If it were called Life Valley or Wondrous Valley, the largest national park in the lower 48 states -- spread across 3.3 million acres -- probably would attract more visitors.

But without its foreboding name, Death Valley wouldn't hold the same fascination. So the moniker endures, even though it's based more on myth than fact. (Only one member of the infamous Lost 49er party of 1849 actually died there, and he was severely weakened by the two-month journey from Utah.)

And right now, it's not even that hot. While midsummer temperatures of 120 degrees are common, , March highs are in the mid-80s and they typically stay in the low 90s through April.

Itching for a spring road trip? The drive from Fresno to Furnace Creek takes about six hours. Here are my favorite, guaranteed-to-astound attractions:

Mosaic Canyon: One of the best places to get an up-close feel for Death Valley's unique geology is along this mile-long trail, some rock scrambling required. (You can go an additional 11/2 miles to a dry waterfall.)

Squeezing through the narrow walls -- some are smooth marble, others multicolored rock fragments called breccia that appear to be cemented together -- the forces that carve and polish Mosaic Canyon with each passing storm are easy to appreciate.

Badwater: Perhaps the most well-known area in the park at 282 feet below sea level, the Badwater salt flats provide a surreal landscape for random desert wandering. (Just avoid doing it on triple-digit days.)

Backed by the Panamint Range, which tops out at 11,000 feet, the views will leave a kink in your neck. No trail exists -- just follow others' footprints. It's a half-mile to the edge of the salt flats and 5 miles across.

Ubehebe Crater: We're used to volcanic explosions being millions of years old. Well, geologists believe the one that formed this 600-foot-deep, half-mile wide hole in the ground happened as recently as 300 years ago.

Ponder that as you drop to the bottom of the crater or hike the 11/2 miles around it. Guaranteed to add a little ginger to your steps. Plus, it's just fun to say Ubehebe (pronounced YOU-bee-HEE-bee).

The Racetrack: High-clearance vehicles are a must for the 27-mile drive on washboard dirt roads to this remarkable playa, home to boulders that mysteriously move across the dry lakebed.

No one is certain how -- though it's probably a combination of rain and wind -- but each boulder leaves behind a track in the dirt as visible proof of its travels.

Fall Canyon: While neighboring Titus Canyon gets most of the ink (and four-wheel traffic), Fall Canyon offers much of the same dramatic scenery on foot: huge alluvial fans and towering rock walls.

No formal trail exists, but it's easy to follow the canyon 3 miles to a 20-foot-tall dry waterfall, which can be bypassed via a use trail. The best narrows are just above this wash.

Eureka Dunes: Reaching California's tallest sand dunes is no easy task. In fact, it's better to approach these 700-foot-tall giants from the north off Big Pine Road. (The dunes near Stovepipe Wells are nice but don't compare.)

Besides billions of grains of shifting sand, which are a delight to walk across in bare feet, the dunes are home to three protected plants, including a rare type of evening primrose.

Golden Canyon/Gower Gulch: Golden Canyon is one of those "can't miss" places, a mile-long interpretive trail through an alluvial fan of every imaginable shade of gold you can think of.

At Red Cathedral, the last numbered marker, take the right fork and climb the shoulder of Manly Beacon before following Gower Gulch on an unmarked trail back to the valley floor to complete the 51/2-mile hike.

Darwin Falls: Desert waterfalls, especially those that run year-round, are rare and wondrous, so don't miss this easy 2-mile hike near the park's western boundary.

The small, narrow valley that contains the falls supports fern grottos and dozens of species of native and migrating birds. Most people stop at the foot of the 20-foot lower falls, but a careful climb up the left side of the canyon reveals the 80-foot-tall upper section.

Wildrose Peak: One of the few hikes that can be done in midsummer (thanks to a trailhead elevation of 6,800 feet), you'll pass through forests of pinon pine and juniper and glimpse far-off Mount Whitney as the 9,064-foot summit nears.

The views into Death Valley and Panamint Valley, on opposite sides of the Panamint Range, make the 8.4 miles and 2,200 feet of elevation gain worth any sweat you'll lose along the way.