The smooth, tawny layers of the Mesquite Flat Sands Dunes most likely come from the grounded quartz and feldspar of the Cottonwood Mountains north of the dunes. The highest of the dunes, called Star Dune, rises nearly a hundred feet.

The dunes are located just a few miles north of Stovepipe Wells.

Picturesque trees dot the landscape in Death Valley, complimenting the colorful hills.

I saw lots of roadrunners throughout the park, especially around the Furnace Creek Resort and campgrounds.

Entering Death Valley from the Panamint Springs area on the west side.

Gas prices throughout the park were about the same; and more than a dollar per gallon higher than outside the park.

A hike through Mosaic Canyon puts you in another world, a world of towering marble cliffs and narrow passageways. The next few pictures were taken inside the canyon.

It's going on Year 4 with the Timberland hiking boots. They look pretty good considering all the miles of dirt and rock they've been over.

Even the foliage in Mosaic Canyon seems to take on the hues of polished marble.

Furnace Creek Resort has just about everything you might need in the desert. There's a general store with groceries, souvenirs, hot and cold drinks and some camping supplies. There are two or three restaurants of various prices, a post office, visitors center and lodge registration. There's also a gas station, a mining museum and a golf course.

Just at the junction of Highway 190 and Badwater Road and across the highway from the Furnace Creek Inn lies this small group of hills. If they have a name, I don't know what it is, but when the lowering sun hits them, they turn this golden brown hue that catches the attention of everyone who passes.

Upon making my way down the graveled road that leads to the Devil's Golf Course, I thought, "Well, this is nothing more than the crusted mud I've seen in west Texas." But as I took a closer look, it was obvious that I was seeing much more than just mud.

Formed by wind and rain, the jagged edges of the crystallized salt are constantly changing. The fields were developed from ancient salt flats when the water evaporated, leaving only the salt.

A relatively short walk, hot but level, is Golden Canyon.

At the end of the canyon is the Red Cathedral, of which I did not get a picture. Maybe because I didn't walk all the way to the end.

Obviously, neither did this couple to the left. They don't exactly seem to be dragging.

Even though the trail WAS a short one, it was in the hottest part of the day, and I had already done a couple other hikes. And, I had no one with me to nudge me along.

Driving from the Devil's Golf Course there is a grand view of the hills that make up the Artists Drive. Artists Drive is a 9-mile one-way loop off Badwater Road that takes you past the soft pastel-colored hills of volcanic and sedimentary rock. The grand view is at Artists Palette where all the hues congregate to flaunt their superb beauty.

The next several shots were taken on Artists Drive.

Golden Canyon

Artists Palette is the culmination of all the colors. It's definitely best to take Artists Drive in the late afternoon to get the full effect of the sun on the hills.

It was sad leaving Death Valley, but here's what I had to look forward to: the beautiful Sierra Nevadas near Lone Pine.