Editing Death Valley National Park (section)

==Activities==
{{see also|Places of interest in the Death Valley area}}
Sightseeing is available by personal automobile, [[four-wheel drive]], motorcycle,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/Touring/Destinations/September-October-2008/Riding-through-Death-Valley.aspx|title=Death Valley by motorcycle|publisher=Motorcycle Classics|access-date=2009-08-06|date=September–October 2008|author=Joe Berk}}</ref> bicycle, [[mountain bicycle|mountain bike]] (on established roadways only), and [[hiking]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/outdooractivities.htm |title=Outdoor Activities |publisher=National Park Service |date=2019-04-21 |access-date=2020-02-14}}</ref> [[California State Route 190|State Route 190]], the Badwater Road, the Scotty's Castle Road, and paved roads to [[Dante's View]] and Wildrose provide access to the major scenic viewpoints and historic points of interest. More than {{convert|350|mi|km}} of unpaved and four-wheel-drive roads provide access to wilderness hiking, camping, and historical sites.<ref>{{harvnb|NPS|2002|p=55}}</ref> Unlike many other [[List of national parks of the United States|national parks in the U.S.]] there are no formal entrance stations, and instead entry fees can be paid at the visitor centers, ranger stations, or various fee machines around the park.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/fees-and-passes.htm|title=Death Valley National Park Fees & Passes|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=December 31, 2021}}</ref> There are hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulties, but most backcountry areas are accessible only by cross-country hiking. The peak season for visiting the park is from October to May, avoiding summer extreme temperatures. Costumed living history tours of the historic [[Scotty's Castle]] were suspended in October 2015 due to extensive flood damage to the buildings and grounds. It remains closed to the public.<ref name=DevaFlood>[http://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/flood-2015.htm Death Valley National Park – Flash Floods of 2015], [[National Park Service]]</ref>{{r|LAT 2022-08-07}}

[[File:Surfing Star Dune.JPG|thumb|A tourist sliding down Star Dune in the Mesquite Flat dune field]]
There are nine designated campgrounds within the park, and overnight backcountry camping permits are available at the visitor center.<ref>[[#NPSwebsite|NPS website]], "Campgrounds"</ref> [[Xanterra Parks & Resorts]] owns and operates a private resort, the Oasis at Death Valley,<ref name="NPSguide"/> which comprises two separate and distinct hotels: the Inn at Death Valley is a four-star historic hotel, and the Ranch at Death Valley is a three-star ranch-style property reminiscent of the mining and prospecting days. [[Panamint Springs, California|Panamint Springs Resort]] is in the western part of the park. Death Valley Lodging Company operates the [[Stovepipe Wells, California|Stovepipe Wells Resort]] under a concession permit. There are a few motels near entrances to the park, in [[Shoshone, California|Shoshone]], [[Death Valley Junction]], [[Beatty, Nevada|Beatty]], and [[Pahrump, Nevada|Pahrump]].

Furnace Creek Visitor Center is located on CA-190 and includes exhibits and a film about the park's geology, climate, wildlife and natural history, as well as human history and pioneer experience.<ref>[[#NPSwebsite|NPS website]], "Ranger Programs"</ref> During the winter season—November through April—rangers offer interpretive tours and a variety of walks, talks, and presentations about Death Valley cultural and natural history. The {{Wikidata fallback link|Q30271291}} maintains a bookstore.

The northeast corner of [[Saline Valley, California|Saline Valley]] has several developed [[hot spring]] pools accessible by several hours' drive on unpaved roads or by flying a [[General aviation|personal aircraft]] to the [[Chicken Strip]]—an uncharted [[Aerodrome#Airstrip|airstrip]] a short walk from the springs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://theraf.org/news/2011/chicken-strip-reopens|title=Chicken Strip Reopens {{!}} Recreational Aviation Foundation|website=theraf.org|access-date=2018-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204074856/http://theraf.org/news/2011/chicken-strip-reopens|archive-date=2016-02-04|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Death Valley National Park is a popular location for [[stargazing]] as it has one of the darkest night skies in the United States. Despite its remote location, air quality and night visibility are threatened by civilization. In particular, [[light pollution]] is introduced by nearby [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]].<ref>[[#NPSwebsite|NPS website]], "Lightscape / Night Sky"</ref> The darkest skies are located in the northwest of the park;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caglow.com/info/darksky/death-valley|title=Death Valley|publisher=caglow.com|access-date=2011-01-04|archive-date=June 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612110740/http://www.caglow.com/info/darksky/death-valley|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Ubehebe Crater]] is a [[Bortle scale|Bortle class 1]] or "excellent dark sky" site.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=12.48&lat=4440305&lon=-13074286&layers=B0FFFFTFFFF|title=Light pollution map|website=lightpollutionmap.info|access-date=2018-07-13}}</ref> The [[Andromeda Galaxy]] and the [[Triangulum Galaxy]] are visible to the unaided eye under these conditions, and the Milky Way casts shadows; optical phenomena such as zodiacal light or "false dawn" and gegenschein are also visible to the unaided eye under these conditions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.handprint.com/ASTRO/bortle.html|title=bortle dark sky scale|website=handprint.com|access-date=2018-07-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.universetoday.com/127052/hunting-the-gegenschien/|title=A Challenge in Visual Athletics: Hunting the Gegenschein – Universe Today|date=2016-02-03|work=Universe Today|access-date=2018-07-13}}</ref> Most southern regions of the park are Bortle class 2 or "average dark sky" sites.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoom=9.236666666666663&lat=4306797&lon=-12945684&layers=B0FFFFTFFFF|title=Light pollution map|website=lightpollutionmap.info|access-date=2018-07-13}}</ref>
[[File:Deathvalleysky nps big.jpg|thumb|center|upright=3|A 360-degree panorama of [[Racetrack Playa]] at night. The [[Milky Way]] is visible as an arc in the center.]]