Desert Destination: Scotty's Castle, Death Valley

It's been really hot lately, so today we're going to take a trip down memory lane to when I worked in the hottest place in North America, in Death Valley. Temperatures there can exceed 130 degrees Fahrenheit. This extremely hot temperature is for the valley bottom, part of which is below sea level. Much of the 3.2 million acre park is at higher elevations and thus is slightly cooler. Still, I wouldn't recommend a trip there this weekend; put this idea away for a fall or spring trip.

Scotty's Castle is located near the north end of the park. The mansion was built in the 1920s by a Chicago businessman, Walter Johnson, and his wife. They wanted a winter getaway in a dry climate, and during one trip to the area met Death Valley Scotty, a talkative scoundrel who convinced them to settle in that area. They spared no expense as they built a main building and several outbuildings on 2,500 acres. Springs provided an oasis with welcome shade and cooler temperatures.

The clock tower had state of the art features in it. Unfortunately they didn't get around to finishing the swimming pool in front of the castle. By the way, although the Johnsons called their property Death Valley Ranch, nearly everyone else called it Scotty's Castle, for after the Johnson's death, Scotty took it over for a time. The Johnsons never seemed to resent Scotty's presence but enjoyed his storytelling and company.

The tour guides dress up in 1930s clothing and give living history tours through the buildings, transporting you back in time. Yes, that's me, if you were wondering. It was winter and cool, so I wore a cape over my vintage clothing, including stockings with seams and a garter belt (not that I showed that off). My character was Abigail Fox, a spy looking for the gold mine that was rumored to be hidden within Scotty's Castle. I had a lot of fun with the character.

The house tours show the opulence and workmanship that was put in to every room. Here's a rattlesnake light fixture in the kitchen. Scotty loved making up stories about the house, so there were always plenty of tales to tell.

Here are some beautiful baskets made by the local Timbisha-Shoshone women. If you're ever out in Death Valley, I'd recommend taking the tour of Scotty's Castle. It is a strange experience out in the middle of the desert.


And one last shot, an overview of the castle grounds. You can see how stark the background looks, with sparse vegetation. But the palm trees in the foreground made the immediate area seem like a great getaway.