Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park, California, United States

Panoramic view from Zabriskie Point

 

Zabriskie Point is a part of the Amargosa Range located east of Death Valley in Death Valley National Park in California, United States, noted for its erosional landscape. It is composed of sediments from Furnace Creek Lake, which dried up 5 million years ago—long before Death Valley came into existence.

 

Zabriskie Sunrise Panorama

Another panoramic view from Zabriskie Point, at sunrise

 

Name

Portrait of Christian Brevoort Zabriskie, on an interpretive sign at the Zabriskie Point site in Death Valley National Park

The location was named after Christian Brevoort Zabriskie, vice-president and general manager of the Pacific Coast Borax Company in the early 20th century. The company's twenty-mule teams were used to transport borax from its mining operations in Death Valley.

 

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley (USA)

History

Millions of years prior to the actual sinking and widening of Death Valley and the existence of Lake Manly (see Geology of the Death Valley area), another lake covered a large portion of Death Valley including the area around Zabriskie Point. This ancient lake began forming approximately nine million years ago. During several million years of the lake's existence, sediments were collecting at the bottom in the form of saline muds, gravels from nearby mountains, and ashfalls from the then-active Black Mountain volcanic field. These sediments combined to form what we today call the Furnace Creek Formation. The climate along Furnace Creek Lake was dry, but not nearly as dry as in the present.

 

Paracamelus, mastodons, wild horses, carnivores, and birds left tracks in the lakeshore muds, along with fossilized grass and reeds. Borates, which made up a large portion of Death Valley's historical past were concentrated in the lakebeds from hot spring waters and alteration of rhyolite in the nearby volcanic field. Weathering and alteration by thermal waters are also responsible for the variety of colors represented there.

Close-up of Red Cathedral, to the right of Manly Beacon

Red Cathedral, Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California.

 

View of Manly Beacon from Zabriskie Point, showing convolutions, texture, and color contrasts in the eroded rock

Manly Beacon at Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, California.

 

Death Valley National Park

Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park, California

 

Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park, California

 

More than just the namesake of a notorious 1970 box-office bomb, Zabriskie Point offers one of the most remarkable views in a state that boasts all kinds of them. Far flung from SoCal beaches and the high Sierras, the badlands found here in Death Valley National Park may be the nation's driest, but were once the bed of a massive lake. When the lake dried up around 5 million years ago, sediment layers built up across many millennia were exposed to air that solidified them and rains that eroded them, revealing the multicolored stripes and strata that now streak the landscape.

 

Zabriskie Point: Death Valley National Park’s Best Sunrise View

Zabriskie Point is an elevated overlook of a colorful, undulating landscape of gullies and mud hills at the edge of the Black Mountains, just a few miles east of Death Valley - from the viewpoint, the flat salt plains on the valley floor are visible in the distance.

 

Twilight, Gower Gulch & Zabriskie Badlands
Gower Gulch and the badlands at Zabriskie Point still lie in shade as the twilight sky begins to illuminate the Panamit Range; Death Valley National Park, California

“Sunrise at Zabriskie Point”

Manly Beacon & Badlands, Twilight
The twilight sky to the east begins to illuminate Manly Beacon and the surrounding badlands with their fantastic shapes and colors. Photographed from Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California

 

Zabriskie Point Twilight Panorama
Twilight over the badlands at Zabriskie Point, with Manly Beacon and Red Cathedral on the right, and Panamint Range in the distance; Death Valley National Park, California

 

Manly Beacon & Red Cathedral
A patch of clouds above Red Cathedral takes on a momentary pink hue as morning progresses on the badlands at Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California

 

Mélange De Couleurs
Twilight color mix of the badlands at Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California

 

Proud Beacon
The astonishing formation of Manly Beacon stands proud over the badlands at Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California

 

Zabriskie Point, First Light on the Panamints
First direct sunlight illuminates the distant hills of the Panamint Mountains, with the undulating hills of the Zabriskie badlands in the foreground. Death Valley National Park, California

 

Light On Manly Beacon
Morning light begins to illuminate Manly Beacon and the badlands; two hikers have made their way up onto a ridge in the hills (center left). Photographed from Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California

 

 

Dante’s View in Death Valley National Park

Dante’s View

Dante’s View is a 25km drive (16 miles) from Furnace Creek. This view has got to be one of the best I’ve ever seen, so definitely bring your cameras or a pair of binoculars.

Golden Canyon in Death Valley National Park

Golden Canyon

Golden Canyon is a “Star Wars” hotspot – see where R2D2 strolled before being snatched by the Sand People. We decided to undertake the Golden Canyon to Red Cathedral hike – a moderate 4.8km (3 miles) round trip, which took about 1.5 hours.

 

Badwater Basin

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

 

Rainbow Canyon

Head to Rainbow Canyon, also known as Star Wars Canyon, to witness more stunning red and orange hues come to life during sunset, or stay longer to catch a glimpse of a military fighter jet speeding through.