In April of this year, we took a four day / three night trip to Death Valley National Park. We’d always wanted to visit the park in a proper time of year — that is, when it is not burning hot. Death Valley National Park is, to quote the National Park Service, the “hottest, driest, and lowest national park.” It is also the largest national park in the contiguous 48 states at over 3.4 million acres. We had our maps and our guide book and were ready for our visit.

We left mid-morning, heading across the San Fernando Valley, up CA-14 through Lancaster, Palmdale, and Mojave. We stopped for a picnic lunch at the Red Rock Canyon Visitors Center, merged up with US-395 near Inyokern, and stopped for gas at the turn-off to Death Valley in Olancha.

Our first stop of our trip was the Father Crowley Overlook. Named for Fr. John J. Crowley, this vista point has remarkable views down Rainbow Canyon and across the Panamint Valley to the Panamint and Argus ranges of mountains. As we pulled into the parking lot, we were greeted by an amazing view of the snow-covered Panamint Mountains with Telescope Peak standing tall at the center. We were lucky to be traveling to Death Valley at the end of a wet winter as the snow-capped mountains made a great contrast to the colorful and stark desert below. Click on any picture to see a full-sized version.

Fr. Crowley, also known as Padre Crowley, was a Catholic priest in the easter Sierra in the early-mid 20th century. He worked to help residents of this sparsely-populated but beautiful area and earned a reputation for effective administration and hard work. He did much to enhance tourism in the area, which includes the Death Valley, the lowest point, and Mt. Whitney, the highest point, in the contiguous 48 states.

There is a monument to Fr. Crowley at the overlook. The plaque on the monument reads:

Father John J. Crowley

From the snowy heights of the Sierras beyond the deep shadows of Death Valley, beloved and trusted by people of all faiths, he led them toward life’s wider horizons.

He passed this way.

Father Crowley Overlook is above Rainbow Canyon, also called Star Wars Canyon due to the rock colors reminding people of Luke’s home on Tatooine. This view looks west from the overlook.

Looking east from the overlook, the twisted rock layers in the Panamint Range are stark and beautiful.

South of the overlook is the Argus Range, the western boundary of Panamint Valley. The tallest peak in the range, Maturango Peak, is in the center of the frame.

Finally, here is a panorama showing the remarkable views to the east and south. Click on the picture to embiggen.