| BackRoadsWest presents: | Death Valley |
Badwater Road Trip Log: North to South
Getting There
Badwater Road is one of the few paved roads in Death Valley and is a
major thoroughfare so it's on every map and is easy to find. Most people
start their trip on Badwater Road from its northern end simply because that end
is closest to the populated areas.
From the south: There are two ways to
access Badwater Road from the south. The most common route is from the
east near the town of Shoshone. Take S.R. 178 west, through Salsberry
and Jubilee Pass for approximately 27.0 miles to the point where the paved road
makes a 90º right turn onto Badwater Road.
The another route uses Harry Wade Road (a dirt road) from S.R. 127 near Dumont
Dunes. The turn-off from S.R. 127 onto Harry Wade Road is found 29.8 miles
from Baker (a left turn) or 26.4 miles from Shoshone (a right turn). After
making the turn, it's 31.5 miles to Badwater Road.
From the north: Badwater Road begins near the Furnace Creek Inn where it junctions with S.R. 190. It is approximately 1.0 miles south of the Visitor's Center on S.R. 190. At the junction, turn south onto Badwater Road.
Remember, the total, one-way distance of Badwater Road is 45.2 miles and there are no services! Make sure you have everything you need including fuel, water and food before starting your journey. The nearest services are 73 road miles apart at either Furnace Creek or Shoshone.
Road Trip Log:
By using this Trip Log with your vehicles' trip
odometer and/or your GPS device, you'll know exactly which turn in the road to
take and where the different points of interest are along your route.
Note: all GPS waypoints assume Northern hemisphere latitude and Western hemisphere longitude.
| What You Will See and Where: | Mileage: | Next Event: |
Waypoints: Latitude / Long. |
| Junction of S.R. 190 and Badwater Road (reset your trip odometer). | 0 | 0.7 miles | 36° 26.91' 116° 51.14' |
| Fault scarp of Black Mountain Fault Zone visible along road. | 0.7 | 1.3 | 36° 26.31' 116° 51.01' |
Parking area for Golden
Canyon trailhead.
 |
2.0 | 0.6 | 36° 25.22' 116° 50.85' |
| Massive erosion from Gower Gulch visible on east (left) side of road. | 2.6 | 1.7 | 36° 24.72' 116° 50.74' |
| Mushroom Rock on left. Road to Desolation Canyon is just before Mushroom Rock. | 4.3 | 1.6 | 36° 23.28' 116° 51.03' |
| Badwater Road intersects with Westside Road. | 5.9 | 2.7 | 36° 21.93' 116° 50.68' |
| Badwater Road intersects with entrance to Artists Drive and Ventifact Ridge is on the west side of the road. | 8.6 | 2.3 | 36° 19.77' 116° 49.78' |
| Badwater Road intersects with road to Devil's Golf Course. If you visit the golf course, add 2.6 miles to your total mileage. | 10.9 | 2.0 | 36° 17.90 116° 48.70' |
| Badwater Road intersects with road to Natural Bridge Canyon. If you visit this canyon, add 3.4 miles to your total mileage. | 12.9 | 3.5 | 36° 16.43' 116° 47.58' |
| Badwater itself - parking
area.
|
16.4 | 11.4 | 36° 13.78' 116° 46.03' |
| Badwater Road is at the foot of the Copper Canyon Turtleback. | 27.8 | 4.5 | 36° 6.51' 116° 44.19' |
| Mormon Point - Badwater Road comes out of being below sea level. | 32.3 | 9.2 | 36° 3.42' 116° 45.90' |
| Westside Road rejoins (intersects) with Badwater Road. Shoreline Butte is visible directly to the south (45º to the right). Look for the N.P.S. kiosk between this junction and Ashford Mill on the right side of the road. | 41.5 | 1.7 | 35° 56.26' 116° 42.27' |
| Ashford Mill
and road to Scotty's Canyon. |
43.2 | 2.1 | 35° 55.26' 116° 40.87' |
| Badwater Road ends at intersection of S.R. 178 (Jubilee Pass Road) and Harry Wade Road. | 45.2 | 35° 53.98' 116° 39.38' |
Be sure to take along a good map to verify your
route!
We recommend a AAA map of Death Valley and/or a Delorme Topo book map.