Eureka Sand Dunes Sunset 3

During my recent trip to Death Valley National Park, I visited the Eureka Dunes. At over 600′ tall, these dunes are the tallest in California. They are located almost 100 miles due north of Furnace Creek, requiring either a 40 mile off-road drive or 160 mile circuitous route around the park to the northwest. After soliciting advice from the park rangers, I decided to try the off-road option since the road was reportedly dry and in good condition. There were a few washboard sections, but nothing as difficult as my previous drives to the Racetrack. When I finally arrived at the dunes, I was impressed by their girth. If you’ve visited the Mesquite Dunes, imagine them piled on top of each other until they blocked out the horizon. I was daunted by their size, but since the sunset was approaching, I grabbed my camera gear and headed straight up. I probably climbed about 2/3 of the way up to the top, but once I surveyed the massive ridge patterns to the north, I went back down and headed towards them. As the sunlight turned golden yellow and the shadows began to elongate, I settled on this image beneath the summit. After the sun sank below the mountains to the west, I hiked for 45 minute back to my truck, and then drove for over 2 hours back to my camping trailer. It was a long day, but worth the effort.