The California Deserts

If you like to read, try to get the book "Death Valley in '49" by William Manly. It's one of the better "trail books" that i've read.

An excellent book on travelling, hiking and camping: "Adventuring in the California Desert". It leaves very little out, detailing almost every likely spot in the deserts.

A good book about the geology, ecology and archaeology of Death Valley is named just that. It's an academic book and contains many interesting chapters.

One good place for regularly updated information about Death Valley is maintained by the Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest.