Death Valley National Park has more than 3.3 million acres of spectacular desert scenery, interesting and rare wildlife, complex geology, undisturbed wilderness, and sites of historical and cultural interest. Bounded on the west by 11,049-foot-high Telescope Peak and on the east by the 5,475-foot-high Dante's View, Bawdier is the lowest point (-282 feet) in the Western Hemisphere.

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General Information

Visitation

Approximately 1 million people visit Death Valley National Park annually. Visitation is highest from February through mid-April. November is also busy. December and January are the least crowded months.

Location, Address, and Phone

Death Valley National Park
P.O. Box 579
Death Valley, CA 92328
(760) 786-2331 Voice

Climate and Recommended Clothing

Death Valley is generally sunny, dry, and clear throughout the year. The winters are mild with occasional winter storms, but summers are extremely hot and dry. Summer high temperatures commonly run above 120¡F. Comfortable, sun-shielding clothing and a broad brimmed hat are recommended in summer. Winter requires warmer clothing and light to medium jackets. Sturdy walking shoes are important year-round.

Directions

The park is transected from east to west by California Highway 190. On the east in Nevada, Highway 95 parallels the park from north to south with connecting highways at Scotty's Junction (State Route 267), Beatty (State Route 374), and Lathrop Wells (State Route 373). South of the park, Interstate 15 passes through Baker, California, on its way from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. State Route 127 travels north from Baker to Shoshone (State Route 178) and Death Valley Junction (Highway 190). West of the park, State Route 178 passes through Ridgecrest and Trona on its way north to a junction with 190. Also to the west, Highway 395 parallels the park from north to south with connections to Highway 190 at Olancha and Lone Pine.

Transportation

Major airlines and bus lines serve Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a 2.5-hour drive from Las Vegas by automobile. A four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended for backcountry travel. Check at the park visitor center or with a park ranger for current backcountry road conditions.

Fees & Rates

A $10.00 Vehicle Entrance Fee is valid for seven days. Campground Fees range from $10.00 to $16.00 per night.

Golden Eagle Passport

The Golden Eagle Passport is an entrance pass to any national park, monument, historical site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee. It is a great convenience for those who plan on visiting several different areas that charge special fees. It is valid for one year from the purchase date. A Golden Eagle Passport may be purchased for $50 at any National Park Service entrance fee area or by mail. To order by mail, send check or money order (no cash, please) to:

National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Room 138
Washington, DC 20242
Attention: Golden Eagle Passport

Where entry is by private vehicle, the Golden Eagle Passport will admit the passholder as well as any passengers. Where entry by private vehicle is not possible, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Eagle Passport will not reduce use fees, such as those for camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or cave tours. It covers entrance fees only.

Golden Age Passport

The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime entrance pass for those United States residents 62 years or older. These may be purchased at any National Park Service entrance fee area for a one-time processing fee of $10. The Golden Age Passport cannot be purchased by mail or telephone. Proof of age and citizenship or permanent residence must be shown at the time of purchase.

The Golden Age Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. When entrance is not via private vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder as well as children, spouse, and parents.

The Golden Age Pass grants a 50 percent discount to the holder on any federal use fees charged for things such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or tours. It does not, however, reduce the price of special recreation permit fees or fees for concessions.

Golden Access Passport

The Golden Access Passport is a free entrance pass to any national park, monument, historic site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge for those who are blind or permanently disabled. The Golden Access passport may be obtained at any National Park Service entrance fee area. Proof of a medically determined disability and eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law is necessary at purchase.

The Golden Access Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. Where entrance is not by vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Access Passport also provides a 50 percent discount on any federal use fees charged for services and facilities. It does not cover special recreation permit fees or fees charged for concessions.

All passes described above are non-transferable.

Visitor Centers & Exhibits

Located in the center of the park, the Furnace Creek Visitor Center houses museum exhibits a visitor information desk, and the Death Valley Natural History Association bookstore. The Furnace Creek Visitor Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

There is a contact and fee collection station at Stovepipe Wells Village with a Natural History Association book sales outlet.

The tour ticket office at Scotty's Castle also has a book sales outlet and a small museum with displays from the Castle collection.

