Death Valley National Park
Hiking Trails
Golden Canyon Trail: Moderate, two miles round-trip (two hours). Starts from Badwater Road, three miles south of the visitor center. Gradual uphill through colorful badlands that extends to Zabriskie Point. Light is best in late afternoon.
Harmony Borax Works: Easy, 0.25-mile round-trip (30 minutes). Starts on Highway 190, two miles north of the visitor center. Hard-surfaced trail circles adobe dwellings, equipment and a 20-mule-team wagon from the 1880s.
Salt Creek Nature Trail: Easy, 0.5-mile round-trip (one hour) along intermittent, spring-fed Salt Creek where desert pupfish can be seen in the spring. Starts one mile off Route 190, 15 miles north of the visitor center.
Scotty's Castle Walking Tour: Easy, 0.5-mile round-trip (30 minutes) through the grounds of Scotty's Castle, 53 miles north of the visitor center on Scotty's Castle Road.
Windy Point Trail: Moderate, 0.75-mile round-trip from Scotty's Castle, 53 miles north of the visitor center on Scotty's Castle Road. This nature trail climbs 160 feet to Scotty's grave overlooking his Death Valley ranch.
Tie Canyon Trail: Easy, 0.75-mile round-trip (40 minutes) leads to a canyon near Scotty's Castle used to store building materials.
Death Valley In Depth
News from the Parks
Local Tourism Will Get Boost from Historic Site
October 9, 2008 - 3:47pm
The Auburn-Opelika area is expected to get a boost in tourism from the opening of a completely redesigned Tuskegee Airman National Historic Site, operated by the National Park Service just down I-85 from Auburn in the nearby city of Tuskegee.
October 9, 2008 - 3:47pm
The Auburn-Opelika area is expected to get a boost in tourism from the opening of a completely redesigned Tuskegee Airman National Historic Site, operated by the National Park Service just down I-85 from Auburn in the nearby city of Tuskegee.
Visitors Flock to Sandburg Home for Poetry, Goats and Hiking Trails
October 9, 2008 - 3:37pm
When the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site was established 40 years ago, the mission was to preserve legacy and literary works of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg. His modest home was kept intact with all the furnishings, magazines and newspapers in place when Sandburg died in 1967. National Park Service staff designed interpretive tours of the home, and public programs were given at the dairy goat farm that Sandburg's wife, Lilian, operated.
October 9, 2008 - 3:37pm
When the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site was established 40 years ago, the mission was to preserve legacy and literary works of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg. His modest home was kept intact with all the furnishings, magazines and newspapers in place when Sandburg died in 1967. National Park Service staff designed interpretive tours of the home, and public programs were given at the dairy goat farm that Sandburg's wife, Lilian, operated.
Long Road Ahead
October 9, 2008 - 3:33pm
As C&O Canal National Historical Park Superintendent Kevin Brandt spoke to a small crowd gathered to learn about the breach in the canal's towpath on Saturday morning, Oct. 4, some late stragglers to the gathering walked down a temporary staircase to the muddy canal bottom and made their way past the gaping crater in the canal wall. "Holy moly," one man exclaimed as he walked past the jagged cavity filled with twisting tree roots, chicken wire and trickling water roped off by yellow caution tape.
October 9, 2008 - 3:33pm
As C&O Canal National Historical Park Superintendent Kevin Brandt spoke to a small crowd gathered to learn about the breach in the canal's towpath on Saturday morning, Oct. 4, some late stragglers to the gathering walked down a temporary staircase to the muddy canal bottom and made their way past the gaping crater in the canal wall. "Holy moly," one man exclaimed as he walked past the jagged cavity filled with twisting tree roots, chicken wire and trickling water roped off by yellow caution tape.
Canyon Victim from Scottsdale
October 9, 2008 - 3:29pm
A man who died after falling 250 feet into the Grand Canyon has been identified as a Scottsdale resident, the Associated Press reported.
October 9, 2008 - 3:29pm
A man who died after falling 250 feet into the Grand Canyon has been identified as a Scottsdale resident, the Associated Press reported.
Funk Search Taking Toll on Family
October 9, 2008 - 2:57pm
Although it has been 10 days and counting, family members of 49-year-old Earl Funk, missing in Shenandoah National Park since Sept. 29, are still hoping the lifelong woodsman will be found alive.
October 9, 2008 - 2:57pm
Although it has been 10 days and counting, family members of 49-year-old Earl Funk, missing in Shenandoah National Park since Sept. 29, are still hoping the lifelong woodsman will be found alive.
