Scotty's Castle - Death Valley National Park

Overview: Hidden in the green oasis of Grapevine Canyon in far northern Death Valley, Scotty's Castle is a window into the life and times of the Roaring 20's and subsequent financial depression of the 30's. A beautiful Spanish-style house, the Castle was an engineer's dream home, a wealthy matron's vacation home and a man-of-mystery's hideout and getaway. Walter Scott, "Death Valley Scotty," convinced everyone that he had built the Castle with money from secret mines in the area.

Albert Johnson actually built the house as a vacation getaway for himself and his wife, Bessie. The main part of Scotty's Castle is temporarily closed due to a massive flash flood in October 2015, which washed away the road in Grapevine Canyon, the drinking water system, sewer system, and damaged several historic structures. The park hopes to reopen Scotty's Castle in 2019.

However, nearby Lower Vine Ranch, which was Scotty's private retreat, is open on a very occasional basis to ranger-guided tours.