In Death Valley, borax is as inescapable as sunshine. Although most of the mining and processing now takes place elsewhere, Death Valley National Park serves as a gigantic product placement for Borax, the brand name, and 20 Mule Team, the unhyphenated trademark. It was a national monument beginning Feb. 11, 1933. Eastern edge of southern California near the Nevada border. Upper elevation growth includes bristlecone pines, pinyon, juniper and mountain mahogany.
Coyotes roam here, as do bighorn sheep on the mountain ridges.
Lizards, snakes and nocturnal rodents abound. Roadrunners feed on the insects. Additional fees for some tours. Death Valley National Park, P.O. Box 579, Death Valley, CA 92328. They all left traces of their passing, but none so permanent as traces left by the borax people.