Dunes, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

For Thanksgiving Day, I went to Death Valley National Park in California. A storm blew through the Park on my first day, resulting in a drizzle most of the day, but on the second day it cleared up by mid afternoon. I decided to go out onto the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. As the area was extremely crowded, I went to the western edge of the dune field, hoping to find an area where there were few people around (and more pristine sand).

The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are largest dune field, covering 14 square miles, in Death Valley National Park, and is located just outside Stovepipe Wells Village on CA-190. These dunes are the best known and easiest to in visit in the park. This dune field includes three types of dunes: crescent, linear, and star shaped. Polygon-cracked clay of an ancient lakebed forms the floor.

Death Valley National Park is part of the Mohave and Colorado Desert UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.