Editing Death Valley National Park (section)

===Early inhabitants and transient populations===
Four [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] cultures are known to have lived in the area during the last 10,000&nbsp;years.<ref name="Wright1997p611"/> The first known group, the [[Nevares Spring People]], were [[hunters and gatherers]] who arrived in the area perhaps 9,000&nbsp;years ago (7000&nbsp;BC) when there were still small lakes in Death Valley and neighboring Panamint Valley.<ref name="Wallace1978">{{harvnb|Wallace|1978}}</ref> A much milder climate persisted at that time, and large game animals were still plentiful. By 5,000&nbsp;years ago (3000&nbsp;BC) the [[Mesquite Flat People]] displaced the Nevares Spring People.<ref name="Wallace1978"/> Around 2,000&nbsp;years ago the [[Saratoga Spring People]] moved into the area, which by then was probably already a hot, dry desert.<ref name="Wallace1978"/><ref group=note>The last known lake to exist in Death Valley likely dried up 3,000&nbsp;years ago.</ref> This culture was more advanced at hunting and gathering and was skillful at handcrafts. They also left mysterious stone patterns in the valley.

One thousand years ago, the nomadic [[Timbisha]] (formerly called Shoshone and also known as Panamint or Koso) moved into the area and hunted game and gathered [[mesquite]] beans along with [[pinyon pine]] nuts.<ref name="Wright1997p611"/><ref name="Wallace1978"/> Because of the wide altitude differential between the valley bottom and the mountain ridges, especially on the west, the Timbisha practiced a vertical migration pattern.<ref name="Wright1997p611"/> Their winter camps were located near water sources in the valley bottoms. As the spring and summer progressed and the weather warmed, grasses and other plant food sources ripened at progressively higher altitudes. November found them at the very top of the mountain ridges where they harvested pine nuts before moving back to the valley bottom for winter.<!--NEEDS CITE Several families of Timbisha still live within the park at [[Furnace Creek, California|Furnace Creek]] (Timbisha is the Native name of the village). The former village of Maahunu is located near [[Scotty's Castle]] but has been abandoned. Many of the baskets on display at the Castle were made by the Timbisha, who worked there as laborers and housekeepers before the National Park Service took over its care.-->

The [[California Gold Rush]] brought the first people of European descent known to visit the immediate area. In December 1849 two groups of [[California Gold Country]]-bound travelers with perhaps 100 wagons total stumbled into Death Valley after getting lost on what they thought was a shortcut off the [[Old Spanish Trail (trade route)|Old Spanish Trail]].<ref name="Kiver1999p277">{{harvnb|Kiver|1999|p=277}}</ref> Called the [[Death Valley '49ers|Bennett-Arcane Party]], they were unable to find a pass out of the valley for weeks; they were able to find fresh water at various springs in the area, but were forced to eat several of their oxen to survive. They used the wood of their wagons to cook the meat and make jerky. The place where they did this is today referred to as "Burnt Wagons Camp" and is located near Stovepipe Wells.

After abandoning their wagons, they eventually were able to hike out of the valley. Just after leaving the valley, one of the women in the group turned and said, "Goodbye Death Valley," giving the valley its name.<ref name="Kiver1999p277"/> Included in the party was [[William L. Manly|William Lewis Manly]] whose autobiographical book ''[[Death Valley in '49]]'' detailed this trek and popularized the area (geologists later named the prehistoric lake that once filled the valley after him).