There’s gold in them thar hills! Why else would people come to Death Valley – aside from the mystic saltwater pools, of course! If you’ve got a moment, and you’re heading into the park from the South entrance, or leaving the park from the South entrance, I’d suggest that you stop at the ruins of the Ashford Mill, where you can still see some of the structures of the former mill survive – mainly because they were built twice as thick as normal buildings. Supposedly, the buildings were built twice as thick, because extra material was delivered upon construction, but if you’re like me, you can speculate about more sinister, science-fiction type reasons while you’re there. In any event, while it’s not the Eureka Mine (http://lastadventurer.com/last-adventurers-fieldnotes/2012/2/27/eureka-mine-harrisburg-ghost-town-aguereberry-camp.html), it’s still worth a stop to see some of Death Valley’s mining past.

Directions: The Mill is located right off Badwater Road, and is approximately thirty-four miles South of Furnace Creek. There are highly visible signs on both directions of the road.