The Explorer's Guide to Death Valley National Park, Third Edition

by T. Scott Bryan, Betty Tucker-Bryan

Overview

Originally published in 1995, soon after Death Valley National Park became the fifty-third park in the US park system, The Explorer's Guide to Death Valley National Park was the first complete guidebook available for this spectacular area.

Now in its third edition, this is still the only book that includes all aspects of the park. Much more than just a guidebook, it covers the park's cultural history, botany and zoology, hiking and biking opportunities, and more. Information is provided for all of Death Valley's visitors, from first-time travelers just learning about the area to those who are returning for in-depth explorations.

The book includes updated point-to-point logs for every road within and around the park, as well as more accurate maps than those in any other publication. With extensive input from National Park Service resource management, law enforcement, and interpretive personnel, as well as a thorough bibliography for suggested reading, The Explorer's Guide to Death Valley National Park, Third Edition is the most up-to-date, accurate, and comprehensive guide available for this national treasure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607323402
Publisher:	University Press of Colorado
Publication date:	01/15/2015
Edition description:	1
Pages:	496
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

T. Scott Bryan was a seasonal employee at Yellowstone National Park from 1970 through 1986. In addition to his studies in Yellowstone, he has been to geyser fields throughout the contiguous United States, Mexico, Japan, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Valley of Geysers on the Kamchatka Peninsula of Russia, leading the first-ever US study group there in 1991. Betty Tucker-Bryan is the founder of the Death Valley Hikers Association and has written numerous books and articles on the outdoors.

Table of Contents

List of Maps ix

List of Tables xi

Foreword to the First Edition Superintendent Edwin L. Rothfuss xiii

Acknowledgments xv

Introduction: An Introduction to Death Valley National Park and Vicinity 1

Part I Geological, Human, and Natural History

Chapter 1 Geologic History 9

Chapter 2 Native American Cultures 21

Chapter 3 Explorers, Prospectors, and Miners 27

Chapter 4 Tourism and the National Park 39

Chapter 5 Plantlife 47

Chapter 6 Wildlife 65

Part II The Death Valley Environment

Chapter 7 The Desert Environment: Climate, Precautions, and Regulations for Explorers of Death Valley 97

Part III Exploring Death Valley National Park by Foot and Bicycle

Chapter 8 Hiking and Backpacking in Death Valley 107

Chapter 9 Bicycling in Death Valley 123

Part IV Trip Route Road Logs

Chapter 10 An Introduction to the "Trip Route" Road Logs 131

Chapter 11 Southern Death Valley 143

Trip Route S-1 Jubilee Pass Road, Ash ford Junction to Shoshone 143

Trip Route S-2 Harry Wade Road, Ashford Junction to Harry Wade Monument 149

Trip Route S-3 State Highway 127 South, Shoshone to Harry Wade Road 160

Trip Route S-4 Ibex Valley Road, State Highway 127 to Harry Wade Road 164

Chapter 12 South-Central Death Valley 169

Trip Route SC-1 Badwater Road, Furnace Creek to Badwater 169

Trip Route SC-2 East Side Road, Badwater to Ashford Junction 178

Trip Route SC-3 West Side Road 181

Chapter 13 Eastern Areas and Amargosa Valley 201

Trip Route E-1 State Highway 190 East, Furnace Creek to Death Valley Junction 201

Trip Route E-2 Dante's View Road, State Highway 190 to Dante's View 214

Trip Route E-3 Greenwater Valley Road 217

Trip Route E-4 Death Valley Junction to Devil's Hole 225

Trip Route E-5 State Highway 127, Death Valley Junction to Shoshone 227

Trip Route E-6 Lee Ghost Town 229

Trip Route E-7 Indian Pass Road 231

Chapter 14 North-Central Death Valley 235

Trip Route NC-1 State Highway 190 Central, Furnace Creek to Stovepipe Wells Village 235

Trip Route NC-2 Beatty Cutoff Road 245

Trip Route NC-3 Mud Canyon Road and Daylight Pass Road 249

Trip Route NC-4 Monarch Canyon Road and Chloride Cliff Road 254

Trip Route NC-5 Titus Canyon Road 257

Chapter 15 Western Areas, including the "Wildrose Country" 263

Trip Route W-1 Cottonwood Canyon Road 263

Trip Route W-2 State Highway 190 West, Stovepipe Wells Village to Darwin Road 266

Trip Route W-3 Emigrant Canyon Road and Wildrose Roads 271

Chapter 16 Panamint Valley Areas 287

Trip Route PV-1 Panamint Valley Road and Trona-Wildrose Road 287

Trip Route PV-2 Indian Ranch Road 292

Trip Route PV-3 Wingate Road and Goler Wash Road 295

Chapter 17 Northern Death Valley 303

Trip Route N-1 Scotty's Castle Road, Sand Dunes Junction to Scotty's Castle 303

Trip Route N-2 Bonnie Claire Road, Scotty's Castle to U.S. Highway 95 311

Chapter 18 Big Pine Road and Eureka Valley 313

Trip Route BP-1 Big Pine Road, Ubehebe Crater Road to Big Pine 313

Trip Route PB-2 South Eureka Road to Eureka Sand Dunes 322

Chapter 19 Racetrack Valley and Hunter Mountain 325

Trip Route RH-1 Racetrack Valley Road and Hunter Mountain Road, Ubehebe Crater to State Highway 190 325

Chapter 20 Saline Valley Road, including Lee Flat 345

Trip Route SV-1 Saline Valley Road 345

Chapter 21 Nevada Triangle 365

Trip Route NT-1 Phinney Canyon Road and Strozzi Ranch Road 365

Trip Route NT-2 McDonald Spring Road 370

Trip Route NT-3 Mud Summit Road 373

Appendixes

A Ghost Towns and Mining Camps 377

B Railroads of Death Valley 401

C Visitor Services and Activities 415

Suggested Reading 433

About the Authors 437

Index 439

Death Valley Wilderness and Backcountry Stewardship Plan of 2013 455

Editorial Reviews

"Everything one needs to know (but was afraid to ask) about Death Valley is included in this book: history, culture, geology, flora, fauna, and climate are more than adequately explained; visitor uses such as bicycling, hiking, backpacking, exploration, recreation, and educational needs are identified; and trip routes and road logs are included in minute detail for the reader. This excellent book is for the traveler to Death Valley, the frequent visitor to national parks, and the general reader interested in the rich and diverse heritage of the United States."
—Colonial Latin American Historical Review

"The Explorer's Guide to Death Valley National Park is the first complete guide to cover the entire park region, from the habitats and lifestyles of wildlife in the area to backpacking trips, short day walks and full-length hikes. From warnings of dangers to local attractions, this covers much ground."
—Midwest Book Review
 

"This is a very complete, useful, and well-organized guidebook for the park visitor. This book is highly recommended."
—American Reference Books Annual

From the Publisher