BackRoadsWest presents:

Difficulty Chart

The Trip

The Description

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Outside of Death Valley National Park, this nearby National Wildlife Refuge (N.W.R.) has many clear springs and lakes, including the mysterious Devil's Hole.  The maze of roads here are not well-mapped so be sure to use our Trip Log and your GPS (if you have it).

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Badwater Road is not only one of the main roads through Death Valley but it is also packed with many of the Parks' most popular attractions including Artist Palette, Mushroom Rock, Golden Canyon, Devil's Golf Course, Natural Bridge Canyon, Ashford Mill and, of course, Badwater itself - the lowest elevation in the western hemisphere. 

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Chloride Cliff Road Trip

This Road Trip takes you to Chloride City, one of Death Valley's first mining establishments, and on to Chloride Cliff for a sweeping, panoramic great view of the valley below!  Chloride Cliff sits high atop the colorful Funeral Mountains and, at 5,200 feet, it is a good place to visit when you want to escape the valley heat.

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Echo Canyon and the Inyo Mine

Just east of Furnace Creek is a great, half-day Road Trip that takes you deep into the Funeral Mountains, through a narrow "slot" canyon, past the "Eye of the Needle" and to the well-preserved camp of the Inyo Mine.

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Goler Wash and

This rugged, all-day Road Trip takes you into the remote regions of the southern Panamint Mountains.  Things to see include the rugged canyon created by Goler Wash, the Lotus Mine, Charles Manson's hideout camp of Barker Ranch, Striped Butte and Warm Spring Canyon with its numerous talc mines.

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This is one of the longest and most scenic 4WD Road Trips in this Guide! You'll see: Lee Flat, Hunter Mountain, Hidden Valley and Race Track Valley.  There are several possible side trips, too, so plan to spend a whole day!

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The Ibex Springs area has had mining activity  from the 1880's through the 1950's.  Talc was the money-making ore here and there are several old mines in the area including the Moorehouse Mine (see below) with its unusual, dual ore chutes!

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Jail Canyon Road Trip & Hike

This Road Trip offers a great "combo" of a 4WD dirt road with an interesting hike to an old mine at the end!  As you take the road up into the northern Panamint Mountains, the views of the valley are quiet spectacular and the hike takes you to the well-preserved Corona Mine.

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A very challenging 4WD Road Trip that is well-known in the 4WD community because it drops almost 2,000 feet in about 2 miles!  Anybody visiting Saline Valley or Racetrack with a 4WD vehicle should take the time to experience this road!  And be sure to read about the nearby Lippencott Mine, too.  It makes a great add-on to this Road Trip.

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There are plenty of mines and mining camps to investigate on this Road Trip and the area is networked with many dirt roads.  Lookout Mountain was where much of the silver mining was done in the late 1800's and the nearby Minnietea Mine area is one of the region's best-preserved mine sites. 

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This Road Trip can be taken as we describe or can be broken down into separate, shorter Road Trips.  Our route takes you up both Marble and Cottonwood Canyons and includes an easy hike up through the spectacular narrows of Marble Canyon.  You'll need a  full day and a high clearance vehicle to do this route.

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This seldom-visited mine, started in the 1930's, is really an add-on to the Ibex Springs Road Trip (above).  The main attraction of these digs are the well-preserved and unusual "dual" ore chutes.  You'll also find ore hoppers, railroad tracks and many other mining artifacts. 

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This Road Trip takes you through the "Bowling Alley" and includes: Owl Hole Springs, the New Deal & Black Magic manganese mines, the north end of Fort Irwin and hiking access to the Epsom Salt Works and monorail ruins.

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Pleasant Canyon Road Trip

This is one of the most challenging and scenic Road Trips in the Panamint Mountains!  You'll go up Pleasant Canyon and down South Park Canyon - if it's passable.  Bring your 4WD driving skills for this one!

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This once-eroded route that was closed by the BLM [glossary] has since been sponsored, re-opened and is maintained by a 4WD club.  It is located in the Ibex Hills Area, near Dumont Dunes and China Ranch.

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Titus Canyon Road Trip

This Road Trip takes you through the heart of the Grapevine Mountains and is a "must see" for any Death Valley visitor with a 4WD vehicle.  Originally built in 1926, this road brought unsuspecting investors to Leadfield where tricked into investing in a mining operation that didn't really exist.

Titus Canyon is closed to vehicles in the summer and often closed in the winter due to snow or flood damage, so be sure to check with the Park Service before planning your trip.