Death Valley is perhaps my favorite national park. I have visited several times, and was happy to have another stay, though it was short. For the most part I revisited old favorites, but for something new, I went down to Ibex Dunes at the southeast border of the park. It's a seldom visited area of the park, and a perfect place for some back country camping the night of a lunar eclipse. The area around Ibex reminded me of being in the south unit of Badlands NP, both have a history of military air training and visitors frequently find casings and assorted metal bits. I will have to come back to Ibex with a full day to explore. There are many more places to investigate here.
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| A salt creek pupfish. Little fish with a big story. |
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| Salt Creek |
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| Salt Creek |
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| Boardwalk along Salt Creek |
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| Ruins of Harmony Borax Works |
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| Wagons from a 20-mule team |
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| The road towards Badwater |
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| Driving through Death Valley |
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| Turn off for the road that leads to Ibex dunes |
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| There were some dicey bits, but the road was mostly good. |
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| New landscapes along the way to Ibex dunes |
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| Ibex off in the distant right |
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| The final approach. |
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| Had to race out toward the dunes in a futile attempt to beat the sunset. |
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| Tail end of an unidentified snake |