Lost Riches & Harsh Winds: Our Death Valley Adventure & the Ghost Town of Rhyolite
- Cara Kerouac
- Feb 3
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 4
The desert is full of stories—some whispered by the wind through abandoned structures, others carried on the wings of fighter jets roaring overhead. Our latest journey brought us face to face with both as we camped near Death Valley National Park, endured brutal winds, explored a historic ghost town, and even got buzzed by military jets in Panamint Valley.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to experience the extremes of desert camping—where the landscape shifts before your eyes and history echoes through the ruins—this is the adventure for you.
Battling the Winds: A Rough Day in Camp Life
The desert isn’t always kind. We set up our camp in Panamint Valley, just outside the national park on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, which allows dispersed camping (and gives our dogs the freedom to roam). The location was perfect—stunning views, peace, and proximity to the adventures we had planned.
What we didn’t plan for? The craziness of only one day of wind.
Our screen tent? Shredded. Our shower tent? Destroyed. Our entire setup? A dust-covered mess. But the most important thing? Our main tent survived.
Camping here means preparing for the unexpected, and while we had checked the weather (which promised calmer conditions), the desert had other plans. A lesson learned: always over-secure your gear—especially in a place known for extreme weather.
Panamint Valley Mines & Sand Dune Hikes
Once the winds died down, we hit the trails, heading up to the Panamint Mines, a lesser-visited area high in the mountains overlooking the valley. The hike was tough—about 1.5 miles up with 1,000 feet of elevation gain—but the views were absolutely worth it.
Fighter Jets & A Heart-Stopping Moment
Just as we were settling into the peace of the desert, we got a huge surprise. Fighter jets flew directly over our camp, coming in low and fast before hitting their afterburners.
Panamint Valley is known as a training ground for military aircraft, and we got front-row seats to the action. If you camp here, be prepared—you might experience your own Top Gun moment!
Rhyolite Ghost Town: A Boom & Bust Tale
On our way to Beatty, Nevada, we stopped at Rhyolite, one of the most famous ghost towns in the West. Once a bustling mining town, Rhyolite boomed in the early 1900s after gold was discovered in the area. Within just a few years, the population skyrocketed, and money flooded in—casinos, high-end shops, even a $90,000 bank building (a fortune at the time) were constructed.
By 1910, the town was already in decline. Many of its buildings were dismantled and relocated to nearby Beatty, leaving only the skeleton of a once-prosperous community behind. Today, Rhyolite stands as a haunting reminder of the transient nature of the Old West’s mining towns.
What you’ll find in Rhyolite today:
✔️ The famous Bottle House—built using adobe and glass bottles instead of bricks
✔️ Remnants of the bank, school, and train station
✔️ A surreal open-air art installation near the townsite
For those exploring Death Valley, Rhyolite is a must-see stop, offering an eerie but fascinating glimpse into the past.
Camping Near Death Valley: Tips & Recommendations
Thinking about camping near Death Valley? Here’s what we recommend:
✅ Stay on BLM land if you have dogs. National parks require pets to be leashed at all times, so if your dogs love to run, BLM sites just outside the park are the better option.
✅ Secure your camp! Winds can be unpredictable, and a calm forecast doesn’t guarantee safety. Use extra stakes, tie-downs, and windbreaks.
✅ Come During the cool of winter, but keep an eye on the forecast. During our stay, we were graced with warm days and cold nights, but snow was in the forecast when we left.
✅ Visit Rhyolite if you love history. It’s only about an hour from Furnace Creek and well worth the detour.
✅ Wake up early to see untouched sand dunes. The wind shapes them into mesmerizing patterns—until the first footprints of the day disturb them.
✅ Watch for fighter jets. If you hear nothing and then a sudden ROAR, you just got buzzed.
Join Us on the Road!
We’re documenting every adventure—both the epic and the chaotic—so you can come along for the ride!
💌 Email us your thoughts or travel questions: join@kerouacscruising.com
🎥 Subscribe for our latest episodes on YouTube: @KerouacsCruising
Liked this post? Share it & help others discover these amazing places! 🚐✨
Commentaires