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This Is What Happens At Racetrack Playa, Death Valley, California

Sailing Stones

Racetrack playa

In the summers with the air temperature of fifty-seven degrees Celsius, Death Valley becomes one of the hottest places in the world along with deserts in the Middle East. Death Valley is located in eastern California in the great Mojave Desert. It is a land of spectacular views yet mysterious in nature. It has a high temperature in the summers but can be dangerously cold during the winter months. Sudden flooding on the floor of the valley can be noticed during storms in the mountains.

RACETRACK PLAYA is a huge dry lake, about 3 miles long - north to south and 2 miles wide - east to west. This dry lake is covered with dried mud hexagons which make the surface very hard and when people walk on it, it leaves footprints behind. During the rainy season, this dry place gets wet and if you walk on it, it creates unsightly, muddy footprints that can take many years to erase. Racetrack Playa is one of the unusual and most bizarre spots in Death Valley National Park. It is a place where you will see mysterious sailing large stones gliding over the muddy and dry surface which leaves imprinted trails behind them. You should definitely visit these adventures and mysterious places but getting here takes advance planning, you will experience the rocky, long, and rough roads through the remote landscape.

If you are planning to witness this adventure, then catch a flight to McCarran International Airport – Las Vegas. If you are an international Traveller than either you should have a valid visa or an ESTA authorization to travel the United States. While applying for ESTA US you need to fill ESTA form the USA. It is necessary to fill the form properly and correctly. Following points need to be kept in mind while filling the form:

  • The whole application needs to be filled in English
  • You will have to fill separate application for each traveler
  • All the information marked with *(star prefix) is mandatory to fill ESTA form the US includes five steps to complete the form:
  • About the Candidate
  • About Trip
  • Qualifying questions
  • Information Review
  • Payment
Racetrack playa
Although, ESTA application has several questions related to the traveller, his passport details, Job-related question, and so on it also has one important segment, which is the eligibility question. In ESTA application questions, it is important to provide the correct information in this segment. Eligibility questions help the U.S customs to evaluate the admissibility of an applicant. These questions are related to below-mentioned points:

  • Applicant’s physical or mental health
  • Any criminal History
  • Drug History
  • Terrorism related activity
  • U.S. employment Aspirations
  • U.S. immigration and visa history
  • Travel history
It is very important for every applicant to understand the questions properly and answer them properly. As providing the wrong answer by mistake or hiding, any information intentionally can result in a denied application.

If you are taking a taxi or private cab, The Racetrack Playa is approximately 200 miles away from the McCarran International Airport. There are many budgets and Stars hotels Consist of facilities like swimming pool, restaurants, clubs, etc.

Around 84 miles before the mysterious Racetrack Playa is the Teakettle Junction. It is one of the unique places in the world which has many teakettles hanging on the big wooden stand. It is said that it was started by the early settlers over here, as there was a crisis of water, and people used to hang a kettle full of water so that anyone passing from here can drink water. So if you are traveling to the Racetrack Playa brings an extra kettle with you to add to the collection. Racetrack playa

There had been many theories behind sailing stones in Racetrack Playa like hurricane winds, through the ice, animals, people, etc. however in 2014 when researchers minutely monitored that when it rains in the lake the surface becomes a shallow lake and during the winter season the water freezes and the rocks trap in the ice. In the morning when the temperature increases the ice breaks up and a steady breeze pushes the rocks over the wet and slippery surface. This led rocks to move up to many feet in one day.

Some of the unique spots in Death Valley National Park, should not be missed
  • Sand Dunes Near Stovepipe Wells – One of the picturesque and beautiful landscapes in the Death Valley. It has a mountain horizon providing the perfect backdrop.
  • Badwater Basin- One of the hottest spots in the Death Valley. Badwater Lake is surrounded by mountains and rimmed with salt.
  • Zabriskie Point - The best spot for the hiking trail with a landscape of hard-packed ridges of orange, gold, and brown earth.
  • Dante's View – It offers the best view of the Death Valley from the top, you can see the mountains, dry lakes, and the sand.
  • Artist's Drive And Artist's Palette – situated close to the Black Mountains, it is a colorful section of hillside ranging from brown, pink, and orange to green and turquoise, created by metals in the rock.
  • Devil's Golf Course And Artist's Drive – it is a flat expanse of sharp salt crystals that creates a big field of jagged salt boulders.
  • Twenty Mule Team Canyon – this road is different from other parts of the park including bounded by the rock walls on the side, barren flats, and colorful hills.
  • Ubehebe Crater – It is 0.80 kilometers wide & 400 feet deep which resulted from the volcanic explosions. It has dark ground with lava flows and cinders.
  • Natural Bridge - It is a naturally formed bridge set in a canyon. It has a picturesque view that is unique in nature.
If you are a Traveler and would love to enjoy many such places, the Travel Experiences booking Platform like Klook comes handy and makes our travels memorable.




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Any facts, figures or references stated here are made by the author & don't reflect the endorsement of iU at all times unless otherwise drafted by official staff at iU. This article was first published here on 28th June 2020.

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