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Death Valley National Park - Death Valley
Saratoga Springs
Saratoga Springs sits near the southern edge of Death Valley National Park, standing out as a rare desert oasis. It has three large ponds, covering about 6.6 acres, fed by natural springs. This wetland is full of life, with tall reeds, bulrush, and saltgrass creating shelter and food for many animals. One of its most unique residents is the Saratoga Pupfish, a tiny fish that has survived in the harsh desert environment.
People have relied on Saratoga Springs as a key water source in this dry and unforgiving land for over a hundred years. Like Ibex Springs to the north, it has seen plenty of visitors-travelers, prospectors, and borax miners-but not much remains of its past. Time, harsh weather, and curious hands have erased most signs of human activity.
The first written record of Saratoga Springs comes from an 1871 survey led by George Wheeler. His team may have camped here and named the springs after the famous Saratoga Springs in New York. Whether or not they were the first to discover it, the site quickly became well-known to desert travelers and became a vital stop for people crossing the region. By the 1880s, the springs were an essential watering hole for the massive 20-mule team wagons hauling borax from nearby mining operations. In a place where water is scarce, Saratoga Springs played a significant role in keeping people and animals alive on long, grueling journeys across the desert.
20-mule team borax wagons
Harmony borax works
Death Valley Ecosubsection
This subsection is the alluvial plain of Death Valley, from Sand Spring south-southeast to the drainage divide between Death Valley ...Ibex Springs
In brief, the South Valley and Ibex Hills region has seen periods of short and intermittent ...Moorehouse Mine
The last stage of mining activities in south Death Valley opened in the mid-1930s, when ...Ibex Dunes
Visitors to Saratoga Springs may notice these dunes, but they are shielded from paved roads by ...Amargosa River
Amargosa is nearly 200 miles long, but by the time the river terminates, it has only traveled ...
