Death Valley National Park in Inyo County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Devil’s Cornfield
Photographed By Craig Baker, April 4, 2022
1. Devil’s Cornfield Marker
Inscription.
Devil’s Cornfield. . Seeking to capitalize on the mystique of Death Valley, early promoters attached dubious names like "Devils Cornfield" to its strange and unusual features. Thought to resemble bundled corn left to dry in rows at harvest time, the root system of the arrowweed binds the soil around each plant. The mesquite trees at the base of the sand dunes in the distance have made similar adaptations, hoarding the soil to support their growth. Arrowweed does well in soils that are only slightly salty and is an indicator of a shallow water table. As the name suggests, Native Americans used the ridged stems of the arrowweed as arrow shafts.
Seeking to capitalize on the mystique of Death
Valley, early promoters attached dubious names
like "Devils Cornfield" to its strange and unusual
features. Thought to resemble bundled corn left
to dry in rows at harvest time, the root system of
the arrowweed binds the soil around each plant.
The mesquite trees at the base of the sand dunes in the distance have made similar adaptations,
hoarding the soil to support their growth.
Arrowweed does well in soils that are only
slightly salty and is an indicator of a shallow
water table. As the name suggests, Native
Americans used the ridged stems of the
arrowweed as arrow shafts.
Location. 36° 36.984′ N, 117° 4.309′ W. Marker is in Death Valley National Park, California, in Inyo County. Marker is on California Route 190, 6 miles east of Stovepipe Wells Village, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Death Valley CA 92328, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Wind scours the surrounding sand away, leaving the plants stranded on a pedestal of root and earth.
Photographed By Craig Baker, April 4, 2022
3. Devil’s Cornfield and Marker
Photographed By Craig Baker, April 4, 2022
4. Devil’s Cornfield Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on April 12, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 12, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 1,812 times since then and 295 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 12, 2022, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
