Death Valley in the 1930s

Road Workers & Guidebook Writers put the National Monument on the Map
by Cheri Rae

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps built roads and campgrounds in the then-new Death Valley National Monument while the Federal Writers Project produced a guidebook.

General Information

(Ed. Note: Information below circa 1938.)

Season: October to May; a few main roads open all year.

Climate: Fall and spring, days warm to hot, nights cool. Winter, days cool, nights chilly to cold. Summer extremely hot, days 110 degrees to 130 degrees, nights 80 degrees to 100 degrees, low humidity at all times.

Administrative Offices: National Park Service Headquarters, Death Valley, California.

Admission: No fee; registration of license number of automobile, name and address of owner, number of passengers, required.

Transportation to and in Death Valley (rates 1938)

From east or west, Union Pacific Railroad at Crucero, California, connecting with Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad to Death Valley Junction (see Tour 1). Automobile to Death Valley, approximate fare, $5. Tanner Tours pick up Union Pacific Railroad passengers at Las Vegas, Nevada, and Barstow, California; Santa Fe Railway passengers also at Barstow.

Tanner Tours: All-expense by motor from Los Angeles to Death Valley and return, 800-mile trip, 200 miles within Death Valley; 2 passengers minimum, approximately $64.50 per person.

Airfields: Death Valley Airport, opposite Furnace Creek Ranch. Emergency landing fields near Stove Pipe Wills Hotel and in Panamint Valley (unsafe when wet).

On call, airplane service between Death Valley and Las Vegas, Boulder Dam, Boulder Dam Tours, Inc.

Private Guide Service (approximately $2 an hour) and private motor tours (approximately $4 an hour) available at Furnace Creek Camp and Furnace Creek Inn.

Highway Approaches to Death Valley (see map)

From east on Calif. 190, branching from Calif. 127 (at Death Valley Junction); from east on unnumbered road branching from Calif. 127 (N of Shoshone) through Salsberry and Jubilee passes.

From east, Nevada, on rough, unnumbered road branching from Nev. 5 (N of Beatty) through Daylight Pass.

From west on Cali. 190, branching from US 395 (s of Lone Pine). From south on rough, unnumbered road branching from US 466 (E of Barstow) by Cave and Denning springs; on unnumbered road branching from US 395 (N of Mojave) through Wildrose Canyon. Driving time from Los Angeles over these roads is from 7 to10 hours; from San Francisco, 18 to 24 hours; from Las Vegas, Nevada, 4 hours.