“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” – Psalm 23:4
Death Valley – A Place of Extremes
The hottest place on Earth. The lowest place in North America. The driest place America. The largest National Park in the lower 48 states… Death Valley is a place of extremes!
Lying in Southern California, Death Valley covers 3.3 million acres. Running form North to South, it is enclosed by the Panamint Range to the East and the Amargosa Range to the West. Its altitude varies greatly from place to place, ranging from 11 043 feet at Telescope Peak to -282 feet at the Badwater Basin.
A National Park since 1994, Death Valley is a must see location if you’re in Southern California, anytime of year. Deeply engraved in History, blessed with unique fauna and flora and shaped by millions of years of geological formations, there is something for everyone in Death Valley.
Ghost Towns and Great Expanses – A Photographer’s Dream.
Gold was discovered in California in 1948, attracting millions of settlers looking for a prosperous life. The Golden State had such an abundance in gold that Death Valley was overlooked for over 50 years due to its harsh climate, making operations difficult.
From 1883 to 1888, the first successful mining operation took place in Death Valley at the Harmony Borax Work. The mine was supplied by the “Twenty Mule Team” wagon, which consisted of 20 mules pulling two trailers full of borax and one trailer full of water over 10 days.
By the early 1900s, mines flourished over the entirety of Death Valley. However, many struggled through the financial crisis of 1907, and by 1915 most had closed. The creation of Death Valley National Monument then National Park ultimately ended all operations, creating hundreds of ghost towns.
For any one interested in American History, especially that of the Old West, these ghost towns are the ultimate example of the conditions braved by these men and women in search of a better life, and capturing that in picture can be extremely rewarding.
Two ghost towns marked me throughout my trip in Death Valley, both for their difficult but beautiful access roads and for their remains.
Inyo Mine:
The Inyo Mine was one of the biggest mining operations, and survived until the late 1940s.
Inyo Mine marked me for two reasons. The first is that there are clear remains of a prosperous town and extensive mining equipment. There is also one major mine shaft (which we never got to the end since there are so many intersecting shafts) higher up above the town near a large chute, as well as many smaller mines. The second reason I enjoyed this town is for its accessibility. The ride from Furnace Creek takes 45min to 1h off-road through flat planes, steep mountains, and an incredible canyon. Make sure to look up in the canyon for an arch called “Eye of the Needle.”
Safety: We had a (very) close encounter with a rattlesnake in one of the mines. It was hiding under a piece of corrugated iron and jumped out as I stepped on it.
Lost Burro Mine:
The Lost Burro Mine was created in 1907 when a prospect picked up a stone and threw it at a lost burro, discovering gold.
The mine is hard to access, about 20 to 30 min from Teakettle Junction into the hidden valley, which presents some incredible views and a steep canyon. The last 300m are through a rough road that may not be accessible by all vehicles.
The mine and town is incredibly well preserved, perhaps due to the accessibility, with a prospect’s cabin, a storage shed (for explosives), a small mine and a large refinery higher up above. The cabin and mine contain many ancient artifacts. Please leave them where they are for other people to enjoy, especially since there is an ancient curse on those who steel them.
There are many more ghost towns throughout Death Valley, and all are worth the visit.
A Ghost town For those who don’t Like the Adventure
The Keane Wonder mine is one of the most accessible ghost towns as it is directly next to the road. A short two minute walk will be you to the tramway, which impressively is still standing (the cables are visible on the picture on the right). The tramway and tramway terminal have been maintained by the Park for safety reasons. Additionally, a short hike along an unmaintained trail will bring you to the top of the tramway.
The access takes 30 min from Furnace Creek along a highway, and only the last couple hundred meters are on a well maintained dirt road.
Creative Ideas
Look for linear structures. Try to follow lines in the field of view of your images using old wooden structures (look at the picture on the right for an example). This will guide someone’s eye towards the old remains.
Shoot during Golden Hour or overcast days: these conditions often convey the gloominess of ghost towns and the feel that many people once thrived there. Sunsets in desert provide incredible pictures, and can be symbolic of the Old West (think of Lucky Luke riding away as the sun sets).
Capture the method of transport you used. Accessing these towns is difficult, but presenting this can be rewarding. If you came by car, take a picture of your (dirty) car in this setting. If you came by horse, do the same. If you came by foot, take a picture of you backpack.
Other Must Sees
The Northern parts of the park provide more open and wild spaces, but dirt roads are very well maintained. Here are a couple of spots to check out when off-roading.
The Racetrack and Moving Stones:
The Race track is a dry lake which can be accessed by a 45 min dirt road. The views from the playa are beautiful, and include an island, Joshua trees and steep mountains. It is so flat that one side is only 2 inches higher up than the other. The moving rocks are also found on it, which is a mysterious formation where rocks seem to “race” on the playa and leave tracks behind them.
Ubehebe crater:
The crater is one kilometer wide, and resulted after an eruption that created the whole mountain range. In fact, most of Death Valley was formed through these geologic formations. The Crater is well worth a stop, and it is possible to walk down to the Bottom.
Teakettle Junction:
This junction is one of strange desert traditions, which consists of leaving kettles on the signpost. While this may seem strange, the place is well worth a peek, since it is on the road to the Racetrack.
Safety Precautions
It is important to take safety seriously in Death Valley, so make sure to visit the National Park Service’s page on safety before you go (found by clicking below).
External links
Here are some useful websites which include a list of ghost towns in Death Valley.