Why did Tom and I take those back roads in Death Valley National Park a couple of weeks ago? (See my previous post on this blog.) We were trying to get to Teakettle Junction. We had seen pictures of it online and in a tour book. It seemed like a special, little place.
To get there, once we passed the pronghorn, we had one more road challenge. We had come down off the mountain when the gravel road suddenly ended and turned into a good quarter mile of deep sand. Driving on it reminded me of driving on ice. We slid sideways a few times until Tom could right the truck. (We have a Toyota Tacoma Prerunner. It is not a four-wheel drive.) We finally got through the sand, but were nervous wrecks afterwards.
The GPS on my phone then started working again and it indicated that we were coming to Teakettle Junction. Tom doubted that we were almost there when suddenly something tiny emerged in the distance. Yes, it was Teakettle Junction, a place where passersby donate a teakettle with a message or signature on the outside. You can see that it’s in the middle of nowhere.
There has been speculation as to why it is there, but no strong explanation exists. One story is that teakettles were placed there to let travelers know that water is nearby, but that doesn’t seem to be true. Another is that the whistling sound of a teakettle jiggling on a stove is like tourists bouncing around on rough roads in Death Valley National Park. Those ideas are obviously a stretch of the imagination.
When the rack of teakettles gets too full, the park rangers supposedly clear some of the kettles off. What they do with them I am not sure. We came at a good time, though, because the rack had close to fifty teakettles. Most of those on the rack were either chained down or attached to it with heavy wire.
My favorite one was this one by Kate, Jill, and Leah Parks. It appeared that the Parks family was having a great time as we were.
So if you happen to be on the west side of Death Valley, interested in a quirky side trip, and have a vehicle that can stand a lot of bouncing around, Teakettle Junction should be on your list. In the area a few miles away, there are other tourist attractions – the Racetrack Playa and the Ubehebe Crater. Death Valley is a great adventure when temperatures permit. “Not all classrooms have 4 walls.”
All I can say is, “Who knew?” I am sharing this with Mitch and know he’ll get a kick out of this. Teakettle Junction shows the imaginative spirit of Americans. What a fun side trip and definitely unique!
Thanks for sharing this little slice of Death Valley.
We like to do these crazy, little side trips. What I didn’t mention is that somehow the teakettles were whistling. I could hear three distinct, melodic tones. I tried to record them, but with the wind out there, the sounds didn’t pick up.
As I write, my kettle is whistling and I am sure the water is as hot as a Death Valley day. Thank you for a fitting accompaniment to my morning tea. It does make me think, though. Is there a Death Valley tea for purchase? I’d buy it.
Oh, that’s funny, Gina. I have no idea!
Thank you for sharing. Dave loves places off the beaten path me not so much
Well, I have to say that I thought my neck and back would never be the same. For a week afterwards, I was using a lot of Biofreeze, Advil every now and then, and many warm showers.
Wow!
That day was quite a day!
Great fun! Thanks for sharing. What an adventure with tea kettles as the prize ending…
I wish there was more info about this place, but it’s very limited. Thanks for reading.
Great post. I love seeing things like that but I am not sure that my Camry would withstand the road.
No, your Camry would probably be toast. Actually, the road from Teakettle Junction to the Racetrack Playa was the worst ever! We traveled on it several miles and then backtracked. But the scenery is beautiful!
Love the idea of the teakettle! I just finished having a cup of tea and Christmas cookies. ☕thank you.