Darwin is an old mining town which was operational for almost 100 years. The mines have been closed…read moresince the 1970s, and less than 50 people live there presently. We spent a night at Darwin on our way from Alabama Hills to Death Valley.

I recently watched the 2011award winning independent documentary film "Darwin". I was fascinated…read morewith the very interesting lives of those living in this very small and isolated town of just 35 people located in Death Valley, California. I would highly recommend this film if you want to learn more about this very remote and unique place.

How cool is this place... a little "ghost town" which is really just some broken down buildings but…read morethe history and the feel is awesome. Great little store which is really just for looking at the oddities and pictures of a time gone by. Store also acts as the "check in" spot for the camp ground which only asks for a $5 donation. Lots of wild burros about, along with many parts and pieces of whatever machinery was utilized in this area. The truck is said to have belonged to Charles Manson, which of course adds a level of curiosity and imagination. Close by was the location of Barker Ranch, Masons compound where they were hiding in 69' and where they were eventually caught. Since then there were attempt to locate some of the Helter Skelter victims but I don't believe any were. The house has since burned and the area flooded. You can still gain access however even the road to Ballarat is difficult after the rains already this year and the road from there up is 4wd only. It definitely sparks the imagination. Now it's just a destination I think most people stop at on the way elsewhere. Mostly 4wheelers I think. I couldn't bring myself to camp there tho, just a little too creepy but it is a site to see knowing who what when and where. . Another must see if going to DV and entering from the west side.

IT'S SHIT. There's one structure that's cool. You can see it…read morefrom your car. It's takes 30 seconds. And then there's one piece of a wall that is being held up with a couple of planks. And then there's another smaller section of wall that's not being help up by anything and looks like it's going to fall over on the next windy day. You just saw the whole "ghost town". Everything else there is a half assed rusty tractor part, a gear they probably found at a yard sale, the grill and bumper from a model T, and a "country store" that looks like any other roadside/hole-in-the-wall/going out of business because they have nothing worth buying or looking at, kind of shop. I'd drive hours for a real ghost town. But this place isn't worth the 15 minute drive down the dirt road. There are more broken down trailers on the property than ghost town structures.

This hidden site feels like it's from another planet. The fact that endangered pupfish live here…read moremakes it even more remarkable. Just awe-inspiring. short exploration but also very far to get to .

An easy day trip from Las Vegas, Devil's Hole is located in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge,…read moreabout an hour and a half drive. This was meant to be a stop on a road trip to Death Valley but I later realized that you could spend a couple of hours in the refuge. The way to get here is all dirt roads and there was at least one river crossing. If it recently rained or is raining, I don't think a regular sedan could make its way out here. The main area is pretty close to the parking lot, less than a 5 minute walk. Because it is protected and could actually be dangerous, the hole is completely fenced off. I brought a pair of binoculars to hopefully see some endangered pupfish but we were too far. It would be a much cooler experience if we could get up to the water's edge but being so far away, it's anticlimactic.

I absolutely loved this space!!! Funky and cozy!!! We were traveling back from Palm Springs to Reno…read moreand called to see if the Lemon House was available! Lucky for us it was!!! The outside featured a stunning view of the mountains and the inside was like a nest! I slept soundly!!!

Cartago, Calif. I…read moredon't know anything about Spongebob except that it's a cartoon after my time. Google had this tourist attraction in Central California on the Eastern Frontier as Sponge Bob's home. The structure is just an area on the side of the road with a bunch of structures and gimmicky things. It's an ideal spot to stretch your legs and take a quick breather before continuing your travel adventures. The house itself appears to be for rent but if you peek inside the windows that doesn't seem to be the case. There's a motel or lodging type structures on the same lot so it can be a gimmick for the children to goof around in since there is nothing around. Access/Roads: Along HWY 395. This highway is paved throughout. Parking: Plenty in a small dirt lot. Costs: Free Nearby Attractions: Many many many things and places. Death Valley NP (Stovepipe Wells) is appx 80 miles East. Mount Whitney Access Point is 30 miles North. Manzanar Internment Camp is appx 30 miles North & I recommend every East Asian (American) to visit Manzanar and related internment camps. Uniroyal Gal (statue) is appx 38 miles South. The Eastern Portions of Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite can be accessed from this region. Additionally, the western portion of Mono Lake & Mammoth can be accessed. Distance: Los Angeles is 200 miles South. Reno is 300 miles North. Las Vegas is 250 miles East. Bakersfield is 150 miles West. Travel safely my friends. @cigarcpa

