"Death Valley National Park, California"
The lowest point in North America -- 282 feet below sea level -- is also the hottest spot in the world.
Death Valley National Park logged a record 134°F (57°C) in 1913, and the park hasn't cooled down much since then. High temperatures are expected to range from 100°F to over 120°F (49°C) in August, which is a normal summer for this long narrow valley walled in by mountain ranges.
And there's no water to spare. The park is also the driest spot in North Ameica, with an average annual rainfall of less than 2 inches That's much less than what other deserts receive.
Sometimes the park warns against summer hiking after 10 a.m. due to the heat.
Even before the cutoff time, "travel prepared to survive," warns the park. Lots of water and sunscreen are in order for visitors heading to Badwater Basin in the Furnace Creek area, where the park drops to 282 feet below sea level.
Too extreme? Spring and winter are supposed to be nice.
