Big Bear, CA
I quiet mountain community full of back country adventure.
Artist Drive
Artist Drive is perhaps one of the most popular and scenic drives through a colorful palette of geology, located in Death Valley National Park, California. Artist drive is a one way road about nine miles long which takes just about two hour to complete provided you take the time to hike a few of the short trails. The road is a popular destination for hikers and bikers as well as motor vehicles. From the drivers perspective, the road can be quite fun to drive and it twists and turns up and down the colorful hillside.
The hills which contain burst of color were formed by volcanic deposits of different compounds such as iron oxides and chlorite, which creates a rainbow effect of color. There is no bad time to visit, however, the photographer will appreciate the warm afternoon sunlight enhancing the natural colors in the soil. The best features are on a westward facing slope which really benefits from the late hours in the day.
While the colors of the location are amazing, do not forget to turn around the allow the scenic vistas of Death Valley to take your breath away. On a visit during a three day weekend in February 2022, I was surprised by the volume of people on the route. All of the parking lanes were full and it became quite difficult photographically due to the visitors. I will say, that during this time the COVID pandemic was relaxing and it was really nice seeing people enjoying themselves outside.
Prior to becoming a National Park, Assist’s Drive and some of the nearby valley’s were a filming location for the movie Star Wars.
Artist Drive Map
The multicolored rock formations along Artist’s Drive (particularly at the famous Artist’s Palette viewpoint) in Death Valley National Park create one of the most striking natural displays in the American Southwest. These vibrant hues result from ancient volcanic activity over 5 million years ago, when eruptions deposited ash, metals, and minerals that were later altered by hydrothermal processes, chemical weathering, and oxidation.
Here are the main rock colors you’ll see splashed across the hillsides, along with the primary minerals responsible for each:
Reds, Pinks, and Oranges
These warm, fiery tones dominate many areas and often appear as bold streaks or bands. They come from iron oxides (especially hematite), which form through the oxidation of iron-rich compounds in the volcanic rocks
Yellows and Golds
Bright mustard, golden, and sunny yellow patches blend beautifully with the reds. These are also produced by various iron oxides in different stages of oxidation and weathering.
Purples and Lavenders
The cooler, softer purple and lavender shades create a dreamy contrast. These colors are caused by manganese minerals that oxidize to produce these distinctive hues.
Greens
Vivid green sections stand out dramatically against the warmer tones. The green primarily comes from the decomposition of tuff-derived mica or weathered volcanic tuff, sometimes involving chlorite.
Overall Landscape Views
The full palette comes alive especially in late afternoon or sunset light, when the low sun angle intensifies the colors and creates dramatic shadows.
The result is a surreal, painterly landscape that looks almost too vivid to be natural — truly living up to its name as Artist’s Palette! The colors can shift subtly depending on the time of day, weather, and lighting, making every visit feel unique.
References
Palmetto Nevada State Historic Marker #158
Palmetto Nevada is Nevada State Historical Marker number one hundred and fifty eight and is located in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The ghost town is located just off of highway 168 about 30 miles west of Lida, in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The area was founded in 1866, three prospectors, H.W. Bunyard, Thomas Israel and T.W. McNutt worked the area north of the townsite and discovered silver deposits.
The camp was named Palmetto, when the miners assumed the Joshua Trees in the area were a relative of the Palmetto Tree. A 12-stamp mill was constructed on the site, however the miners could not produce enough the keep the mill in operation. Their fortunes failed and within one year the camp was abandoned.
The mines around Palmetto Nevada soon declined. The populations of these boom towns migrated from site to site looking for opportunity and profit. The next town down the line was Blair, Nevada.
Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.
Trail Map
NSHM Marker Text 158
Thinking that local joshua trees were related to palm trees, the 1866 prospectors named the mining camp Palmetto. The town “died” and revived three times.
New prospecting in 1903 caused Palmetto to grow to a town of 200 tents on a platted townsite. At its peak year, 1906, the commercial street, over 1/2 mile long, contained all the necessary mining camp businesses.
Local miners drifted away in autumn, 1906. Mining, on a lease basis, has been minimal since that time. An important talc deposit lies nearby.
Nevada State Historica Marker #158
Nevada State Historic Marker Summary
| ID | 159 |
| Name | Palmetto, Nevada |
| Location | Esmeralda County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 37.4443, -117.6952 |
References
Zabriskie Point
Zabriskie Point is perhaps one of the best known and popular overlooks in the entire Death Valley National Park, California. The landmark is named for Christian Brevoort Zabriskie who was the Vice President of the Pacific Coast Borax Company.
The elevated overlook of a huge area of yellow-brown-black ancient mud lands composed of sediments from the ancient Furnace Creek Lake. A short hike from the parking lot allows is a visitor to see the expanse of the badlands. A longer hike will take the explorer down through Golden Canyon to the floor of Death National National Park. The site is best visited during the “golden hours” of warm light in the evening and mornings. The best viewing occurs at sunrise.
The site was made famous in popular culture by a movie from 1970 of the same name. For those of us who grew up in the 1980s, the cover of the U2 Album, The Joshua Tree features a photograph by Anton Corbijn at Zabriskie Point.
The only draw back with visiting this location is that it is almost always crowded during the prime months.
