2 days in Death Valley

[latinoguy]

the advice is to spend at least 3 days to really see enough of the park.

If you only have 2 full days and you are going there for the first time, where and which trails are the must sees, without doing godly amount of driving per day.

I hear good things about the Panamint Mountain Area....

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Only 2 days....I usually try and spend 5 as there is a lot to see.

Start in Panamint Springs, go to Ballarat and then go up Pleasant Canyon to the top. Cross middle Park and South Park and come down South Park Canyon for a bit of excitement. Then head south to Goler Wash, up and over Mengel Pass and down into Butte Valley. Then work your way down Warm Springs Canyon and back to pavement. It will still be quite hot this time of year, so take lots of water and shade in case of a breakdown. Both of these routes are well traveled, so if you did break down, someone would come by. That's enough to keep you busy for 2 days.

It would also be fun to work in a visit to Rhyolite and descend Titus Canyon.

 

[bogus one]

Only 2 days....I usually try and spend 5 as there is a lot to see.

Start in Panamint Springs, go to Ballarat and then go up Pleasant Canyon to the top. Cross middle Park and South Park and come down South Park Canyon for a bit of excitement. Then head south to Goler Wash, up and over Mengel Pass and down into Butte Valley. Then work your way down Warm Springs Canyon and back to pavement. It will still be quite hot this time of year, so take lots of water and shade in case of a breakdown. Both of these routes are well traveled, so if you did break down, someone would come by. That's enough to keep you busy for 2 days.

It would also be fun to work in a visit to Rhyolite and descend Titus Canyon.

Yep,

What he said



X-2 on Titus Canyon. Kinda touristy, but well worth the drive for the scenery

 

[rusty_tlc]

Andy knows DV, that sounds like a nice trip he outlined.
X3 on Titus

 

[FJ40_owner]

Only 2 days....I usually try and spend 5 as there is a lot to see.

Start in Panamint Springs, go to Ballarat and then go up Pleasant Canyon to the top. Cross middle Park and South Park and come down South Park Canyon for a bit of excitement. Then head south to Goler Wash, up and over Mengel Pass and down into Butte Valley. Then work your way down Warm Springs Canyon and back to pavement. It will still be quite hot this time of year, so take lots of water and shade in case of a breakdown. Both of these routes are well traveled, so if you did break down, someone would come by. That's enough to keep you busy for 2 days.

It would also be fun to work in a visit to Rhyolite and descend Titus Canyon.

Scotties Castle and Badwater are another nice diversion.

 

[latinoguy]

Thanks for the input. I may add more day and spend the extra day solo. Thinking about going in October. Warm Springs has true hot springs correct? that sounds nice. Planning on doing the moderate trails on the day I spend it solo. My truck is in pretty good shape. All PM stuff is done, except for replacing the fan clutch...hum, should order one and keep in the truck just in case...

 

[Kofoed]

It is a shame that you can not spend more time in the area. The loop described is easily navigated in two days, but there will not be alot of time to explore beyond the road.

If you can work it in, Aguerrebury Point has a great view overlooking Death Valley that you can drive right up to. It is up Emigrant Wash (Wildrose Road) at the north end of the Panamints (South of Highway 190 anyway).

In Goler Wash (actually Butte Valley), there is an old talc works, now abandoned. They used to have the pool full. Behind the living quarters there is a little warm spring that you can catch a dip in. It is not big, but if you need to clean up...

Definitely get the fan fixed. The grade up Pleasant and South Park is very steep and slow, and it still may be very hot in October.

Gas up in Trona or Shoshone, depending on which side you are coming from Coachella, no matter what the price.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

In Goler Wash (actually Butte Valley), there is an old talc works, now abandoned. They used to have the pool full. Behind the living quarters there is a little warm spring that you can catch a dip in. It is not big, but if you need to clean up...

As you descend from Butte Valley into Warm Springs Canyon (it's the only way down so you can't miss it) you will come to an abandoned resort/hotel sort of place. There is a small warm pool there, but if you hike up the hill behind the hotel, you come to the source which has a pool with a slightly larger basin. Just barely enough room to clean up.

In Butte Valley, you should should take the time to climb Striped Butte. If you drive over to the western side of the butte, there is a faint trail that goes up the butte. Follow that to a ridge, then up the ridge to the top. It takes maybe an hour but it's the best view of the area. Straight west from there and even higher up is the rim of South Park, so you can pre-view Butte Valley from SOuth Park the day before.

The Goler Wash area is cool too, and if you are inclined you can visit Barker Ranch, where Charlie Manson and his cult hung out after the killings of Sharon Tate. Creepy but worth the visit.

The top of Mengel Pass is also cool, with Carl Mengel's grave right there by the side of the road. Immediately above is a great look out, and allows a preview of the descent into Butte Valley. It's a little rocky right there so be careful if you are by yourself.

 

[latinoguy]

It is a shame that you can not spend more time in the area. The loop described is easily navigated in two days, but there will not be alot of time to explore beyond the road.


Definitely get the fan fixed.

Gas up in Trona or Shoshone, depending on which side you are coming from Coachella, no matter what the price.

Nothing wrong with the fan clutch, just been meaning to do the fan clutch mod...but other things mods, have taken priority.

I will take my cepter gas cans to make sure I don't pull a and run out of gas, but thanks for the tip on gassing up at Trona....

come to think of it, I may as well throw my mt. bike and go for a ride as well...

I would love to spend more time, but I also need to save up some vacation time for SNT, which I also want to attend in Nov.

 

[latinoguy]

Mr. Wells warns for driving over the bridge on the South Park trail near the Briggs Camp if one's rig is over 6,000 pounds. Is this a real concern for the 80 series loaded with camping gear? It sounds like it.

 

[Kofoed]

Is this a real concern for the 80 series loaded with camping gear? It sounds like it.

No. They recently plated the bridge.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Mr. Wells warns for driving over the bridge on the South Park trail near the Briggs Camp if one's rig is over 6,000 pounds. Is this a real concern for the 80 series loaded with camping gear? It sounds like it.

I've driven over that bridge 4 times with a loaded 80 series. I've seen a loaded 100 with trailer go across. It's sketchy, but so far, it's safe.