To end our second day in the park (Sunday, March 4th), we enjoyed the bar at Stovepipe Wells as the sun set and then headed out to the Mesquite Sand Dunes. We wanted to enjoy a Ranger-led program out onto the sand dunes. It was an extremely clear day that led into an extremely clear night, so we did some stargazing until the ranger got there. We bought one of those discs that shows you what constellations are out. Tip: Use red lights, not regular bright flashlights, because you will keep your night vision. The moon was so bright that night, that you really didn't need a flashlight to get around!
When the ranger arrived, she used the Star Walk app on her iPad to show us some of the constellations. Then we ventured out onto the sand dunes, where she showed us the tracks of some of the animals present on the sand dunes. First, we found the desert stink bugs' tracks which kind of look like dirt bike tracks. Then, we found the kangaroo rats' tracks which look like 4 teardrops and a line dragging between them. Then, we found the kit foxes' tracks which look like a house cats' tracks but with longer claws. She also showed us images of coyote and sidewinder snakes' tracks, but we didn't find any of those. She explained how all of these animals interact and survive in this ecosystem year-round! It is truly amazing that these animals have evolved to survive in such a dry climate that can reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit in the summertime.
My dad and I walked back to the car with no flashlight on at all, enjoying the serenity of the soft sand dunes. This was by far my favorite experience of all! I could have spent the whole night out there!
Piece of advice: We didn't take the time to do this, but the ranger was saying that the best time to go out on the sand dunes is an hour before sunrise. You will find the animals active still and full of tracks undisturbed by human tracks. Wish we would've done this!
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