Roads & Trails

California Highway 190, the Badwater Road, the Scotty's Castle Road, and paved roads to Dante's View and Wildrose provide access to major scenic viewpoints and historic points of interest. More than 350 miles of unpaved and four-wheel drive roads provide access to wilderness hiking, camping, scenery, and historical sites.

There are hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulties, but most backcountry areas are accessible only by cross-country hiking. There is thousands of hiking possibilities.

Ranger Programs

During the peak season, November through April, ranger guided hikes, talks, and evening programs are presented. Pick up a weekly schedule of programs at the visitor center.

Costumed living history tours of Scotty's Castle are available every day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tours are limited to a maximum of 19 people per tour. Tickets are available on the day of the tour on a first-come first-served basis at the Castle ticket office. The tour is $8.00 per adult. Golden Age Card and childrens discounts apply.

Lodging

The Furnace Creek Inn (760) 786-2361 and the Furnace Creek Ranch (760) 786-2345 provide motel accommodations in the Furnace Creek area.

The Stovepipe Wells Village provides motel accommodations and limited recreational vehicle camping facilities. (760) 786-2387.

The Panamint Springs Resort offers resort accommodations and camping. (702) 482-7680 Voice,

(702) 482-7682 FAX

Camping

The Furnace Creek Campground (open all year) is now on a first-come first-served basis. ($16.00 per night)

Texas Springs and Sunset campgrounds (October through April) in the Furnace Creek areas are both first-come first-served with self-registration. ($10.00 per night)

The Stovepipe Wells campground (October through April) is also first-come first-served as is the Mesquite Springs campground (open all year) at the north end of the park near Scotty's Castle. Both campgrounds are $10.00 per night.

Food & Supplies

The Furnace Creek Ranch and the Stovepipe Wells Village both provide small camper stores with staple goods and limited supplies.

Other Concessions

The Fred Harvey Company, out of the Furnace Creek Ranch, offers seasonal horseback riding, and bus tours to Scotty's Castle and other points of interest.

Recommended Activities

Sightseeing by car and 4-wheel drive vehicle (established roadways only), hiking, biking and mountain biking (established roadways only), and camping. View Desert blooms. Join a ranger (November through April) for a talk, walk, guided hike, or evening program. Enjoy a living history costumed tour of the historic Scotty's Castle.

Reservations

Reservations for special tours or guides for groups are available if staff is available. Make requests as far in advance as possible by telephone or in writing.

To make reservations at Death Valley National Park campgrounds call (800) 365-2267.

Organized tour groups may make reservations for Scotty's Castle tours. Call (760) 786-2392 for more information.

Basic Visit

The basic road tour of scenic sights in the Furnace Creek area takes one full day. The tour of Scotty's Castle requires a half-day.

Special Events

The Death Valley 49er's annual encampment takes place the second weekend in November. The encampment draws thousands of campers to programs, sing-alongs, art shows, square dances, and backcountry tours.

Park Conditions

Current information on weather, construction, road closures, and other conditions impacting visitors is available at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center.

Nearby Attractions

Amargosa Opera House: Each week during the winter, Marta Becket dances two different programs of original Ballet-Mimes. Call (760) 852-4441 for program dates and times.

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge: The 12,736 acre spring-fed wetland and alkaline desert provides habitat for at least 26 types of plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Four endemic fishes are currently listed as endangered.

Manzanar National Historic Site: Manzanar Relocation Center was one of ten camps at which Japanese-American citizens and Japanese aliens were interned during World War II.

Maturango Museum: The Maturango Museum specializes in the cultural and natural history of the northern Mojave Desert.

Mojave National Preserve: The 1.4 million-acre Mojave National Preserve is the geological, ecological, cultural, historical, recreational, and scenic heart of the Mojave Desert.

Rhyolite Ghost Town: Rhyolite was the largest town in the Death Valley area during the mining boom of the early 1900s. Included among the ruins are a house built completely of bottles, a train depot, jail, two-story schoolhouse, and the ruins of a three-story bank building.

