# Soil Features of Death Valley National Park > Written by Dr. Yamina Pressler > Last updated March 27, 2024 > All photos are mine. Photos may be used for educational purposes only, with credit given. > [!info] A note on this guide > Here I describe various soil features that I have observed in Death Valley National Park. This is not a comprehensive list of all of the soils found in the area. Rather, this is a work in progress that I feel is worth sharing as I create it. It's part field guide, part photo essay, and part checklist! Each time I visit, explore, and learn more, I add to this guide. All soil features were naturally exposed and observed in situ, without any digging or soil disturbance. Learn more about visiting with soils respectfully and responsibly here: [[Soil seeking - a collective care practice]] ## What you'll find here... **Introduction** - [[Death Valley soil features#The Mojave Desert is full of soil wonders|The Mojave Desert is full of soil wonders]] **Soil Features** - [[Death Valley soil features#Stratified alluvial layers in a freshly exposed cut bank|Alluvial soil profiles]] - [[Death Valley soil features#Salt coatings and flats leaves evidence of evaporation|Salt coatings and flats]] - [[Death Valley soil features#Desert pavement forms slowly over time|Desert pavement]] - [[Death Valley soil features#Cracked playa surfaces for when clays dry out|Cracked playa soil]] - [[Death Valley soil features#Platy soil structure can be found in surface soils|Platy soil structure]] - [[Death Valley soil features#Anthropogenic soils can be seen along roadsides|Anthropogenic soils]] - [[Death Valley soil features#Colorful soils are everywhere you look!|Diverse soil colors]] - [[Death Valley soil features#Shrubs catch sand grains and form mini dunes|Mini sand dunes]] **Checklist** - [[Death Valley soil features#Checklist of Soil Features|Checklist of Soil Features]] --- # The Mojave Desert is full of soil wonders Death Valley National Park is situated in the Mojave Desert in California. Here, you can experience sweeping vistas, unique geology, clear night skies, and plants and wildlife you'll find no where else. Soils are everywhere, but they are often hidden from view beneath vegetation. With it's sparse, but resilient, plant life, the desert is an excellent place for soil viewing! ![[panamintvalley-bloom.jpg|600]] # Stratified alluvial layers in a freshly exposed cut bank Dry desert washes are great places to see exposed [[Soils form in profiles and horizons|soil profiles and horizons]]. Here's one such exposure where you can see distinct layers of soil, sediment, and rock fragments. Notice how rounded the rocks are. As these rocks are moved by flowing water, they become rounded over time. Each horizon has rocks of different sizes - we call this pattern stratification. Because larger rocks require more energy to move, the size of the rocks within each horizon tell us how quickly water was moving when it deposited the sediment. Key features to look for: - **alluvium** - soil and sediment that has been moved and deposited by flowing water - **soil profile** - a cross section of soil where horizons and other features are exposed - **horizons** - layers of soil ![[alluvial soil death valley.jpg|600]] ![[stratified alluvium DVNP.png|600]] # Salt coatings and flats leaves evidence of evaporation The desert is a dry place by definition. Evaporation rates are high throughout the year. As water evaporates from the surface of the soil, it leaves salt behind. You can observe this phenomenon on the surfaces of rocks and soil particles and across valleys with no natural water outlet (like the Badwater salt flats). Notice how strikingly white the salt coatings on rock surfaces in the photo below! Key features to look for: - **salt coatings** - rocks or clumps of soil covered in salt crystals - **salt flats** - broad, open valleys covered in large hexagonal patterns of salt crystals ![[salt crust DVNP.jpg|800]] # Desert pavement forms slowly over time [Desert pavement](https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/29/9/855/191841/Desert-pavements-and-associated-rock-varnish-in) is one of my favorite patterns in the desert. It forms on stable surfaces where wind and water erosion work together to progressively sort rocks into a smooth surface. Wind carries dust that gets trapped underneath the rocks, while water slowly washes away sediments lodged beneath and between the rocks. Well-developed desert pavement looks like each individual rock has been placed there on purpose. You can find desert pavement with a variety of rock sizes and shapes, all neatly packed together. Careful not to disturb this feature. It can take centuries to form. Desert pavement can be observed throughout the park. Look for it on the tops of flat hills. There's a great example on the drive towards Beatty. From Beatty Junction, look westward as you drive and notice the smooth, flat hilltops. Key features to look for: - **desert pavement** - continuous layer of flat rocks on the surface of desert soils ![[desert pavement.jpg|800]] # Cracked playa surfaces for when clays dry out Fine particles including silt and clay wash down from mountain ranges and accumulate in the valleys below. In these arid regions, where evaporation rates and high and there is no natural water outlet (such as a stream), playas like this develop. As the silt and clay drys out, it cracks into these distinct polygons, almost curling up along the edges. Key features to look for: - **patterns in the playa** - repeated cracked polygons of dried out silt and clay on the valley bottoms ![[panamint-playa2.jpg]] ![[panamint-playa1.jpg]] # Platy soil structure can be found in surface soils Soils form in many shapes. Soil scientists call this property "soil structure". In alluvial desert soils, we sometimes find platy soil structure, which looks just as it sounds - thin, sheet-like plates of soil. The plates are oriented parallel to the surface of the soil. These features can be associated with [vesicular features](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0341816212001427) in desert soils. Key features to look for: - **platy structure** - horizontal, sheet-like shapes in surface soils ![[panamint-platystructure.jpg]] # Anthropogenic soils can be seen along roadsides All soils are impacted by human activities, either directly through the physical movement of soil materials, or indirectly through changes in climate and management. The desert is no exception. Here's an example of an [[Exploring the formation and function of anthropogenic soils|anthropogenic soil]] topped with a layer of asphalt. This soil was exposed after Hurricane Hilary came through the Panamint Valley, leading to flooding and scouring along desert washes. Notice the clean boundaries between the asphalt and the soil beneath. This feature is common in anthropogenic and [[Exploring the formation and function of anthropogenic soils|urban soils]]. There's another abrupt boundary just in the horizon beneath, too! Key features to look for: - **abrupt boundaries** - clean, observable transitions between soil horizons ![[panamint-roadcut2.jpg]] ![[panamint-roadcut1.jpg]] # Colorful soils are everywhere you look! Artist drive and Artist Palette offer spectacularly colorful soil views! These soils are dominated by minerals that give them their pigment. Minerals include manganese minerals such as vivianite (purple), chlorite (pale green), and iron oxides (reds, oranges, and yellows). Visit Mustard Canyon for strikingly bright yellow soils and hills. Key features to look for: - **[[Soils are colorful natural wonders|colorful hues]]** - the hue is the dominant spectral signature of a color ![[artist-drive-soil.jpg]] # Shrubs catch sand grains and form mini dunes The winds in Death Valley are no joke! Winds pick up regularly, dust storms are common, and sand dunes can be observed around the park. While Mesquite Dunes are sandy soil features on a massive scale, you can also observe evidence of wind blown sand on a much smaller scale throughout the landscape. Shrubs like the Creosote Bush (*Larrea tridentata*) will act as a windbreak, slowing air and allowing sand grains to fall. Notice how small piles of sand accumulate right next to shrubs. It's as if the shrubs catch the sand grains as they blow by. In areas where prevailing, directional winds are common, you'll find a pile of sand next to every shrub, always on the same side. Can you tell which direction the wind frequently blows? You can observe a great example of this feature walking down the road to Salt Creek. Key features to look for: - **mini sand dunes** - notice the size, shape, and direction of these sand features ![[mini sand dunes death valley.jpg]] # Checklist of Soil Features Here's an organized checklist of features to observe and a list of locations to visit on your next trip to Death Valley National Park. Happy [[Soil seeking - a collective care practice|soil seeking]]! | | Soil Feature | | --- | ------------------------------- | | | cracked playa surface | | | alluvial horizons in a dry wash | | | platy soil structure | | | desert pavement | | | salt coatings | | | salt flats | | | sand dunes | | | purple soil | | | pink soil | | | green soil | | | red soil | | | yellow soil | | | orange soil | **Locations to visit** - Badwater basin salt flats - Artist Palette colorful soils - Mustard Canyon bright yellow soils - Mesquite sand dunes - Mini sand dunes along Salt Creek road - Panamint Valley playa > [!info] Thank you for reading! > I keep my soil science educational resources freely available because I believe that soil education and enjoyment should be accessible to everyone. The best way to support my work is to share it with others. I am also interested in your feedback. [[contact me|Contact me]] and let me know what you think! Looking for more soil science information? 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