Death Valley National Park & Area 51, California and Nevada

From Las Vegas, we cruised over to Area 51. Area 51's remote location and restricted airspace have led to numerous reported UFO sightings in the vicinity. While some of these sightings can be attributed to experimental aircraft and military testing, others remain unexplained, fueling speculation about extraterrestrial activity.
From there we made our way towards Death Valley National Park, located in California. It's a vast and diverse desert landscape known for its extreme temperatures and stunning natural features. We arrived at Dante's View, an overlook that provides breathtaking views of Death Valley from an elevation of over 5,000 feet. On clear days, you can see the vast salt flats of Badwater Basin below which was a balmy 117 degrees that day. The basin is the lowest point in North America, sitting at 282 feet below sea level. Another quick drive brought us through Artist's Palette. This area features vibrant and colorful rock formations caused by mineral deposits. The colors are particularly striking, especially in the late afternoon sunlight. The nearby Devils Golf Course was named for its rough and jagged surface. This vast salt pan is dotted with crystalline salt formations. It's a unique landscape to explore but be cautious of the sharp salt formations. Our last stop was the amazing Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. These picturesque dunes are easily accessible and offer opportunities for hiking and photography, especially during sunrise and sunset when the light casts dramatic shadows. The park is vast, covering over 3.4 million acres, so there are plenty of other natural wonders to explore.