Scotty's Castle, Death Valley

We always like to go to Scotty's Castle after a drive through Titus Canyon.  We start early as it takes awhile to go through the canyon.  It is nice to bring a picnic lunch along.  There is a nice grassy area to lay out a blanket and have a picnic at the castle.

Albert Mussey Johnson was the one who actually built this place as a vacation home.  His friend, Walter Scott, who was quite a story teller claimed the place to be his.  Hence the name "Scotty's Castle"

This is in the courtyard where the tour starts.

 This is the living room.  The rock wall at the end is not a fireplace but a humidifier.  Water runs down the rocks into a small pool where it is pumped back up to the top.  I was always fascinated by this as a kid and wanted to have one in my own house some day.  I still don't have one.

Guns were a necessary part of the old west.  There are even holes in the outer walls for shooting out of.

 These curtains are made of leather.  It is amazing that they have held up since the 1930's.  

This is the dining area

One of the bedrooms

The music room is the last part of the tour.

This was a swimming pool, oh my how I would have liked to see it in its glory, and swim in it.

"Moonlight anywhere is a delight.  But there's on moonlight in the world that can compare with the moonlight in Grapevine Canyon, our desert canyon, where the Castle Stands."
-quote by Mrs. Bessie Johnson from Death Valley Scotty by
Mabel ©1932

 

Death Valley Devil's Golf Course

The salt flats in Badwater basin cover nearly 200 square miles and they are the largest protected salt flats in the world.

Here is our daughter and my honey.  He did not look up.  There is a picture with him looking up but I like this one of Tricia better.

That little bitty white speck up on the mountain side shows where sea level is.  Badwater basin is 282 feet below sea level.  The lowest spot in the United States.  The Dead Sea in Jordan/Israel is the lowest in the world at 1360 feet below sea level.

This water actually has a bunch of critters swimming in it.

This is a close up of some of the salt crystals

Salt Creek, Death Valley

This is where you find the Salt Creek pupfish.  It is a really easy walk around.  You could even push a wheelchair.  It is also fascinating to see these little fish swimming around in the very salty water.  Whenever we go to Death Valley we take this little nature walk.

Here is my honey and our daughter.  We had a great time!

The water is just full of these little fish.

This is just a different view.

There are even places to sit along the walkway.  Nice to know if you like to take little breaks along the way, or need to take little breaks along the way.

These are some hills next to the pupfish area.  The minerals cause a lot of interesting formations.

Death Valley Marble Canyon

Marble canyon is a nice little hike, not too bad if you go slow.  It is 1 1/2 to 2 miles one way and there is a grade from the parking area so if your old and fat like me, or you hang out with an old man, you have to go slow.  It really is beautiful, the walls of the canyon are made of marble and on the day we went the clouds were also spectacular.  We did come to a part of the canyon where we would have to scramble up some rocks and it was just too much for my man.  He is cute but has a weak heart and is old.  The young chick next to him is our daughter.  She came out from Oklahoma to visit so we took her camping

If you went just a little further then you would be able to see the parking lot.

The Drive To Aguereberry Point, Death Valley

We like to do a lot of driving because we are kind of old and hiking is a bit too much for us.  I tried exercising and ended up in a walking cast for 3 months.  This is the drive to Aguerberry point.  Pete Aguereberry mine can be seen along the way.  You can actually go in the mine except in spring.  The bats are breeding in the spring so it is closed at that time.  It is a bit of a drive but worth it.  I have added a link to the National Park service if you want to learn more about Death Valley and Pete Aguereberry. http://www.nps.gov/deva/historyculture/pete-aguereberry.htm

I always take pictures of any signs so I remember where I was

The Eureka Mine

I love this picture of the old man.  He is a good husband.

This is looking down on the parking area.  They recommend high clearance vehicles for the last part of the drive.  Our daughter is in this also.

As you can see the view is just magnificent from here although don't expect to see the snow unless you get here in early spring and there has been precipitation.

Just another vantage point.