Death Valley National Park

The US has got some 64 designated national parks. These parks are home to more than 60% of the nation's endangered species, and represent some of the best remaining habitat for the country's wildlife heritage. They are also seen as "touchstones of shared history and culture." Visitors can opt for fragile coral reefs to complex wetlands while some of the most fascinating national parks are found underwater.

Death Valley National Park is a land of extremes and subtle beauties. Morning light creeping across the eroded badlands of Zabriskie Point to strike Manly Beacon, the setting sun and lengthening shadows on the Sand Dunes at Stovepipe Wells, and the colors of myriad wildflowers on the golden hills above Harmony Borax on a warm spring day, are some best sights of the universe. It is one of the hottest places on Earth with summer temperatures averaging well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. At 282 feet below the level of the sea, it is the driest place in the US with an average rainfall of only 1.96 inches a year.

The Park is located east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Inyo County, California, with a small extension and exclave (Devil's Hole) in Nevada. The park covers 5,219 mi² (13,518 km²), encompassing Saline Valley, a large part of Panamint Valley, almost all of Death Valley, and parts of several mountain ranges.

It is also home to many species of plants and animals that have adapted to this harsh desert environment. Some examples include Creosote Bush, Bighorn Sheep, Coyote, and the Death Valley Pupfish. Within the park there are two major valleys: Death Valley and Panamint Valley.