top of page

Death Valley

Death Valley is a valley in the Mojave Desert located in California and included in Death Valley National Park. It is an endorheic rift with an elongated shape and oriented north-south
endorheic rift: An endorheic ecosystem qualifies a body of water, a basin, a lake, a lagoon, which has no direct relationship with the sea and which is therefore only a place of evaporation. A region is endorheic when the flow of water to the sea is low.
Questions answers
Why the name Death Valley?
It was called Death Valley by prospectors and others who sought to cross the valley on their way to the gold fields. Trapped for several months in a dry valley almost devoid of any animal or plant life, they gave it the name "Death Valley".
What animals live in Death Valley?
How to get to Death Valley?
Access to Death Valley is via roads: 190 from the West, if you come from Yosemite National Park in particular. 190 from the South, coming from Las Vegas.
Why is it hot in Death Valley?
Death Valley is a place of passage and rest for many migratory birds in the spring: black-necked grebes, swallows, ibis and mallards can be observed. The resident birds are the greater roadrunner, the vulture, the eagle and the sparrowhawk.
One of the reasons why Death Valley is so hot is because the altitude is 86m below sea level, but mostly because it is surrounded by mountain ranges. The temperature record was 54.4°C.
bottom of page
