PALM SPRINGS
Park . This is Ansel Adams country , with one storybook view after another presenting itself as you make your way through the valley . There ’ s the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome , and the 600-foot drop of Bridalveil Falls . Just outside of the town of Mammoth looms the Devils Postpile , a majestic geologic wonder of basalt rock formations that has to be seen to be believed . The surrounding highlights include the Long Valley Caldera and Convict Lake ( one of the most photographed lakes in the country ), and the Bodie Ghost Town , a former gold-mining outpost that was once home to 10,000 souls and is now beautifully desolate . Mount Whitney and Death Valley — the highest and lowest points in the lower 48 states ( 14,5050 feet above and 282 feet below sea level , respectively )— are nearby and just 65 miles apart .
The town of Mammoth Lakes itself is a world-renowned hub for winter adventure , with world-class skiing and boarding on Mammoth Mountain . The greater area , however , makes it a year-round destination offering unforgettable geographic diversity — from salt flats to soaring granite cliffs .
We ’ re on the move , heading southwest through the Mojave Desert toward Palm Springs . We stop to take in the petroglyphs of the Valley of Fire before moving on to the blackjack tables and slot machines of Vegas . Eventually , we come to the Coachella Valley in the northern Sonoran Desert — a gorgeous land populated with bighorn sheep , yucca plants , kit foxes and Gila monsters .
It ’ s also the home of Palm Springs , a living monument to mid-century modern architecture . In the 1930s , the town became something of a playground for the well-heeled of Los Angeles , complete with nightclubs and casinos such as The Dunes , The 139 Club , and the Chi Chi .
In the post-war years Hollywood stars arrived and commissioned homes with open designs , vast windows — and swimming pools . The aesthetic came to be known as “ Desert Modern ,” as it incorporated the look and vibe of the area where the sun shines 300 days out of the year . Today the art scene thrives with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in nearby Indio , the Palm Springs International Film Festival , and Modernism Week , celebrating the area ’ s architecture .
stops along the way
PARK CITY
• Utah Olympic Park
• Monument Valley
• Moab Slickrock Mountain BikingTrail
MAMMOTH LAKES
• Death Valley
• Mount Whitney
• Saline Valley Warm Springs
PALM SPRINGS
• Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Mojave National Preserve
THE AMERICAN ROAD TRIP FEATURE beachLIFE 81