Death Valley

Situated within the Mojave Desert, it is the lowest and

driest area in North America, and currently the hottest in the world.

hot summers, mild winters, and little rainfall.
As a general

rule, lower altitudes tend to have higher temperatures

California Gold Rush. It was called Death Valley by prospectors

and others who sought to cross the valley on their way to the gold fields, although only one death in the area was recorded during the Rush. During the 1850s, gold and silver were extracted in the valley. In the 1880s, borax was discovered and extracted by mule-drawn wagons.

mostly flat and devoid of plants, and so a high

percentage of the sun's heat is able to reach the ground, absorbed by soil and rock.

by President Herbert Hoover, placing the area under federal protection.

In 1994, the monument was redesignated as Death Valley National Park, as well as being substantially expanded to include Saline and Eureka Valleys.