While other parts of the U.S. are still shoveling snow off their sidewalks this spring, April will bring triple-digit temperatures to the largest national park in the continental U.S.: Death Valley. With a name like Death Valley, you might wonder why anyone would dare trek into this 120-mile stretch known for its barren expanses and extreme weather. Here, less than two inches of annual rain create a national park filled with vast sand dunes, salt flats and mountains seemingly devoid of life, but Death Valley is also a beautiful example of nature’s extremes. As North America’s driest, hottest and lowest place, Death Valley has an eerily beautiful desert landscape you won’t find anywhere else.
(Main image: Paxson Woelber)
