Death Valley Trip Ideas

Racetrack road with stock shocks, overloaded and too much tire pressure.

 

Holy crap. What speeds were you doing?? I didn't air down but I never drove more than 20-25 on that road.

 

I read an article about the 2017 tacoma vs the 2017 honda ridgeline. They took them out to DV, and the same thing happened to the stock OFFROAD tacoma, leaking shocks. Ill try to find it..

 

Actually, it was a video, starts around 3;00 minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWYqEinNGUM

 

You're not gonna have much time.

You're not gonna have much time in the park. I imagine it's close to a day's drive from the Bay Area to Nothern Death Valley. Perhaps get yourself a guide book and figure out what you want to see.

 

40+ MPH in and out. Mine did not look as bad as the pic above, but over heated and completely blown seals. In 40+ years of desert driving I have always gone fast over that kind of terrain to smooth out the ride. 3rd gen Tacos apparently have extremely cheap rear shocks. This is my third Toy p/u and the first time this has happened. A buddy in a Jeep had no shock problems but his power steering did over heat and puke fluid.

 

Depending on the Jeep he probably has almost the same shocks.

 

Glad I bought Fox 2.0's off of a member before I went last year.

 

There's lots of dispersed camping off most of the dirt roads. We found this one off echo canyon road. We did most of the tourist type stuff and had a great time. Badwater, zabriski,golden canyon, and mosaic canyon were all worth the time

 

Thanks for the detailed report, really appreciate it! Sounds like you had a great time. You mentioned the views from the radio tower that isn't on the map, that is something we would definitely want to see! If you have the name of the 4x4 book you mentioned as well I'd like to give that a read.

I've been to a few of those hot springs along 395 before and was thinking of stopping as well. Great spots!

 

DAMN! I have the same stock TRD OR shocks. Might be time for an upgrade after this trip.

 

Maybe we need a poll on how many people toasted their 3rd gen rear shocks going to the Racetrack.

 

Thanks! The guidebook we used is called Death Valley SUV Trails, by Roger Mitchell.

We bought it at the Ranger Station, but here's a link to it on Amazon. Though I think it might have been cheaper at the ranger station.

$21 Death Valley SUV Trails A Guide to 40 Interesting Four-Wheeling Excursions in the Death Valley Country

https://www.amazon.com/Valley-Inter...69045&sr=8-2&keywords=death+valley+SUV+trails

I do recommend getting a topographic map app on your phone/tablet for trips like this. I have Topo Maps by Philip Endecott. Its the older USGS maps that you can pre-download so as long as you have a GPS signal, you'll have maps of where you are that give elevation and other useful back country information. From what I understand the older USGS maps are better than the new ones because they have more old roads on them.

As far as that radio tower is concerned. Let me see if I can do some wizardry to get you a location for it.

Here are the longitude and latitude from google maps:

36°41'41.9"N 116°52'48.1"W
36.694978, -116.880017

Here are some screen captures from google maps. If you can get to Chloride City, then these will get you to the viewpoint. Its much more vast than the maps communicate, and the roads are easily confused.... also different maps have different roads on them, so it helps to have a couple references. Also, if you're going to hit up this, then you'll def want to take the short 5 min detour to Monarch Canyon washout towards the beginning of the trip. Also, if you get that guidebook, ignore the spring it mentions in the beginning of the trip. We got out and hiked for it and couldn't find it.

 

Eh, mine did just fine. Just stick around 15-20 mph and you won't toast your stuff.

 

I spent 3 years in China Lake doing some work and explored ALMOST every inch of DVNP and the Eastern Sierras. I did a large majority of this in rentals including a Chevy Cruise, Nissan Rouge (did Lipponcott in this and a Ford Explorer), Chrysler 200, etc. I bought my Tacoma and an ExPo trailer when I lived out there just for DV.

As others have said. Bring plenty of water and extra fuel. Your closet cheap gas coming from the North is going to be Lone Pine or Big Pine. Make sure to fill up there. Also, as others have stated, DV is huge and a weekend is going to be hard to see much.

If it was me and I was driving down Friday from San Fran I would probably do it like this. (FYI this requires a very early start Friday)

Drive to Big Pine from San Fran. Fill up with all your last supplies and gas there (You won't be seeing much more after this).

From Big Pine take Hwy 168 to Death Valley Rd (also marked as Loretta Mine Rd). This road is the quickest way to the Eureka Dunes and a good portion of it is "paved". Camp here for the night on Friday. There are campsites right at the bottom of the dunes. Be prepared to get mind blown by the stars.

From here you can go across Steele Pass (one of the hardest trails in the park, but its doable if you are careful) and head to the hot springs (my #1 DV spot - also be prepared to see nudest). Take a break, take a dip in the hot springs, maybe see some F 18s buzz you about 100 ft off the deck, but you gotta get moving if you want to see more. From here you'll keep going past the bat sign and then through some sand until you come to Saline Valley Rd and bust a left (Check out the cool mine pulleys that go over the Inyo range to your west).

From here going south on Saline Valley Rd you will take a left on Lipponcott and that will go over to the Racetrack Playa (The rocks are at this end of the Playa and you need to get out and walk towards the far side away from the road to start seeing them). If you climb out of Saline Valley up through a canyon you passed Lipponcott. Depending on your driving style you could be a the Racetrack by lunch or by dinner. If dinner camp here. Then honestly at that point you probably need to head back to San Fran on Sunday. You could go past Teakettle junction to Ubehebe Crater and exit the park at Stove Pipe wells back towards Lone Pine to pick up 395 North.

There is just too much to see here. You could spend every weekend this year and not put a dent in it. Others had great recommendations as well.

**It is important to note road and road conditions out there can change quickly. If there has been a recent storm (like the rain you guys have got - dont know if that made it as far as DV - roads could be severally destroyed and altered not making it possible to pass**

I've watched Lipponcott going over the pass become a river and any low lying area fills up quickly.

Some of my favorite spots in and around DVNP:

Saline Valley Hot Springs
Eureka Dunes
Racetrack Playa
Titus Canyon (Honesty I wouldn't make the trek that far east though for a weekend trip)
Barker Ranch
Panamint Valley (This is actually my favorite valley over the main DV)
Ballarat
The Charcoal Kilns
Telescope Peak (Amazing view at the saddle of Death Valley and Panamint Valley)
Suprise Canyon (Panamint Side)
Cerro Gordo (Ghost Town)
Darwin Falls
Reward Mine (Outside of Big Pine - you can drive in it)
Indian Wells Canyon (Eastern Sierras outside of Indian Wells)
Great Falls Basin (outside of Trona)
Mt. Whitney Portal (Lone Pine)
Alabama Hills (Lone Pine)
Fossil Falls (Off 395)

 

I wish Surprise Canyon was still open to off road vehicles , it sure was a fun trip winching up the seven waterfalls on up towards Panamint city

 

I just got back from camping out in Ballarat. Unfortunately I don’t remember the trail we did, but it was a loop that started right there in Ballarat and ended up back there. We drove by and checked out like 4 cabins out in the canyons. Really awesome place that I definitely want to go back to. I also got to meet rocky who lives there in Ballarat and bought some of his apple tasting moonshine. For being moonshine it was really good.

 

Briggs cabin yes, not certain the chicken rock though. Dude Briggs cabin would be so legit for a good camping trip

 

Here's a good trail but will need a locker and expect some trail damage

https://www.dirtopia.com/wiki/Defense_Mine/_Cummings_Cutoff

 

Yeah my buddy mentioned that bridge used to be prettt sketchy but now it’s nothing. All the cabins we drove by were vacant, and the weather was perfect