When it’s not 130 degrees, the diversity of the 3.4 million acres in Death Valley can make for spectacular sights and unforgettable trips. I toured the national park on Friday and Saturday, enjoying beautiful 70-degree days and crisp 40-degree nights.

The convergence of tectonic plates in eastern California created towering rock formations surrounding the lowest point in the U.S. Volcanic activity helped create a palette of colors on hillsides and slot canyons carved out by violent mudslides.

Travelers can see — and even taste — salt flats at the Badwater Basin, 282 feet below sea level. Overlooking the lowest point in the U.S. is Telescope Peak, 11,043 above sea level.

A few miles from Badwater at Golden Canyon, hikers can see many of the sights director George Lucas used for Star Wars. If you need a break from the hard ground, expansive sand dunes offer some fun and glorious colors in the morning.

Related Story: What to Know If You Want a Glorious Photo of Yosemite’s Firefall