Additional Backcountry Hiking

Check with a park ranger at the visitor center or at a ranger station to fill out a voluntary Backcountry Camping Permit before departing on trips. Solo hikers may also fill out a Solo Hiker Form if they wish to arrange a safety check-in. At the very least, let someone know where you are going and your estimated time of return.

Hiking at low elevations during the summer is not recommended. In temperatures over 90¡F, hiking can be especially hazardous. Always carry water, even in the winter. During hot spring, summer or fall months one gallon of water per person per day is the minimum you should carry.

Avoid hiking in canyons during heavy rains because of potential flash flood danger. Do not remove any natural or cultural features from the park.

Many of the springs in Death Valley are either dry or have been contaminated by burros, so do not rely on them. Do not camp in drainages or washes. Camp at least two miles from a maintained road and 200 yards from water sources.

Only Telescope & Wildrose Peaks have maintained hiking trails. These are the only hikes recommended in summer due to the extreme heat at lower elevations. The rest of the suggested overnight hikes are cross-country routes. Mileage can be deceiving, so allow plenty of time for these trips. Topographic maps are available at the Visitor Center.

Hikes

Indian Pass

Moderately strenuous with an elevation gain of 3,000 feet.

Start 6.5 miles north of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center (near mile marker 104). Follow the wash bearing left (north), stay in the drainage nearest the ridge, and head for the low pass in the mountains. It is 8 miles one way. The climb to the top of the pass is difficult and extremely steep. Springs and bighorn sheep may be seen in the four-mile stretch of canyon. No camping at springs.

Use the 7.5-minute topo map, Nevares Peak.

Daylight Pass to Titus Canyon Road

Moderately strenuous with an elevation change of 400 feet.

Hike northwest from Daylight Pass 4.5 miles to Titus Canyon road. There are two desert springs along route. Route finding may be difficult, so carry a detailed map.

No camping at springs.

Use the 7.5-minute topo map, Daylight Pass.

Titanothere Canyon

Moderately strenuous with an elevation change of 4,700 feet.

Start 11 miles down the Titus Canyon Road. There are 2 forks of this wide canyon, just make sure you park so that you are not blocking the road. Hike down the wash 12 miles to the Scotty's Castle Road. There are springs, fascinating geologic formations and spectacular views of Death Valley. It helps if you have a 2 car shuttle system so you can walk down the canyon. Another option is to walk 4.5 miles to Lost Man Spring and return the same way.

No camping at springs.

Use the 7.5-minute topo map, Thimble Peak.

Fall Canyon

Moderately strenuous with an elevation gain of 1,400 feet.

Start at Titus Canyon parking lot (west side of canyon). Walk 0.5 mile north to a large wash. The wash leads into a canyon with high, narrow walls, similar to Titus. Two and a half miles in, you dead-end at a dry waterfall, which requires climbing skills to pass on the south side. Beyond this point the way is open for another four or five miles.

Use the 7.5-minute topo map, Fall Canyon.

Bighorn Gorge

Strenuous with an elevation change of 5,000 feet.

From White Top Mountain it is 8 miles to Mesquite Springs Campground; 5 miles of it are through the gorge. There is an 80-foot dry fall in Bighorn Gorge, so scrambling around the north side of the fall is required.

Use the 7.5-minute topo maps, Tin Mountain and White Top Mountain.

Cottonwood to Marble Canyon Loop

Strenuous with an elevation gain of 3,000 feet.

Begin this 26-mile loop at the end of the Cottonwood Canyon road -- 4x4 high clearance. Follow the Cottonwood drainage up for six miles then hike northeast, crossing Dead Horse Canyon and bearing northwest into Marble Canyon. There is no trail past upper Cottonwood Spring. Follow Marble Canyon down for 8.5 miles to the junction with Cottonwood Canyon, and then up another 8.5 miles to your starting point. There is a flash flood danger on this trail.

No camping at water sources.

Use the 7.5-minute topo maps, East of Sand Flat, Cottonwood Canyon, and Harris Hill.

Jayhawker Canyon

Moderately strenuous with an elevation gain of 2,600 feet.

