Death Valley National Park
Furnace Creek Courtyard Improvements
Furnace Creek Courtyard Improvements
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National Monument
1933 National Park 1994 Park Size 3.4 million acres, 91% wilderness Annual Visitors 1.1 million Park Fee $30 Superintendent Mike Reynolds Park Partner Death Valley Natural History Association Location Inyo and San Bernardino Counties, CA, Nye County, NV |
Death Valley National Park is a land of vast extremes - the lowest elevation in North America and the hottest temperatures ever recorded. In an era of global climate change, Death Valley has consistently broken its own records for heat. The Furnace Creek Visitor Center courtyard was improved in 2022 through a Fund grant that provided several shade canopies. Yet the success of that project led to a new need.
More visitors were now gathering in the courtyard, but it lacked visitor information and had inadequate seating. Additionally, seating in the picnic area adjacent to the visitor center had aluminum tables that were simply too hot to use on an increasing number of days. With a grant from The Fund for People in Parks to the Death Valley Natural History Association, the park acquired benches and tables coated in rubber, of a type proven to deal well with Death Valley heat, as well as a large bulletin board kiosk for sharing visitor information. These improvements are increasing visitor access to educational information and lengthening their stay. It is providing comfortable and accessible seating for families having a picnic or for special events and ranger talks. The outdoor information kiosk is reaching the many people who do not enter the visitor center. Project Cost: $21,669 Project Completed: 2024 The Fund for People in Parks: $18,340 National Park Service: $3,329 You have our sincerest gratitude for the support! These projects might seem like small infrastructure pieces in a grand scale, but they have a noticeable impact on visitors' experience within the park." |
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