Spring is picture-perfect time to venture to Death Valley

It's here! The winter rains have been bountiful and our green, gray and brown is bursting forth with colorful wildflowers that make the viewer gasp. The desert and mountains around Las Vegas are beautiful, but it is in Death Valley that the display of color is unsurpassed.

One must see to believe this lovely desert flower show. Each alluvial fan has ribbons of color in every shallow erosion line. Magenta sand verbena and tiny golden poppies are tucked away in the rocks, helping to shelter the rare and fragile desert star, which only the sharpest eyes will ever notice.

Are there any words to describe Death Valley in the spring? How can the usually drab and arid stretches of dunes be so glowing? Death Valley is a most curious area, abounding in strange and seemingly uninhabited places. One of the most unusual phenomena in the valley is the abundance of plants that grow in this torrid region.

More than 600 species have been located. In the furthest reaches of some remote canyons, such as Johnson Canyon, Hanaupah, Nevares, Titanothere and Dante's, a rare species of fern has been found.

Near the spring areas, wild celery, horse pumpkin, water cress and wild parsley grow in abundance. On the floor of the valley, a wide variety of flowering plants decorate the barren ground in spring.

Some desert lovers say the tawny buckbrush is the loveliest of all heat-seeking plants. Their unusual, tight groupings resemble miniature forests. Cactus, the most characteristic of all desert growth, blooms in all colors.

A pleasant day's outing is the drive around the loop, where visitors can see a spectacular array of scenery. From Shoshone, Calif., Salsberry Pass Road snakes over the mountains, through some of the most grandly rugged terrain on earth. The Ashford Mill ruins are a short trip off the main highway as the road drops down into the valley sink. Farther on is Badwater, the lowest spot in the western hemisphere. The elevation of sea level is marked on the cliffside 279.8 feet above the floor of the valley. Badwater is appropriately named, as one taste of the brackish liquid will cause tongues and lips to pucker.

Three and a half miles from Badwater is a graded dirt road leading to a natural bridge, and two miles beyond that is another road leading to the salt pools. This is known as the Devil's Golf Course and is composed of mile upon mile of jagged salt formations that sparkle and glitter in the sunlight.

Artist's Drive is a short loop of paved road leading through colorful mud canyons. Heading into Furnace Creek, you may want to visit Desolation Canyon, Golden Canyon and Breakfast Canyon.

The entire area around Furnace Creek is filled with fascinating things to see and do. Don't miss the Borax Museum and the old equipment that stands around the museum grounds. The visitor's center also has a wonderful museum and interesting displays. A short drive to Harmony Borax Works and Mustard Canyon is well worth the time.

Furnace Creek Ranch has a coffee shop and a cafeteria, as well as a general store if you prefer to fix your own food. There is a service station and full RV camping at Texas Spring Campground nearby.

Returning to Las Vegas, take Highway 190 toward Death Valley Junction. Along the way, the magnificent building perched on the hillside is Furnace Creek Inn, an oasis of beauty. The gardens of the inner courtyard are verdant and shaded by towering palm trees.

The next spot of interest is Zabriskie Point, a view of glowing mustard-colored hills and canyons that is world famous. About a mile further on is the start of a one-way dirt road through Twenty Mule Team Canyon. The historic trail will give you a good feeling for the desolation of the terrain traveled by those hardy animals.

The next sign you see will point to Dante's View. It is 13.3 miles to the end of the road and a steep, winding drive to the lookout point but, oh, what a view! Almost all Death Valley is spread below and the distant Panamint Range seems to be at eye level. An optional short walk leads to a high knob offering a view of another part of the valley.

Florine Lawlor is a native Las Vegan and a former writer for the Las Vegas Sun and Senior Press. Contact her at P.O. Box 26394, Las Vegas, NV 89126.