Vast fields of sand dunes shimmer in the sun, and rock outcroppings are carved into shapes of staggering beauty, especially striking at dawn and dusk. Colorful cliffs stand above endless flats of creosote bush. More than 900 species of plants have been identified within the park, and nights come alive to the scurrying of small mammals. Coyotes, gray and kit foxes, bobcats, jackrabbits, and desert tortoises thrive here, as do a plethora of bats, birds, lizards, and snakes. Desert bighorn sheep live in the higher elevations, where you can sometimes tramp through a dry forest of pi on, juniper, mountain mahogany, and a few bristlecone pines.
Wildflowers bloom in spectacular variety when enough rain falls during the winter.
Ubehebe Crater opens 2,400 feet in diameter, marking where a volcano erupted roughly 1,000 years ago. You are free to hike the Wilderness, limited only by your courage and ability to carry water, but camping is currently allowed only in designated locations.