Death Valley National Park

As part of our Vegas survival strategy, we continued to get out of the city and visited the nearest national park, Death Valley.  The name for Death Valley originated from settlers crossing through the valley, and unfortunately, some people died, and the name stuck.

Now, don't be thinking this is a scary place.  It is, however, a land of extremes - the highest temperature on record was 134 degrees in 1913 at Furnace Creek, the lowest point in the park is 282 feet below sea level, and it also rises to snow-capped mountains.  In a typical year, the park gets less than two inches of rain.  All I can say is that this place is super cool and I want to go back!

Scotty's Castle

We opted to start in the north part of the park, which is about a three hour drive from Las Vegas.  We made reservations online (very handy) for Scotty's Castle through www.recreation.gov for the tour beginning at 11:20am.  The tour costs $11 for adults and is well worth it.  The guides are National Park Service staff and are dressed up to the era of the 1930s when the "castle" was built.  If you do not purchase tickets ahead of time, no worries.  You can buy them at the NPS visitor center on site.

A tree on the grounds of Scotty's Castle

Our tickets and Scotty's Castle

The courtyard between the two sides

The original name of the property

The creator, Walter "Scotty" Scott, and the funder, Albert Johnson

Scotty's Bed - He would claim you could hear the clanging of the gold mine workers underneath.  Really?

The Great Room

The Library - it became the dining room

Ah! Que Dicha! - Oh,What Joy!

Cool copper pots!

Cool mosaic kitchen sink

Curtain in the Johnson's bedroom suite

Betty Johnson's day bed for resting and writing sermons

A mirror in one of the guest bedrooms.

Guest bedroom.  They used to rent the rooms for $35....in the 1930s.

Madonna and Child - by Raphael

Cool fireplace creature - faun, saytr

The music room complete with two organs and a piano.

Post-tour cool look

You can learn more about the history of Scotty's Castle on this NPS link - Chronicle.  Cheers to the ideas people!

Next Stop: Stovepipe Wells