Death Valley Sailing Stone

Death Valley is the lowest, driest and hottest valley in the United States. It is the location of the lowest elevation in North America at 85.5 m (281 ft) below sea level. It holds the record highest temperature in Western hemisphere and world’s second highest…

Wikipedia

… and we are going in the hottest month of the year: August, average max of 46ºC and min of 29ºC. Let’s stay the night there, what a great idea! Remember that most RV rentals don’t insure you if you go through Death Valley. The actual hottest place in the world is El Azizia, Libya.

2008 marks the 75th anniversary of the National Park Service in Death Valley. For years people bring their tents and watch the glorious sunsets and the spectacular starry skies from the desert. There are many campgrounds, download the Visitor Guide (PDF) for more info and safety recomendations.

RV information:

• RV Hookups are available only at the concession-run Stovepipe Well RV Park and the privately owned Furnace Creek Ranch Resort and Panamint Springs Resort.
• On the rest of campgrounds: Only one RV per campsite. Generator hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

As in all National Parks, a $20 fee per vehicle has to be paid. Since we will be going at least to Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Yosemite, we can consider buying the National Parks Pass for $80 one year worth.

Things to do in Death Valley

• Dye. Of heat, dehydratation, rattlesnake byte…
• Break down the RV with no insurance.
• Camp and enjoy the beauty and loneliness of the desert at night. Stargaze.
• Watch desert wildlife: kangaroo rats, coyotes, sidewinder rattlesnakes, tarantula, scorpions, black widow spiders…
• Hike through the hottest spot in the world at that hour, see desert landscapes such as Devil’s Golf Course, Zabriskie Point, Racetrack Playa, Eureka Sand Dunes, Badwater, and many many more…
• Go to Scotty’s Castle ($11, lame IMAO)

Sources

• Wiktravel
• National Park Service

Nice video I found searching “Yosemite”. Changed your mind about sleeping there in a tent? Haha. Just bare in mind that there are snakes in the wild sometimes.

A young man was bitten in Yosemite National Park (California) by a rattlesnake. His arm seamed unrecoverable and his life on threat. After 20 months in hell and $700,000 in helicopters, hospitals and surgeries (13), the young man has regained 80% of the mobility of the arm.

Un joven fue mordido en el parque de Yosemite (California) por una serpiente de cascabel. El brazo parecía ser irrecuperable y su vida corría un gran riesgo. Tras 20 meses de infierno y después de desembolsar 700.000 dólares entre vuelos de helicópteros, hospitales y operaciones (13 en total), el joven ha podido recuperar un 80% de la movilidad en el brazo afectado.