When Bob Eichbaum envisioned a resort in Death Valley he could never have imagined that one day a million people a year would visit the park. Leaving Panamint Springs, the highway climbs the heights of the Panamint Mountains and descends to the flat glimering expance that is Death Valley.  Befoer long it arrives at Stovepipe Wells Village, a modest oasis named for a historic site located a few miles to the northeast. There, long ago, an old stovepipe was sunk into the sand to form the shaft for a much used well.

Here at Stovepipe Wells Eichbaum's Bungalette City became the first major resort in Death Valley. Before he could build his resort, he had to build a road to it, which was called the Eichbaum Toll Road. At Stovepipe Wells Village you can see an exhibit of the road and the original resort that opened on November 1, 1926. In the spring of 1927 Eichbaum started another tradition in Death Valley--the Easter Sunrise Service at the sand dunes which brought people into Death Valley from all over California and was proclaimed, " the most unique and significant Easter Service that America has ever known".

This oasis on the floor of Death Valley is actually a hotel that is open year round, go figure. If you think that no one visits Death Valley in the summer when the weather reaches 130+ºF, are you dead wrong (pun intended). One of the busiest times for Stove Pipewells Village is the summer. Who stays there you ask? Well mostly it is those who want to visit the harsh desert. It is less expensive for most Europeans to visit Death Valley than it is to visit the Sahara. Stove Pipewells Village has many rooms, heated mineral pools, a grocery store, cocktail lounge and a dining room.

Also nearby is Mosaic Canyon, a fine spot for hiking.  In the canyon, walls of finely polished marble contrasts with other survaces composed of angular rock fragments that have been cemented into patterns resembling mosaics.  The scattered shrubs growing in the canyon include desert holly, creosote bush, ocotilla, and Mormon tea.