Tag: Inyo County

Stovepipe Wells Campgound is located in Stovepipe wells just off the 190 highway in Death Valley National Park. Located about 25 miles away from Furnace Creek, Stovepipe wells contains a restaurant, gas station, gift shop and reasonable nice amenities for the area.

The campground itself is more suitable for RV and Trails and has the feeling of a large parking lot, which does not offer much in a remote camping experience. However, it does contain some tent sites along the northern edge of the campsite. For tent campers, the campsites leave much to be desired, in my opinion. I prefer not to be surrounded by a sea of land yachts running generators.

The tent sites are the only locations which allow fires and since you are on the edge of the campground you can get the feeling of isolation provided you are looking North. High winds and sandstorms at night are frequent. On my last visit a powerful wind guest hit while I was returning from the restroom. I was greeted with the sight of a tent flying at a high rate of speed with about 100 feet in altitude above the desert floor. Several minutes later a camper came walking by, and when asked I told him “It went that away” pointing out into the desert.

There are some nice hikes nearby which include the local sand dunes, Mosaic Canyon, Nemo Canyon and Grotto Canyon.

Additionally, the Mesquite Flat Sand dunes located just to the east of the camp ground offers a nice area to explore, if the weather cooperates.

The gas in here is very expensive, and the only place I know you can get 85 octane fuel. It is cheaper than the gas prices at Furnace Creek.

Campground Summary

Stovepipe Wells Campground Map

Eureka Dunes Campground is near a small localize sand dunes formation with Death Valley National Monument. Eureka Dunes Dry Camp is located next to the Eureka Sand Dunes in the Eureka Valley.

The valley is is an enclosed basin locationed at about 3000 feet above sea leval. The sand dunes in this remote valley in the north western portion of Death Valley are the tallest dunes in California. Some of the dunes measured are almost 700 feet tall above the valley floor. The dunes themselves are contained in a relatively small 3 square miles.

At first glance, these islands of sand within Eureka Valley appear inhospitable to life. This however is not the case. These dunes receive the most rainfall of any within Death Valley due to their location within the park.

Due to the extreme isolation there are five known types of endemic beetles which make their home in the sand. Three plant species, Eureka Dunegrass ( Swallenia alexandrae ), Eureka Dunes Evening Primrose ( Oenothera avita eurekensis ) and Shining Milkvetch ( Astragalus lentiginosus micans ) and known to only exist in this three mile by one mile island of sand.

With roughly four sites and only a vaulted toilet, Eureka Dunes campground offers solitude for the back country traveler.

Campground Summary

Eureka Dunes Campground Map

References

• NPS.gov