Death Valley Off-Road Adventures

3 days. I didn't think it was that long, but I've never been there. The three main colors are each one day. 105 miles starting at Beatty the first day, 86 miles the second day, 44 miles the third day.

As far as I can tell according to the NPS website only the section of road that leads to Scotty's Castle and ends at NV-267 is closed. The road that continues to Ubehebe crater and on should still be open. The website isn't doing the best at explaining it though. Worse case it's closed and we'll go straight from Ubehebe to Teakettle Junction and backtrack to some sites.
https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

 

It's a long drive and road conditions will drive what you see and do. Going out to the Racetrack could take a half day. Sure, you might see it all if you just drive but what fun is there in that?

 

^^^
sums up my trip over t day
lee flat to racetrack via hunter - backtracked to hunter for a camp
musta been 60 ish? miles...too much driving for these short days...too fast paced for my liking
have fun!

 

Would love to hear from someone more knowledgeable about that road to the north.


As far as the rest of the route - the first time I went to DV, I had a really long route too...so I get that distances there can be deceiving. Just as a point of reference - we went in over Titus Canyon, then to Ubehebe, Racetrack, Lippincott, Beatty, Butte Valley, Warm Springs Rd, and Badwater Basin (counter clockwise loop) and it was a really full 3 days, and didn't cover nearly the ground you're covering.

Of course, we were stopping to look around, take photos, etc. ('cause you know I was going to write a trip report), but you'll want to do that too - you won't want to drive all the time.

Technically, I bet you can actually drive all that, but you won't get to enjoy it.

 

Google “diesel powered 12v heater” -dang blast furnace and they’re vented! I installed mine in a metal toolbox, and use a dryer duct to pipe the heated air into our RTT. Runs 24hrs on a gallon of diesel and has a remote thermostat you put in your tent. I got one of the cheaper ones and it works great. Perfect for winter camping- we used it for our xmass trip through snowy NM this year.

By “vented” I mean clean cold air goes in one end and clean hot air goes out the other in this pic. The combustion chamber air intake and exhast that never mix with the heated air are seen in the middle of the long side of the box near where the locking latch is in the pic.

 

Just went through your trip report. What a cool excursion, great pictures too. Makes me want to go back to DV soon. That's an awesome trip coming down from WA and back up!

 

Thanks! Was a great time for sure. Headed back a couple months later to check out some of the west and north side. Can't wait to get down there this year as well and spend a bit more time in some of my favorite (and some new) places!

 

hmm....certainly will check this out...thx

 

Thanks for all of the input! Looks like I'll be changing it up the route a bit then.

 

Yes the road from near Stovepipe is open all the way to Ubehebe crater. And from Ubehebe both Racetrack road and Big Pine road are open as well. The only closed section is the branch to the NE that heads past Scotty's Castle and out to NV-267. This is stated on their road conditions page as well:

 

If you are looking for the "Marble Bath" that is the actual bathtub full of blue marbles your way point for that is incorrect. The USGS topo maps of various editions show a "Marble Bath" that moves and disappears from edition to edition and no one has ever definitively determined just what geologic feature it was ever suppose to be referring to. At some point as a joke someone added an actual bath full of marbles near the road in the area where this mysterious feature is sometimes indicated on the USGS maps. The way point you currently have marked appears to be one of the erroneous USGS locations of a "Marble Bath". The physical bath with blue marbles is much closer to the road.

The Saline Valley Springs is going to be an absolute unmitigated disaster of sleazy humanity over President's Day weekend. I wouldn't go near the place personally around then. There is nothing more diametrically opposed to what DV or the desert in general is about to me than the hot springs on a holiday weekend. Also because absolute morons with no clue are going to be streaming in and out of there in completely inappropriate vehicles and taking completely inappropriate routes for those vehicles you are much more likely to end up re-routing because of a disabled vehicle blocking a road or end up having to move said vehicle or be imposed upon to render aid or a ride to some unprepared idiot. Given as others said you've got way too much on your itinerary for a three day visit I would cut that whole Eureka/Steel Pass/Springs loop from the trip. Don't get me wrong, that's a great thing to do some time but not over President's Day weekend and not on such a short trip.

Depending on the weather and snow a route over Hunter Mountain can be more or less impossible that time of year. Besides there sometimes being deep snow in spots there is a horrific mud puddle along the top that can trap vehicles during snow melt times. Also during colder temps there is a spring that goes across the road on the south end where it is extremely steep and the entire road can become a sheet of ice. In warmer years that are drier it can be totally easy the very same time of year. So keep an eye on things as you get closer.

The alternate is to use Lippincott and Saline Valley Road to exit. Be aware that if there has been recent snow and cold temps then there will be ice on Saline Valley Road just north of where it meets Hunter Mountain Road. The ice itself is usually not a problem for a Tacoma with 4WD and decent tires. And remember a shovel is your friend - shovel dirt onto any ice patches for better traction. The problem is that if the road is in that condition over President's Day then it will almost certainly be blocked by a stuck Hot Springs Moron. Every few years South Pass gets blocked around President's Day by a Hot Spring Moron for a few days. Again, if there isn't snow around it is just fine but if there has been recent snow assume that pass will get blocked by an idiot. And sometimes it doesn't even take an idiot, just a few months ago the NPS Poop Pumper Truck got stuck there after emptying the toilets at the springs and blocked the pass for a couple of days.

I'd add a visit to Lost Burro Mine to your destinations in the Racetrack and Hidden Valley areas. The Ubehebe Peak hike is just amazing - even only hiking to the saddle.

Are you looking to do some hiking or do you prefer vehicle exploration with very short walks? Let us know your preference and we can give you some more specific tips.

 

Well put. Some exceptions - I've always done Lippencott going down - I've rarely find people going up - so just be aware that most will think you are 'going the wrong way' so, I would suggest getting out of the way as best you can when you encounter traffic.

Also, having just done Hunter Mountain, there is a 200' part of the trail that you will need chains - unless your truck has suction cups for tires.

 

A friend of mine is about to publish a book on the History of Saline and he has a chapter that talks about the person that put it there... I know most all of you will want this book. I just read some of it when I visited with him after my Christmas Saline Trip. I think it is scheduled to be released on or around the 4th of July 2019. When it becomes available, I will let you know.

 

Does anybody know of any areas to possibly camp between Ubehebe Crater and Teakettle Junction? So far this is the new route I've got, but that first day is still a long one due to little to no camping options as far as I know.

Day 1 (83 miles): Green - Beatty to Lost Burro Mine
Day 2 (38 miles): Blue - Lost Burro Mine to intersection of White Mtn Talc/Saline Valley Road
Day 3 (25 miles): Cyan - intersection to Panamint Springs

https://www.gaiagps.com/datasummary...map&openPrint=false&layer=SatelliteWithLabels

 

Makes sense. I will look up the GPS coordinates

 

Whatever you do take a spin out to Big Pine and hit up Copper top BBQ, they also have a bbq vending machine outside incase you can't make it while they are open.

 

We stopped there last time I wheeled/camped up in Coyote Flats...can't remember the name of the trail but it was a gnarly one that eventually took us down into Big Pine, we stopped there to eat before going home. Great food

 

That's the southern entrance/exit to Coyote. It's called the Warren Bench Trail. I told you guys you'd have fun on it. The mud pit before it keeps getting bigger and bigger each year. Instead of hitting the first obstacle straight on now you have to come in off angle and slightly off camber. It's a fun little stretch.

 

is this the same loop thats from bishop through to coyote flats/funnel lake and exit big pine area?