Start at the 3,000 feet elevation sign on Highway 190, 2.3 miles past Emigrant Junction. Walk the 1850 route of '49er pioneers. Some of them signed their names on a large boulder 2 miles in. It's five miles one way.

Use the 7.5 minute topo map, Emigrant Canyon.

Hanaupah Canyon

Moderately strenuous with an elevation gain of 2,200 feet

From West Side Road drive 5 miles up Hanaupah Canyon (need high clearance) and park before road drops into wash. From here the road becomes rough and continues another 4.5 miles up the south fork. Walk or drive (4x4) up the road 1.5 miles to where the canyon splits. From here you can hike at least 3 miles up the middle fork, or continue up the south fork another 3 miles to roads end and another 1.5 miles (climbs steeply) on closed roads.

Use the 7.5-minute topo maps, Telescope Peak and Hanaupah Canyon.

Hungry Bill's Ranch

Moderately strenuous with an elevation gain of 1,100 feet.

From the West Side Road drive 10.5 miles up Johnson Canyon (4x4 high clearance) to roads end. Hike 1.5 miles following the creek drainage to the old ranch site. The old trail is washed out in places and may be difficult to follow. Youll see ruins and an old orchard. It is possible to continue another 3 miles (no trail) and 3,000 feet to Panamint Pass for spectacular views.

Use the 7.5-minute topo maps, Panamint and Galena Canyon.

Virgin Springs Canyon

Moderately strenuous with an elevation gain of 2,000 feet.

Start 0.5 mile west of Jubilee Pass. Drive or walk 1 mile up a 4 x 4 road. From here it is a 3-mile walk to a large stone structure, which is old miners housing. The springs may be dry. Follow the old road into Greenwater Valley for the longer hike. Its approximately 9 miles one way.

Use the 7.5minute topo map, Epaulet Peak.

Adventurous Hikes--No trails. Rock scrambling...you're on your own!

Death Valley Buttes

Length: 1.8 mile, one-way.

Starting Point: Hells Gate parking area, 22 miles northeast of Furnace Creek.

Description: Short but strenuous scramble to the two prominent hills at the foot of the Grapevine Mountains. From Hell's Gate, walk southwest 0.5 mile toward the buttes. Scramble south up the ridge to the first of the buttes. You made it! Now you can decide whether you want to attempt #2. It's more difficult. Descend carefully down the ridge 300 feet, then climb the narrow ridge to butte #2. Extreme care should be used when climbing the buttes. Ridges are narrow and exposed with steep drop-offs. Windy days make this effect quite dramatic. The views are among the best in Death Valley.

Fall Canyon

Length: 3.5 miles, one-way.

Starting Point: Titus Canyon Mouth parking area, 3 miles off Scotty's Castle road on graded dirt road.

Description: Deep and spectacular canyon north of Titus Canyon. Walk 0.5 mile north along base of mountains to a large wash, then 2.5 miles up canyon to a 35-foot dryfall. Using caution, you can climb around the falls on the south side, where you'll see some of the most beautiful narrows in Death Valley. You can follow the canyon up another 4 or 5 miles.

Red Wall Canyon

Length: 3 miles, one-way.

Starting Point: Scotty's Castle Road, 3.8 miles north of Titus Canyon road exit.

Description: Colorful (red) narrow mountain canyon. From the road, hike 2 miles up the alluvial fan to mouth of canyon (watch for meeting of red and black rock to locate canyon). Rock climbing skills are needed to continue beyond a dry waterfall 1 mile up the canyon.

Little Bridge Canyon

Length: 3 miles, one-way.

Starting Point: 3 miles east of Stovepipe Wells Village, Highway 190. Park along side of road (first major canyon east of Grotto Canyon).

Description: Ascend an alluvial fan 2 miles south of road to canyon mouth. The canyon is very wide at first before narrowing. A small arch appears on the right 0.5 mile into the canyon and a 20-ft. high natural bridge spans the east side of the canyon 0.5 mile further on. White quartzite canyon walls and interesting side canyons to explore. Canyon narrows further up from bridge.

