Death Valley Attracts Tourists Despite Record Heat

People are still traveling to Death Valley National Park, which is located on the California–Nevada border, despite the rising temperatures. The park is regarded as the planet’s hottest spot. According to the National Park Service, the highest temperature ever recorded in Death Valley was 56.6 degrees Celsius on July 10, 1913. Only a few occasions in Earth’s history have temperatures of 54.44 degrees Celsius or higher been recorded, primarily in Death Valley. The temperature reached 53.33 degrees Celsius over the last weekend.

At this time of year, the majority of people simply venture a short distance into any park area before getting back in their cars and into the cold air. However, early last week, German Daniel Jusehus made the decision to run in the heat. “I was really noticing, you know, I didn’t feel so hot, but my body was working really hard to cool myself,” he said to the Associated Press. In addition, the enthusiastic runner snapped a picture of the thermometer outside the park’s Furnace Creek Visitor Center. The thermometer displayed a reading of 48.8 degrees Celsius. According to preliminary data from the Park Service, heat-related deaths have claimed the lives of at least four individuals nationwide in the 424 national parks.

Visitors to Death Valley National Park are advised to exercise caution and not hold out hope for a rescue. Even though park rangers can help drivers in need when they are driving on park roads, there is no assurance that lost visitors will receive assistance in a timely manner. The annual visitor count to the desert park exceeds 1.1 million. One of the biggest national parks is Death Valley National Park, covering 13,848 square kilometers. In June, July, and August, roughly one-fifth of the visitors arrive. Many come even after the recommended cutoff times because they still want to explore. Engaging in physical exercise can exacerbate the effects of heat and weary individuals. “It does feel like the sun has gone through your skin and is getting into your bones,” stated park ranger Nichole Andler.