Why is it called the Devil's golf course?
The salt pan is so incredibly serrated that the 1934 National Park Service guide book to Death Valley National Monument stated that "only the devil could play golf" on its surface. Shortly after, the salt pan came to be known as the Devil's Golf Course.
What is a desert golf course like?
The rough areas off of the fairway at a desert golf course can make for very uncomfortable shots and awful lies that golfers must deal with to execute their shots. Other characteristics with desert golf courses is that it is very hot and the air is very dry.
Can you walk around the Devils golf course?
The Devils Golf Course is best viewed from the parking area. The sharp salt formations can be dangerous to try to walk around on and are also fragile and can be easily damaged. Please note that despite the name, this is not a place to practice your golfing skills -- leaving golf balls out in Wilderness areas is littering.
How deep is the Devil’s golf course?
Through exploratory holes drilled by the Pacific Coast Borax Company, prior to Death Valley becoming a national monument in 1934, it was discovered that the salt and gravel beds of the Devil’s Golf Course extend to a depth of more than 1,000 feet (300 m). Later studies suggest that in places the depth ranges up to 9,000 feet.
What landforms are in Death Valley?
Badwater Basin contains the lowest point in North America, at 282 feet below sea level, yet it lies in the afternoon shadow of 11,049 foot Telescope Peak. This rugged topography, as well as sand dunes, craters, and flood-carved canyons, indicate that Death Valley has experienced a lengthy and complex geologic history.
How was the Devil's Golf Course formed?
Part of an extensive salt pan, the Devil's Golf Course was created over many years as water occasionally rises up through the salt bed and reshapes the formations. When the water evaporates in the blazing heat, the large infernal stalagmites and spiky mounds are what get left behind.
What type of valley is Death Valley?
Essentially, Death Valley is a graben, or rift valley, formed by the sinking of a tremendous expanse of rock lying between parallel uplifted, tilted-block mountain ranges to the east and west.
Is Death Valley in the Mojave Desert?
The fascinating desert valley is situated on the eastern border of south-central California, in the northern Mojave Desert, and borders the Great Basin Desert. The area of Death Valley National covers 5,270 square miles (3.4 million acres), stretching into Nevada, and is the largest national park in the Lower 48.
Why is it called Devils golf course?
The Devils Golf Course gets its name from a guidebook back in the '30s that stated: “Only the devil could play golf on such a surface.” The most interesting fact I saw when researching this place is that when the miners were exploring this area, they saw that the salt and gravel beds could extend up to 1000 feet deep ...
Why Do They Call It Devils golf course?
Devils Golf Course received its name after a 1934 NPS Death Valley guidebook said, “only the devil could play golf” on this harsh terrain, and the name stuck. The salt pan we see today was once the site of Lake Manly, which is believed to have reached depths of over 600 feet at one time.
Why is Death Valley desert?
Death Valley has a subtropical, hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh), with long, extremely hot summers; short, mild winters; and little rainfall. The valley is extremely dry, because it lies in the rain shadow of four major mountain ranges (including the Sierra Nevada and Panamint Range).
How deep is the sand in Death Valley?
Badwater Basin is an endorheic basin with a depth of 282 ft (86 m) below sea level.
Does anybody live in Death Valley California?
Death Valley is no stranger to heat. Sitting 282 feet below sea level in the Mojave Desert in southeastern California near the Nevada border, it is the lowest, driest and hottest location in the United States. It is sparsely populated, with just 576 residents, according to the most recent census.
What is the desert in Nevada called?
The Mojave DesertThe Mojave Desert stretches across portions of four different states including Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and California. It is the smallest and driest desert in North America and yet it covers approximately 30 million acres of land.
What desert is Joshua Tree in?
The eastern half of Joshua Tree National Park is located on the westernmost edge of the Colorado Desert, which is part of the Sonoran Desert.
Where is the secret swimming pool in the Mojave Desert?
