Death Valley Scotty Historic District Cultural Landscape Report

For decades, the Death Valley Scotty Historic District, also known as Scotty’s Castle, has been damaged by severe flooding resulting from a changing climate, leading to its closure several years ago.

As the National Park Service and regional partners sought a solution for Scotty’s Castle, they brought in MIG to develop recommendations for ongoing planning and design projects related to a future reopening of this historic site.

Collaborating with park staff from multiple disciplines through a series of work sessions, MIG reviewed the site’s history and characteristics, assessed its integrity, and identified potential opportunities to increase resiliency.

MIG incorporated the findings into a Cultural Landscape Report that addressed many aspects of the site, including how to address invasive plant species and rehabilitate historic plantings in flood-impacted areas, how to make the historic circulation network more accessible, protect views and viewsheds, and integrate visitor services into the existing landscape.