Mesquite
(Not Barbeque)
Death Valley National Park, a land of extremes and unparalleled beauty, is renowned for its vast expanses of desert landscape. Among its most iconic features are the majestic sand dune fields that ripple across the valley floor, each with its own unique characteristics and allure. Today, I’d like to share a few photos of my favorite dune field, the Mesquite Dunes. But not before talking to you about each of the dune fields which are part of the park.
Eureka Dunes
In Eureka Valley, the Eureka Dunes stand as a testament to the raw beauty and isolation of Death Valley. These towering dunes, some reaching heights of over 600 feet, are among the tallest in North America. Despite their arid surroundings, the Eureka Dunes are home to a surprising diversity of plant and animal life, including the rare Eureka Dunes evening primrose.
Panamint Dunes
Tucked away in the far northern reaches of Death Valley, the Panamint Dunes offer a more secluded alternative to the bustling crowds of Mesquite Flat. These dunes, characterized by their soft, powdery sand and gentle slopes, provide a tranquil escape for those seeking solitude and serenity.
Ibex Dunes
Located in the southeastern corner of Death Valley, the Ibex Dunes are a lesser-known gem waiting to be discovered. These dunes, formed from ancient lakebed sediments, boast striking patterns and textures that beg to be captured on film.
Mesquite Dunes
The last on the list. This is the only dune field I have walked in the park. Eureka, Panamint, and Ibex are all very far off the beaten path. They are all more than a day trip away from anywhere in the park so it’s best to plan two days should photography be on the radar.
With me, the Mesquite Dunes are wonderful and it does require a significant walk in order to find undisturbed dunes. As they are trafficked heavily every day, it becomes difficult as a photographer to find a spot where foot prints don’t ruin the photogenic nature of the landscape.
In our case, I turned around while we walked at the end of the photo session to shoot this shot of our footsteps leading across the dunes.
Foot Prints in the Sand
In the end, we were able to find some epic photography locations. Two to be exact.
After a successful photography session of the Harmony Borax Works under the milky way galactic center, we headed over toward the Mesquite Sand Dune parking area.
We arrived while it was still dark and using our headlamps, we headed out into the dune field anticipating a great photographic opportunity in the desert sand dunes of the Mesquite Dunes.
I would say when it was all said and done, we hiked out 1.5 miles into the dune field before I found the locations you now are witness to in the photos composed.
Death Valley is home to many unique, one of a kind photography opportunities. Not the least of which are the various sand dune formations throughout the park.
The Mesquite Dune field is probably the most popular and provides the easiest access. The others, however, are equally, if not more dramatic. It simply is a matter of your pain tolerance related to accessing them for photography. A few would require an overnight hike/stay/drive in order to do the low light photography at sunset and sunrise.
I thought I’d share with you a few of the recent photographs I took in the early hours of an April Morning to again, as I love doing, capture the dramatic shadows and colors the low sun will display across the landscape of the Mesquite Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park.
There’s nothing quite like it.
Click on any of the images to see the full view
That’s going to about do it for this post regarding some beautiful landscape photography work at one of my all time favorite places to hike and do photography, the Mesquite Sand Dune field in the center of Death Valley National Park.
If you’d enjoy watching the adventure and how the photos you see here came to be, I think the Youtube Video below will certainly help you get a good feel for the process.
I hope all is well with you and life is great.
Until the next time,
rob out
#landscapephotography #deathvalleynationalpark #nps #mesquitesanddunes #milkywayphotography #darkskypark #harmonyboraxworks