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History

Native Americans

The Panamint Shoshone Indians lived here for centuries before the first European entered the valley. They hunted and traveled in family units following seasonal migrations for harvesting of pinion pine nuts and mesquite beans. To the Shoshone, the land provided everything they needed and many areas were, and still are, considered sacred places by their descendents, the Timibisha Shoshone, living in the valley today. Visit the Shoshone museum in Shoshone, California, to view the exhibits on the Shoshone and Paiute tribes and other rich historical exhibits on the Death Valley area.

Ghost Town History

Rhyolite Ghost Town was called the Queen City of Death Valley and at one time boasted a population of 10,000 people. Shorty Harris and E. L. Cross, who were prospecting in the area in 1904 brought about her birth. They found quartz all over a hill, and as Shorty describes it "... the quartz was just full of free gold... it was the original bullfrog rock... this banner is a crackerjack" declared Shorty! "The district is going to be the banner camp of Nevada. I say so once and I'll say it again." At that time there was only one other person in the whole area: Old Man Beatty who lived in a ranch with his family five miles away. Soon the rush was on and several camps were set up including Bullfrog, Amargosa and a settlement between them called Jumpertown. A town site was laid out nearby and given the name Rhyolite from the silica-rich volcanic rock in the area.

There were more than 2,000 claims covering everything within a 30-mile area of the Bullfrog district. The most promising was the Montgomery Shoshone mine, which prompted everyone to move to the Rhyolite townsite. The town immediately boomed with buildings springing up everywhere. One building was 3 stories tall and cost $90,000 to build. A stock exchange and Board of Trade were formed. The red light district drew women from as far away as San Francisco. There were hotels, stores, a school for 250 children, an ice plant, two electric plants, foundries and machine shops and even a miners union hospital.

The town citizens had an active social life, which included baseball games, dances, basket socials, whist parties, tennis, a symphony, Sunday school picnics, basketball games, Saturday night variety shows at the opera house and pool tournaments. In 1906 Countess Morajeski opened the Alaska Glacier Ice Cream Parlor to the delight of the local citizenry. That same year an enterprising miner, Tom T. Kelly, built a Bottle House out of 50,000 beer and liquor bottles.

In April 1907, electricity came to Rhyolite, and by August of that year a mill had been constructed at the Montgomery Shoshone mine to handle 300 tons of ore a day. It consisted of a crusher, three giant rollers, more than a dozen cyanide tanks and a reduction furnace. The Montgomery Shoshone mine had become nationally known because Bob Montgomery once boasted he could take $10,000 a day in ore from the mine. Charles Schwab purchased it in 1906 for a reported 2 to 6 million dollars.

The financial panic of 1907 took its toll on Rhyolite and was seen as the beginning of the end for the town. In the next few years mines started closing and banks failed. Newspapers went out of business, and by 1910 the production at the mill had slowed to $246,661 and there were only 611 residents in the town. On March 14, 1911, the directors voted to close down the Montgomery Shoshone mine and mill. In 1916 the light and power were finally turned off in the town.

Today you can find several remnants of Rhyolites glory days. Some of the walls of the three-story bank building are still standing, as is part of the old jail. The train depot (privately owned) is one of the few complete buildings left in the town, as is the Bottle House. The Bottle House was restored by Paramount pictures in January 1925. The ghost town of Rhyolite is on a mixture of federal and private land. It is not within the boundary of Death Valley National Park.

Rhyolite is 35 miles from the Furnace Creek Visitor Center on the way to Beatty, Nevada. A paved road heading north (left) from Highway 374 will take you to the heart of the town.

Mining

Since the 1848 discovery of gold in California, Death Valley has experienced more than 140 years of boom and bust mining. From the 1880s to early 1900s mining was limited and sporadic in the Death Valley region. Many of these early mining districts met with a notable lack of success. Contributing factors were primitive and inefficient technological methods, scarcity of water and fuel, and absence of nearby transportation facilities. The lack of efficient transportation made it economically impossible to mine any but the highest-grade ores.

One of the most well known but short-lived mines was the Harmony Borax Works, which was active from 1883-1888. This mine was made famous not for its ore deposits, but by the 20 mule team wagons and the ad campaigns for the Death Valley Days radio and television programs.

