Racetrack Playa: A Place Where Even Rocks Move

#hellohalloween

In the middle of Death Valley, amidst the silence and sand, lies a flat plateau—perfect as a mirror. This is Racetrack Playa, one of the strangest places on the planet.
There are no plants, no sounds, no living things. Only clay, sun, and stones that seem to crawl along the ground, leaving long, winding tracks behind them.

You stand in the middle of this plain and can't understand how this is possible. Stones weighing tens of kilograms slowly move, changing direction, as if they have a purpose. Scientists puzzled over it for a long time until they figured it out: after rare rains, the water turns the surface into a thin layer of ice, the wind pushes the stones, and they slide. But even knowing the explanation, it still feels like watching a miracle.

📍 Where is Racetrack Playa located? It's in the northwest part of Death Valley, California. The nearest asphalt road is 43 kilometers along a rocky road from Ubehebe Crater. It's about a two-hour drive each way, if you drive carefully.

🚗 Travel Tips
— Only a 4×4 vehicle with durable tires.
— At least one (preferably two) spare tires and a repair kit.
— A full tank of fuel and extra water.
— It's best to leave early in the morning to return before dark.
— After rain, the road becomes impassable.

🌅 When to Go
Autumn and spring are the most comfortable times. Warm days, cool nights, and sunrises here seem like another world: pink skies, a perfectly smooth plateau, and shadows from the rocks stretching to infinity.

Post by Liseykina | Oct 28, 2025