The Father Crowley Vista Point. Walk out to the end and you get an amazing overhead view of the colors and landscape of Death Valley. •• The story of Father Crowley is pretty intriguing. Born in Ireland, he emigrated to the US and became known as the Desert Padre for his efforts to save the Owens Valley and communities of Inyo County. •• When water was diverted from the area to booming Los Angeles, the valley communities of the area started to die. Crowley worked hard to unite the people of the valley and campaign for water for the area, as well as increased tourism to the valley. Though his efforts were interrupted by a car accident that prematurely ended his life, Crowley’s legacy and concern for the people and communities he adopted as his own lives on. . . . . .