With renewed interest in gold and silver mining in the early 1900s, mines such as Skidoo, Rhyolite, and Keane Wonder became large-scale operations. The boomtowns, which sprang up around these mines, flourished during the first decade of the 20th century, but slowed down after the panic of 1907. In addition to gold and silver, prospectors scoured the valley for antimony, copper, lead, zinc, and tungsten. Prosperous large-scale metallic mining in Death Valley ended around 1915.

On February 11, 1933, President Herbert Hoover signed the proclamation creating Death Valley National Monument. This action resulted in a temporary closure of the new National Monument lands to mining exploration. However, by prior agreement Death Valley was quickly reopened to mining exploration by congressional action in June of 1933.

Mining, however, did not end in Death Valley. During World War II, the talc industry developed and remained active until recent markets made mining unprofitable. These mining claims were bought in 1989 by the Conservation Foundation and donated to the National Park Service in 1992.

In 1976, congress passed the Mining in the Parks Act which closed Death Valley National Monument to the filing of new mining claims, banned open-pit mining, and required the National Park Service to examine the validity of more than 50,000 pre-1976 mining claims. Mining was allowed to resume in 1980 on the 2,000 claims which were determined to be valid with the additional requirement that a plan of operations be filed for each proposed mine.

In October of 1994 Death Valley was enlarged and re-designated a National Park. This action added nearly 1.3 million acres to the park. In recent years mining has continued on a sporadic basis. The Billie Mine, reopened in 1991 to mine borax, is currently the only operating mine in Death Valley National Park. The parks resource management division monitors mining within park boundaries. It continues to review the status of the remaining 146 active mining claims in the old National Monument lands. The park will also begin a review to determine the validity of the many mining claims on the additional lands, while insuring that federal guidelines are followed and Death Valley's resources are being protected.

History of Scotty's Castle

Some say that Death Valley Scotty paid for the Castle with gold from his secret mine. Others say his partner, Chicago millionaire Albert Johnson, built it. Whose castle was it really? Perhaps you can decide while strolling through the grounds, or maybe while joining a park ranger on a 1939 living history tour of the mansion.

Regardless of the source of his income, Death Valley Scotty certainly remains Death Valley's greatest legend for his flamboyant and outrageous character. Born Walter Scott in 1872, he ran away as a young boy from his home in Kentucky to join his brother on a ranch in Nevada. He worked numerous jobs in the area, including a few in Death Valley.

In 1890, a talent scout for Buffalo Bill Cody discovered Scotty and hired him to work as a cowboy with the Wild West show. After traveling the world with the Wild West for 12 years, Scotty began a new profession that brought him even more fame and riches - gold prospecting. He convinced several wealthy businessmen that he had claim to a gold mine worth a fortune in Death Valley. Scotty agreed to split the profits, provided they first offer enough money to extract the ore.

Scotty apparently had little luck while prospecting in Death Valley over the next few years. However, the desert dweller often turned up at the finest hotels and saloons of California and Nevada, and began his now legendary spending sprees.

Scotty's most steadfast investor was Chicago insurance magnate Albert Johnson. The two men struck quite a contrast to one another when they met soon after the turn of the century. Mr. Johnson was a well-respected and religious man, whereas Scotty was a rowdy and shady character.

Convinced to invest in the mine, Mr. Johnson gave thousands of dollars to Scotty over the next several years. Unfortunately, at least according to Scotty, a number of calamities prevented delivery of the gold. Undaunted, Mr. Johnson finally decided to take a look at the gold mine on a personal tour of Death Valley.

Scotty remained cool. Using his Grapevine Canyon home as base camp, Scotty took Mr. Johnson on a grueling trek by horseback through Death Valley. He figured a few days in the desert would be too much for Johnson, whose health had suffered following a near-fatal train wreck in his youth.

Surprisingly, Johnson loved Death Valley so much that he stayed nearly a month and his health improved dramatically in the dry, sunny climate.

Although he never saw Scotty's mine, Mr. Johnson did not seem to mind. He had found riches in the desert far greater than ones that glittered. Besides, he had taken a liking to the eccentric desert rat. The two men began a lifelong friendship that would change the history of Death Valley forever.