While it's open from May 1 to September 30, to get to it, you have to get the GPS coordinates and a key to the pool from the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, located in West Hollywood. Then it's a long drive out into the middle of the desert. The pool is located a long walk away from the nearest road.
Do you need to book in advance to visit Devil's Golf Course?
We recommend booking Devil's Golf Course tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours befor...
What hotels are near Devil's Golf Course?
Hotels near Devil's Golf Course: (0.21 mi) Sunset Campground (0.29 mi) Furnace Creek Campground (0.66 mi) The Ranch At Death Valley (1.47 mi) The I...
What restaurants are near Devil's Golf Course?
Restaurants near Devil's Golf Course: (0.44 mi) The 19th Hole (0.68 mi) Last Kind Words Saloon (1.49 mi) The Inn at Death Valley Dining (0.86 mi) I...
Where is Devil's Golf Course?
Devil’s Golf Course, Death Valley National Park. The Devil's Golf Course is a large salt pan on the floor of Death Valley, located in the Mojave Desert within Death Valley National Park, in eastern California. Although its exact boundaries are poorly defined, it extends from the vicinity of the Ashford Mill site to the Salt Creek Hills, ...
How deep was the lake in the Holocene?
This time the salt pan flooded to a depth of about 30 feet.
What are the characteristics of a desert golf course?
Other characteristics with desert golf courses is that it is very hot and the air is very dry. You have to remember that all of the features of a desert are in full display with a desert golf course. Desert features like sand dunes can really play a huge role in desert golf. The sand dunes can take the place of fairway bunkers.
What is the most famous golf course in the desert?
Famous Desert Golf Courses. The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale might be the most famous golf course in the professional golf world. There has been so many iconic moments on the PGA Tour at that golf course and TPC Scottsdale is also an incredible place to plan a golf trip to. Other incredible and well-known desert golf courses are Coral Canyon ...
What is a link golf course?
Links golf courses are usually on a coastline and have rolling terrain with various types of grasses. The most common links-style golf courses are golf courses that are played during the Open Championship in Europe. Links golf is very prevalent in Europe, and desert-style golf is virtually nonexistent because of the climate in Europe.
Where is grass in golf?
The only places where there is grass is the tee box, fairways , and the putting green at most desert golf courses. Any desert course that has grass in the rough is really going above and beyond to do that. In most cases, they will only have rough ground that is very dry where there should be rough. The rough areas off of ...
What states have golf in the desert?
Best States to Play Golf in a Desert. The best states to play golf are: New Mexico. Arizona. Southern California. Nevada. There are various other states that have areas of golf that is in the desert, but those states are noticeably the best places to play!
Where is the best place to play desert golf?
The primary spots for desert golf courses in the world are in the Middle East and in southwest United States. There are other smaller places in the world that might have a course or two, but those are the most well-known spots.
Do golf courses have trees?
These golf courses are in a natural desert setting. That makes them not able to have trees in most cases. The lack of rain makes them not able to have the types of trees that golf courses such as Augusta National. The grass situation is also very unique compared to other types of golf courses.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Devils Golf Course is either at sunrise or sunset when the sun is low and the shadows are long create prime photo opportunities.
Things to Note When Visiting Racetrack Playa
Entrance Fees: The fee to enter Death Valley is $30 per vehicle. If you plan on visiting more than 1 national park this year we suggest you go ahead and purchase the America the Beautiful Pass (which can be found at the entrance gates to most national parks or online here ).
About Death Valley
Situated on California’s southeastern border with Nevada, Death Valley National Park spans over 5,000 square miles of otherworldly vistas. The largest national park in the continental United States, Death Valley is a park for superlatives.
Death Valley Video
In the remote far reaches of the Mojave Desert lies the largest national park in the continental United States. Hidden here in the hottest place on earth is another world full of diverse life and colorful landscapes.
Will Pattiz
Co-founder of More Than Just Parks. Husband. Conservationist. Currently living in NYC.