RHH's photos with the keyword: racetrack valley

Joshua Trees are found for the most part only in the Mojave Desert between an elevation of 400 and 1,800 m (1,300 and 5,900 ft). We found them at the higher elevations along the Racetrack Valley Road in Death Valley National Park. There are Silver Cholla also visible in the photo.

This was taken on the morning of the second day of our trip to the desert southwest and was taken from the spot where we parked our minivan and slept for the night. It nicely illustrates what for us is the beauty of Death Valley, the wonderful colors and patterns of the rocks.

Teakettle Junction is in Death Valley at the junction of the Racetrack Playa Road and the Hunter Valley Road and at an elevation of over 4000 feet. Visitors often leave teakettles with messages inscribed on them, but visiting the place requires some effort since the junction lies 20 miles down a very rough road that is better accessed with four-wheel drive vehicles.

In Death Valley National Park we first followed Scotty's Castle Road north to the end and to Ubehebe Crater. Then we headed back south on the Racetrack Valley Road, another rough, unpaved road. We saw a lot of cacti along the road and at higher elevations began to see Joshua Trees, whole forests of them, some of them oddly shaped.