We had a wonderful time walking around the area, folks were very friendly and helpful.read more

These were the first things that I saw as I arrived in Shoshone and they blew my mind. They are…read morelocated about a mile before the 178 and 127 intersection in Shoshone, California. They take a while to fully explore and are spread out greatly. One of them even has a burial at the top! Some of the cave holes can easily be accessed, and entered. Just be on the lookout for rattle snakes as these places are notorious for rattler activity! If you are in the area, please check these out. They are as fascinating as anything else in Death Valley.

This is such a cool stop if you're passing through Nevada! The historic town of Rhyolite is only 10…read moreminutes from the town of Beatty and about 1hr 40min from Vegas. I love history like this so I was super excited. I came here for the Tom Kelly Glass House. When you first walk up, there is a sign explaining the history of the house. Next to it, there is a sign in sheet so you can see where people have travelled from to checkout the house. I was amazed by how many people had recently been there! It's a short stop, just walk up and take a few pictures of the house. Look inside. Take in the history. I would definitely recommend adding this stop to your trip if you're passing through! Ohhh also, the Goldwell Museum is only a minute drive from the Tom Kelly Bottle House. Check out that place too and be respectful of the artwork!

Great stop on our way to Death Valley National Park. I always look for ghost towns whenever we…read morevisit a new place, and Rhyolite is one of the best preserved I've seen. Really interesting history here - Rhyolite was a gold rush town and is a perfect example of "Boom to Bust". One of the town's multi-story buildings cost $90,000 to build back in the early 1900's, so you can imagine how magnificent it must have been. Unfortunately, the town of Rhyolite only lasted 15 years before it was completely abandoned. I really liked viewing the buildings and reading the signs accompanying each one. The Tom Kelly bottle house was particularly fascinating. Wish it was open to go inside, but I did peek in the windows. Keep in mind that all of the buildings are fenced off s you can just view them from the outside, but Rhyolite is worth 5 stars as the buildings are mostly still standing and it is definitely a good stop while in the area.

The Panamint Valley is a 65 mile long valley located in the Mojave Desert of California. Contained…read moreby the Argus, Slate, and Panamint Range, it primarily is a typical desert basin with the associated scrub, desert flora and fauna, and little in the way of infrastructure. The northern part of the valley is part of Death Valley National park, however, parts of highway 190 can be driven without a park pass. However, many of the side roads would require one. The valley allows you to access the Wildrose charcoal kilns, the Barker Ranch (offroad only), Epson salt monorail, the Ballarat Ghost Town, Panamint Springs, Father Crowley Overlook aka Jedi Canyon, etc. The only services are in Panamint Springs. Temperatures in the valley can be brutal. To give you perspective I was there in early April and the temperature was 103 with 20-40mph winds. If you are unprepared you will be in trouble. The other aspect and my reason for spending 3 days there is that the valley is part of a restricted military airspace known simply as R-2508. The R-2508 is one of several in the area where the USAF, USN, and USMC, test and practice with their planes. It is not unusual to see a F/A-18 or F-35 come screaming in at low level as our military practices. Its not low level only the skies can be filled with planes dogfighting and maneuvering. If planes are your thing then it is a really hot and dusty nirvana. If you want to try plane spotting out, please be aware that this is an extreme location and you need to be prepared......

