Artist's Palette

Artist's Palette is one of the most beautiful attractions in Death Valley National Park and the main highlight of the nine-mile loop road known as Artist's Drive. It is a geological formation on the face of the Black Mountains, noted for having rocks of a wide variety of hues, arranged in patches that resemble the colored oils on a palette using for painting.

Of course, these colors are absolutely natural. They are caused by oxidation as different metals erode. The clay deposits of formed by sediments from an ancient lakebed contain a variety of minerals that combine with oxygen to splash the hills with a rainbow of colors. The reds, pinks, browns, and yellows derive from iron salts as they rust at various rates. The greens and aquamarine come from the decomposition of tuff-derived mica. There are also shades of purple ranging from lavender to violet and plum produced by manganese as it breaks down.

But the science of Artist's Palette is no match for its art. Especially in the late afternoon as sunset approaches, the rocks burst forth with colors so vivid they seem otherworldly. A parking lot at the base of the formation affords good vantage points for photography. There are also steps here providing access to a trail down a narrow wash that leads to closer views of the colorful slopes. Artist's Palette is located eleven miles south of Furnace Creek off Badwater Road, Highway 178.