Scotty's Castle

Death Valley Ranch, also known as "Scotty's Castle."

NPS / Bob Greenburg

Death Valley Ranch

CLOSURE NOTICE: Scotty's Castle area is closed until further notice following a significant flood, and later fire. Access to the Castle and Grapevine Canyon areas is prohibited, unless part of a ticketed tour.

Hidden in the green oasis of Grapevine Canyon in far northern Death Valley is the Death Valley Ranch, or "Scotty's Castle" as it is more commonly known, which is a window into the life and times of the Roaring '20s and Depression '30s. It was and is an engineer's dream home, a wealthy matron's vacation home and a man-of-mystery's hideout and getaway.

Albert Mussey Johnson built the house as a vacation getaway for himself and his wife Bessie.

Walter Scott, known as "Death Valley Scotty," convinced everyone that he had built the castle with money from his rich secret mines in the area.

Scotty was the mystery, the cowboy, and the entertainer, but he was also a friend. Albert was the brains and the money. Two men as different as night and day, from different worlds and with different visions - but shared a dream.

Learn more about the original building of the castle and the flood recovery efforts now taking place.

 

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  Severe flood damage and repairs.

  2015 Flood

  An unprecedented flood took out utilities and left mud and debris up to 10 feet deep. Years of repair work are still underway.

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  Tour the castle!

  Flood Recovery Tours

  While the castle remains closed for repairs, limited tours are available with advanced reservation.

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  Explore the museum collections

  Virtual Tour

  Learn more about the history, construction, and decoration of the castle through galleries on the NPS Museum page.