Devil’s Golf Course – Alien Views and Landscape

Devil’s Golf Course – Alien Views and Landscape

Location: Death Valley National Park
Length: It can be as long as you want (there is no a designated trail)
GPS Coordinates: N 36 17.157 W 116 49.567
Contact Information: Death Valley National Park
P.O. Box 579
Death Valley, CA 92328

The Devil’s Golf Course is a fabulously beautiful and large salt pan on the floor of Death Valley National Park. It is located in the Mojave Desert. This salt pen is a huge bed of a dried up Lake Manly that covered the territory of the valley. The water evaporated some 2,000 years ago and left a 1,000 foot-layer of salt and minerals that due to different weather conditions were transformed into the salt pan with fabulous and mysterious shapes.

This territory got its name after a written line in the National Service Guide Book that stated: “Only the devil could play golf” on its surface. These unbelievable shapes of salt formations and other destinations of Death Valley national Park attract about a million people annually.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, the salt pen at Badwater from time to time flood, but the field of the Devil’s Golf Course remains several feet above the flood level, that’s why the shapes of salty formations are so sharp and detailed. These salt formations grow very slowly, scientists say about an inch every 35 years.  Rain and wind also influence pointy salt spikes, creating their own shapes.

By the way, when miners were exploring the territory years ago, they noticed that in some parts the salt beds can be up to 1000 feet deep.

To the Devil’s Golf Course you can drive from Furnace Creek, taking Badwater Road. There is no a designated trail that will take you along the salty crystals. It is allowed to go out and explore this “golf” field, but the surface is uneven and sharp. Be attentive and take care of your ankles.

Several words should be said about the views. They are just stunning and alien. The Panamint Mountains provide an amazing background for these salty crystals.

Getting There

The turn off to the Devil’s Golf Course is located 13 miles from the visitor center on Badwater Road. The parking area is almost 1.5 miles down the dirt road; this road is maintained and can be used by most vehicles.

There are neither restrooms nor water at this place. Dogs are allowed on leash.

Photo: Roman Khomlyak
Photo Editing: Juliana Voitsikhovska
Information: Marina Petrova

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