DV Day 5: Harmony Borax Works, Devil's Cornfield, & Salt Creek

HARMONY BORAX WORKS

Harmony Borax Works became famous through the use of 20 mule teams that moved borax from Death Valley to nearby communities.

Steam boiler

Workers refined borax by boiling it to remove unwanted salt and mud, a simple but time consuming process.  They did not work in the summer because borax will not crystallize above 120 degrees.

Boiling tanks

MUSTARD CANYON

Remains of Harmony Borax Works building.

The salt in Mustard Canyon looked like snow!

Salt crystals 

DEVIL'S CORN FIELD

Just east of Mesquite Sand Dunes is a growth of Arrowweed plants, some over 6 feet tall.  The sand builds up around these plants and then the wind blows the sand away exposing their root systems.

Arrowweed 

SALT CREEK

This stream of salty water is the only home to a rare pupfish, Cyprinodon salinas salinas.  

Bird tracks on edge of creek.

We captured a few photos of pupfish which are most active during the spring.

🚗🚙🚕. DV License Plate Game:  We saw New Jersey, West Virginia, and Nebraska.  How many did you guess?  We saw 35 states all together, not bad but I was hoping for more!

Goodbye Death Valley...