Over the next 10 winters, Albert Johnson often returned to Death Valley. His wife, the former Bessie Penniman, began to accompany him and Scotty on their desert expeditions. Mrs. Johnson suggested that they build something more comfortable for their vacations, an idea that lead to the construction of the Death Valley Ranch in the late 1920s. Recognizing a good story, Scotty told everyone that he was building a two million-dollar home with profits from his gold mine. When questioned by the droves of reporters, Mr. Johnson actually agreed that Scotty owned the place, and passed himself off as Scotty's banker.

Toward the end of the Great Depression, the Johnsons retired to Hollywood and often visited the Castle, which had become a popular hotel and tourist attraction due to the fame of Death Valley Scotty. Thousands of tourists, along with reporters from around the country, flocked to the Castle each year to see what they thought to be the dwelling of one of the world's richest gold miners.

The Johnsons died in the 1940s, and having no heirs, willed the Castle to a charitable organization called the Gospel Foundation. The Foundation continued to run the Castle hotel and tours, and also took care of Scotty, who lived in the Castle the last two years of his life. He died in 1954, and was laid to rest on a hill overlooking the famous home that bears his name.

In 1970, the Gospel Foundation sold the estate to the National Park Service, whose job is to protect and preserve the Castle for present and future generations. Perhaps Death Valley Scotty had that in mind when he proclaimed, "The Hall of Fame is going up. We're building a Castle that will last at least a thousand years. As long as there's men on earth, likely, these walls will stand here."

The Forty Niners

In 1849, gold was discovered at Sutters Mill in California and a rush began into the state. It is estimated that 85,000 people came to California looking for gold at that time. One group set out from Salt Lake City, Utah in over 100 wagons under the leadership of Captain Jefferson Hunt. These families and bands of bachelors came from the South and Midwest. One small group of men came from Germany. As the party progressed along the trail, someone produced a shortcut map and dissension mounted. Captain Hunt refused to follow the shortcut because he wasnt familiar with the route. All but 7 wagons broke away to follow the map. About 75 wagons later rejoined Captain Hunt, but the rest of the party continued on.

Eventually they realized the map was wrong, and they found themselves in uncharted territory. Indians watched silently as these strangers invaded their land. The emigrants came here in November and as they traveled along, they split up. The young bachelors went one way and discouraged families from following them, thinking they would slow them down. But the Reverend Brier, his wife, Julia and their three children aged eight, six and four years, insisted on following the young men. For three months they wandered through Death Valley. At one point they went for 48 hours without anything to drink. Perilously close to starving to death, they had to slay their oxen and leave their wagons behind. By the time they left Death Valley, the Briers' oldest son was the weight of a 3-year old.

Another lost party, the Bennett, Arcane and Wade families had taken a different route. The Wade family, travelling behind the others, was the only one to find their way out of Death Valley with their wagons intact. The Bennett and Arcane families felt they could not go on after suffering terrible hardships. Two young bachelors travelling with them, William Manley and John Rogers walked out of Death Valley and brought supplies to rescue the others. Legend has it that one member of the party turned back and said "good-bye Death Valley". In truth, only one man in the entire group of lost forty-niners perished within the modern day boundaries of Death Valley. However, the ominous name stuck. Reporters began telling gruesome stories about the place. It was said that beasts conjured up by Satan ruled the area and a poison gas would kill anyone who ventured into the barren terrain.

As gold, silver, borax and other minerals were discovered in Death Valley, the stories lost their ability to keep people away. Ironically, almost all of the men who had been lost in Death Valley in 1849 came back to the area looking for the gold and silver potential they had seen here during their ordeal.

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Reservation Information

Reservations for special tours or guides for groups can be arranged if staff is available. Make requests as far in advance as possible by telephone or in writing to:

Death Valley National Park
P.O. Box 579
Death Valley, CA 92328
(760) 786-2331 Voice

To make reservations at Death Valley National Park campgrounds call (800) 365-2267.

Organized tour groups may make reservations for Scotty's Castle tours. Call (760) 786-2392 for further information.

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