Zabriskie Point Map
References
Badwater Basin
Badwater Basin, located in Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California, is the lowest point in North America, sitting at 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level. This endorheic basin spans approximately 200 square miles (518 square km) and is characterized by vast salt flats composed primarily of sodium chloride (table salt), along with calcite, gypsum, and borax. The basin features a small, spring-fed pool near Badwater Road, named “Badwater” due to its high salinity, which renders the water undrinkable. Despite this, the pool supports unique life forms, including the endemic Badwater snail, aquatic insects, and salt-tolerant plants like pickleweed. The surrounding salt flats form striking hexagonal patterns due to repeated freeze-thaw and evaporation cycles, creating a surreal, otherworldly landscape. A notable “sea level” sign on the cliffs above the basin highlights its extreme elevation, and the dramatic vertical relief to Telescope Peak (11,049 feet) in the Panamint Range, visible to the west, underscores the region’s rugged topography. The basin’s extreme heat, with summer temperatures often exceeding 120°F (49°C), and its high evaporation rate of 150 inches annually make it one of the harshest environments in the United States. Visitors can access the basin via a boardwalk from the parking lot off Badwater Road, with the best views of the salt polygons requiring a 1.5- to 2-mile roundtrip walk onto the flats.
History
Badwater Basin’s name originates from a story of an early prospector whose mule refused to drink from the salty pool, leading to the moniker “Badwater.” Before becoming part of Death Valley National Park, the area was an active mining region for centuries, with prospectors like Alexander “Shorty” Borden and Walter Scott exploring for valuable minerals.
The basin’s geological history spans millions of years, shaped by tectonic activity, erosion, and climatic shifts since at least the Pleistocene epoch (possibly up to 3 million years ago). During wetter periods, streams from surrounding mountains filled Death Valley, forming Lake Manly, which at its peak was 80 miles long and up to 600 feet deep. As an endorheic lake with no outlet, Lake Manly’s evaporation led to hypersalinity, leaving behind thick salt deposits (95% sodium chloride) that form the basin’s iconic crust, ranging from 3 to 60 inches thick. Periodic flooding from rare rainstorms temporarily revives Lake Manly, as seen in 2005 and 2023, but the water quickly evaporates, redepositing clean salt crystals. The region’s geological cycles, influenced by the nearby San Andreas Fault and the Colorado River’s alluvial deposits, have created a dynamic landscape of evaporating and reforming lakes over the Quaternary Period.
Despite its arid appearance, Death Valley sits atop one of the world’s largest aquifers, a remnant of these ancient water systems. Badwater Basin also holds historical significance for Native American settlements, which utilized the desert’s resources, and for 19th-century explorers and settlers who braved its harsh conditions during westward expansion.
Today, it remains a popular tourist destination, drawing visitors to its stark beauty and geological wonders, with the Badwater Ultramarathon challenging athletes in its extreme environment.
Badwater 135
Badwater is host to the starting line for the Badwater 135, an ultra-marathon for the ultra-crazy. The marathon starts at Badwater and runners, run, jog, and walk over one hundred and thirty miles to the Mount Whitney Portal Campground. Over the course of about two days, the runners gain over 14,600 feet in total elevation and this is done in the heat of midsummer just to make it interesting.
Summary
| Name | Badwater Basin |
| Location | Death Valley National Park, California |
| Latitude, Longitude | 36.250278, -116.825833 |
| Elevation | -282 feet |
| Other | Round Trip Length: 1 mile (1.6km) to edge of salt flat Round Trip Time: 40 minutes Dificulty: Easy Elevation Gain: Flat Trail Type: Boardwalk then route, out and back Location: Badwater Road, 30 minutes (17 miles/27km) south of Furnace Creek Parking: Paved parking lot with large spaces for RVs and buses Closest Restroom: Vault toilet located in parking lot Route: An ADA accessible ramp leads down to a wooden boardwalk. The walking surface is firm and wide beyond the boardwalk. |
Badwater Basin Map
References
Beatty Nevada State Historic Marker #173
Beatty NSHM 173 is Nevada State Historical Marker number one hundred and seventy three five and is located just off of highway 95 in the town of Beatty in Nye County, Nevada. This marker is posted just off the highway on an island. Its orientation is such that when travelling north through town, it is quite visible, but may be difficult to find when travelling south. Beatty, Nevada was an old mining town and served as ta border town for old Nevada. The boomtown was provided passengers, frieght and mail service by three railroads, Tonopah and Tidewater Road, Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad and the Bullfrog and Goldfield.
In 1867, the Nevada Legislature approved the action of Congress to add that portion of the Territory of Arizona which lay to the south of this line, west of the 114 degree west longitude and the Colorado River, and to the east of the boundary of California. This action, taken on January 18, 1867, gave to the State of Nevada the permanent boundaries as they are today.
Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost of damaged.
Nevada State Historic Marker Summary
| ID | 173 |
| Name | Beatty |
| Location | Nye County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 36.5922, -116.7558 |
Nevada State Historic Marker Map
Nevada State Historic Marker Text
During 1906-’07 three railroads were built in this area. The Las Vegas and Tonopah built from Las Vegas through Beatty and Rhyolite to Goldfield. The Bullfrog Goldfield built south from Goldfield to Beatty and Rhyolite. The Tonopah and Tidewater built north from Ludlow, California to Gold Center and used the BG tracks from Gold Center to Beatty and Rhyolite until 1914.
Rancher M.M. Beatty drove the last spike here on April 18, 1907, marking the completion of the first and only north-south railroad system in the state. Rails were torn up at Beatty beginning on July 18, 1942.
Nevada State Historic Marker #165