Over the past few yers I have become increasingly interested and in admiration of Mary Austin…read more I've listened to "The Land of Little Rain" on an audible type thing, and I have a large copy of the book with photos of the Eastern Sierra. This home was, from what I understand, one that she lived in for some years, I believe when she was a young girl living with her family. I believe she lived in a few various homes throughout the region with her husband as well, although I'm not sure where those homes are or if they are still standing, for that matter. Nonetheless, this house has history to it, and the informational plaque in front has a beautiful quote and info. You cannot go inside, as it looks locked up and like it cannot withstand much more traffic. I do hope there is an organization that will restore this home when it falls into further disrepair, as it really is a special part of local history. Also, if you have not read any of Mary Austin's writings, I highly recommend you do so. She wrote from a place of humility and great appreciation for the land, the native Americans, and all the wild creatures.

There's really nothing much to say, here, except there is a California State Historical plaque in…read morefront of this private home. Visitors cannot view the interior. There is an Owens Valley Historical Museum a short distance away that has a collection of books written by Mary Austin and some other materials about this author.

I came out here on a field trip with a class I'm taking this summer. It's 95 degrees, windy and…read morearid. Even as a visitor, I find these conditions to be uncomfortable, so I could not imagine being forced to live out here in subhuman conditions for an indefinite period of time. However, that is what over 120,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese Nationals living in the USA were forced to do during WWII - and 10,000 men, women, children and babies were forced to do just that at Manzanar. The Visitors Center is only open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday - so we were not able to see it, but we were able to eat our lunches in the Mess Hall. I also explored the barracks, and saw the rest of this historic site by bus and on foot. Don't miss seeing Merritt Park, the Children's Village area, and the Issei Obelisk. This site is a powerful reminder that History repeats itself, and visiting Manzanar is an extremely moving and meaningful experience for everyone. Peace.

I have driven past the turnoff for Manzanar over a dozen times. I have known about it since I was…read morein middle school but never went. My sister and I have been taking my nephew to significant sites of WW11 over the years starting with Pearl Harbor and Auschwitz. Being part Japanese, we felt this was an important stop. The grounds are very well maintained. The educational aspect of it is great. The rangers have taken great care to show an accurate representation of what "camp" life was like. The recreated rooms, shacks and monuments have been meticulously built. The rangers were great about sharing knowledge. The book store has some great books that are not available on Amazon. The parking is a breeze. The entrance is free. When entrance is free to somewhere like this I like to support by donating or buying items that help support the cause. I bought my nephew and I each a book and a couple other little things. I also really like that they participate in the Junior Ranger Program. It was a great way for not just my nephew but myself to learn too. It was a great family activity. I highly recommend visiting. It can be a little emotionally draining but it is an important part of American History that we cannot forget.

The farthest point I think in the park and we got to see it with a little water which created this…read moreincredible reflection. Good amount of parking and you can walk as far as you'd like on the basin. Peep the sea level sign on top of the mountain to really grasp how 'low' you are!

We decided to take a little day trip out to Death Valley to view the wildflower bloom, hike a bit…read moreand visit Lake Manly (otherwise known as Badwater Basin). I really wanted to walk in the glorious saltwater. We were there on a Thursday and this place was hopping with people. I had forgot that spring breaks have begun. We eventually found a place to park and made our way out to the water via the boardwalk that heads out. We all know that Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the USA. It is 282 feet below sea level and it sure was pretty. The basin normally does not have water, but with all the rain California received this winter the water was almost up to my shins. The saltwater flats cover over 200 miles. The basin includes sodium chloride, gypsum, borax, and calcite. The best part of the visit was that by the time I stepped out of all that saltwater, my feet were so soft. It was truly a natural exfoliation for the feet. Be respectful and leave your pets at home as they are only allowed on designated dirt roads. Most of all LEAVE NO TRACE and Happy Adventuring.