into CA-178 and entered Nevada state. We passed Pahrump and towards Las Vegas via NV-160. Right before the Las Vegas, there was a town named Teribble’s town and you can see many casinos almost at every suburban towns.

Terrible’s town!

We finally reach Henderson, and stayed there for a night. Average temperature 16 degrees.