Winter is my favorite time to explore Death Valley. Occasional weather fronts pass by, producing interesting clouds and some precipitation. The temperatures are far more comfortable, and it can even be cold in the mountains. I usually time my visits for December or January, though I’ll visit as late as the beginning of April, by which time it is noticeably heating up. This year I went at the end of February, and I was pleased to run into fewer people than usual.

I drove out to this remote canyon in the middle of the day, then loaded up the pack and walked a few miles into it. I think I saw only two other small groups the entire time. The route passed through some wonderful canyon narrows, and I paused to photograph them going in and then again coming back out. I paused here because the canyon itself was interesting but also because of the green desert holly plant growing in the gravel of the wash.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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