Death Valley NP, California
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Natural Bridge Death Valley NP, California |
March 13, 2020
On my way to the Las Vegas area for some hiking (the only reason I ever would go there at all), this is a good opportunity to route through Death Valley. I have done only one walk here previously.
I manage to arise an hour early, in the dark, because my alarm clock still is on Utah time from my October trip. After driving some narrow and winding mountain roads in the dark and in the clouds, I discover that the sky remains overcast in the park after several days of rain. Also, neither of my cell phones has service here; so I won't be able to check in with my sweetie until much later. On the other hand, it is Friday the 13th; so what did I expect?
Only in Death Valley
With but a few raindrops now and then to keep my camera wet, I do manage some good
photos at Zabriskie Point, and the 8-mile Artists Loop Drive is delightful.
Just south of there is my trail, at the end of a steep mile and a half of road that is
well-graded except after a rain.
⇔
This is advertised as a 2-mile walk. I hope that the rain will wait.
Starting out
There are two groups ahead of me
It all looks pretty much the same
Within about ten minutes, my objective appears.
Natural Bridge
It seems that no one bothered to give this one a name, even though it is the biggest such formation around.
I walk upstream to the next bend in the wash, then turn back.
View from the other side
The opening is about 40' × 30', I reckon
The canyon walls are not very interesting
Valley view
§: Well, that was about the shortest "mile" I ever walked; in fact, I don't
know that the round-trip was that long. Being an inveterate
arch-bagger, I'm glad that I did it, and I can add another example to my photo
collection; but unless you have little familiarity with natural bridges, this one barely
justifies the effort.
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