August

What is the name of this famous stark and arid valley?

In spite of (or perhaps because of) its harsh, arid environment, this national park has been used as the backdrop for many television and movie productions, including Star Wars. Located in California and Nevada, it is the hottest and driest of all the U.S. national parks, with 95% of it being a designated wilderness area. It is also the largest national park in the lower 48, featuring the second-lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, Badwater Basin, which sits 282 feet below sea level.

It was declared a national monument in 1933 but did not become a national park until 1994, when it was substantially expanded. It got its rather grim name from a group of European-Americans who were stranded there in 1849 while looking for a shortcut to the California gold fields.