Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

I remember being there a week after Halloween back in 2009 and it was packed to the gills even then as well with roads in worse condition than now and pre-social-media rape-over. I think it’s just a bad time of year for the place unless severely bad road conditions restrict access.

The Jeep Jamboree thing shouldn’t impact the springs though they might drive through:

https://jeepjamboreeusa.com/pdfs/death-valley.pdf

 

CA4WDC Panamint Valley day's is fun event with awesome rock crawling trails . I remember many years ago taking Jeeps up Surprise Canyon up to Panamint city

 

Has anyone taken the road to cerdo goro from the park east to west into the park? Do able?

 

This is one of trails I was on during CA4WDC Panamint Valley days in the early 90's

If memory serves me correct that trail is the Defense mine trail !!! near lookout city , Off of Trona Wildrose rd in the Northern part of Panamint Valley

 

As a DV Noob who is in the planning stages of a trip, when is a good time to consider for low crowds and most places accessible?

 

Late Fall thru March is the best time the rest of the year unless you like 110° temps

 

The lowest crowds are in early December usually. Thanksgiving is crowded and the week between Christmas and New Years is crowded. But say second week of December is usually about as low as it gets visitation wise for the cool season. Downsides are of course very short days and potentially very cold temps at night at higher elevations. I believe early to mid January before there is much of a chance for wildflowers is also fairly low visitation but I have less experience with that time of the year.

That said COVID has thrown all visitation expectations out of whack. There are a lot more US folks out in the parks and no Europeans since they pretty much couldn't enter the country. That meant for the past year much higher cool season visitation (US dominated) and drastically lower hot season visitation (EU dominated).

If you were going to do a first visit and wanted to hit some of the more touristy sites (which are definitely worth the visit at least once) then early December is a great time for that as there will be minimum crowds (historically at least) and very pleasant temperatures on the valley floor. As you move into more crowded times avoid those more visited sites and check out the more remote stuff. If you don't mind hiking a mile or so across an alluvial fan before getting into a canyon rather than having a road take you right to the mouth of it you can often have an amazing hike all to yourself almost anytime of the year in DV. I usually adapt my itinerary based on crowds doing more off the beaten path stuff when busy. Of course some people new to desert exploration actually prefer a more visited site where there are obvious trails and you'll encounter other people and vehicles which the areas around Furnace Creek and Stovepipe provide many choices for as well.

Another specific time in the fall to avoid is '49ers encampment which is usually the second week of November (7-14th this year).

Spring gets crazy if there are wildflowers.

 

if i understand your question, yes you can drive from san lucas canyon to cerro gordo.
i drove the route last october & the road was in fine condition.

 

Yes a doable and not particularly difficult route, but past CG, is a north facing slope that retains snow, so sometimes impassible in winter due to deep drifts, or iced over ruts if it's cold enough. I would bring chains this time of year. You might be able to email CG for a status update.

 

No one else for miles. And probably only a select few have seen this eye slit lake bed, and from this vantage point. It’s as though it’s a lost lake.

Loving it.

 

So did you hike up there from the old AT&T relay station to get that pic? Did you get any pics directly behind you?? There's a bombing range with old F4 aircraft about 7 miles to the west.

 

Thanks for the update!

 

2006 was pretty sweet. Now, just accept that there will be other travelers and go when it works for you. Like stated above avoid Thanksgiving, Xmas and New Years like the plague. lol

 

I wouldn’t necessarily avoid the holiday periods. Just know you need to plan accordingly. The only bad experience was at one of the overflow campgrounds. That was a little too close for comfort.

 

I plan accordingly by not going when it's stupid busy. There's so much land out here I tend to stick to other areas that don't have the DV crowds. I'm actually heading up for a quick run on one of those trails now. If I see another person in my travels I'll be surprised. lol

 

A little off topic but this guy knows how to talk about adventures. Not death valley, but the Sahara desert... It's a good read if you have time to kill

https://overlanders-handbook2.com/tag/2wd-in-the-sahara/

 

Thanks for the info gentlemen. It will be next year at the earliest before I can get to DV. I want to hit the touristy stuff since it will be my first time but I also plan on getting off the beaten path too. Hope to have several weeks to explore. I know I can’t see it all but I want to try. Lol

 

But you live in the area and can go pretty much any time

 

This is true. As expected, not a single other vehicle on this trip. Took the wife's 2009 4Runner out to test out the new Toyo AT 3's. Not a bad tire off-road at all. Left at 1ish and was home at 4ish. lol

 

Looks a lot like Spangler hills, were I'll be going in 2 weeks.
I'm struggling with new tire choices. I love the Cooper pros offroad. But all the other variables are not the best. (noise, mileage, etc.)