The Eureka Dunes, classified as sief dunes, are believed to be the highest dune systems in California, and certainly the highest in Death Valley National Park, rising more than 680 feet above the floor of the Eureka Valley. They are second highest only to the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado. The dunes stretch 3 miles long and are about 1 mile wide.
These dunes are home to species unique to desert dune habitats, and contain at least two endemic plant species, the Eureka Dunes Evening-primrose (Oenothera californica ssp. eurekensis) and Eureka Valley Dune Grass (Swallenia alexandrae).
These dunes also bark or sing, under the right moisture conditions (which needs to be pretty dry); that is, they make particular sounds when walked upon, barking (more of a low booming sound) with each step; however, in February 2005 they were simply too soggy to sing to us or bark.
All photographs copyrighted by David L. Magney 2005
