Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park, park in southeastern California and southwestern Nevada, established as a national monument in 1933 and redesignated as a national park in 1994. The park, the largest in the contiguous United States, consists of the desert area known as Death Valley, the surrounding high mountains, as well as additional territory. The lowest point in the western hemisphere, 86 m (282 ft) below sea level, is in the park near Badwater. Despite an average annual rainfall of 50 mm (2 in), Death Valley is home to a large number of plants and animals. There are more than 900 species of plants here, including many varieties of wildflowers, creosote bushes, cacti, and mesquite. Animal life includes bighorn sheep, coyotes, bobcats, and wild burros, or donkeys. In the 19th century tamed burros were used to work Death Valley’s borax mines. In 1913 the temperature in Death Valley was 57°C (134°F), the hottest temperature ever recorded in the United States. Area, 1,364,763 hectares (3,372,402 acres).

Reviewed by: National Park Service