Russell’s Camp

This is only one of the many posts relating to our Death Valley adventure. If you would like to see more of what we did on that trip please visit our main Death Valley page.

After our adventure over at Emmett’s Camp we still had several other items on our list of old, historical site to explore. From talking to a few of the visitors we had received at the Geologists’ Cabin we understood that another old camp was right up the valley next to Stella’s place. We remembered seeing a road leading off and up to the left when we arrived at Stella’s after our first day in the Park and so headed over in that direction. We had left a small string of battery-powered LED lights over at Stella’s and took the opportunity to stop by and retrieve them. Once we had them back in our possession we exited Stella’s, closed the gate behind us, took a right at the access road and then the next right to head up towards what we hoped would be Russell’s Camp.

Just like at Emmett’s we drove around several narrow corners in the road and then, magically appearing before us was an obvious collection of buildings.

We parked in an easy spot and chose to walk to the buildings. As we approached the entrance we could see and hear dozens (at least) of small, ground-dwelling creatures skittering away from the menace that is Willow. Apparently the animal telegraph system works well and word had gotten out that this vicious predator was in the area and on the prowl.

Right at the front of this first building was some old mining apparatus that we found interesting enough to take pictures of.

Around the left corner from the old equipment we found a door marked “Honeymoon Suite.”

Willow and I are both single and plan on staying that way but, even on the infinitesimally small chance that marriage was in the cards we would be hard pressed to want to spend a honeymoon in here. In the general area, sure. In this room, not a chance.

Several other rooms were available for the adventurous and undiscerning traveler and none were any more enticing than the honeymoon suite.

In an adjacent building was the kitchen and walls covered with photos of a bygone era.

A veritable treasure trove of photos showing people enjoying this camp and life as it was back in the day going back 50 years or more plaster most wall space in the kitchen area.

There was both a new(er) outhouse and the old outhouse with humorous (yet somewhat serious) signs informing you to get in, do your business and get out as fast as you can.

So, another interesting find. Still, if given the choice we will always choose the Geologists’ Cabin to stay at but this certainly does have some nice features and I can see a small group of people having a grand old weekend staying here and using it as your base of operations. Since the Geologists’ Cabin is the most sought after spot in the Valley it is good to know that there are other options if you don’t want to “rough it” in a tent. I expect we will stay a night or two here next time we are in the Valley.