Thoughts anyone? Death Valley plan

[Go2AllThePlaces]

Hey guys! Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are that have been through death valley. I am planning on leaving Vegas early morning and want to get to Saline Hot Springs for the night to camp there. The route I would like to take would have us getting to Ubehebe crater then heading on to Tea Kettle Junction then from there we would like to hit the race track. Leaving the racetrack Playa we will go down Lippincott pass and head over to Saline Hot Springs to have dinner and camp the night there! Next day the only plan is to get out to the Eureka Dunes. Is this a doable route? any other suggestions to hit up ?

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[Narbob]

Hey guys! Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are that have been through death valley. I am planning on leaving Vegas early morning and want to get to Saline Hot Springs for the night to camp there. The route I would like to take would have us getting to Ubehebe crater then heading on to Tea Kettle Junction then from there we would like to hit the race track. Leaving the racetrack Playa we will go down Lippincott pass and head over to Saline Hot Springs to have dinner and camp the night there! Next day the only plan is to get out to the Eureka Dunes. Is this a doable route? any other suggestions to hit up ?

Thanks for everyone's help!

This is definitely doable but you will be racing the sun. We recently had a group of 12 vehicles (including one very capable driver with a trailer) go from Tea Kettle to the dunes in about 8 hours. Of course your time will vary depending on type and amount of vehicles and stops you make.

 

[ArmyofMike]

That may be a doable trip per Google maps (or Gaia) in that time frame, and in all honesty, you can do that trek in a day, but given how rough Racetrack Road is and stopping to enjoy some of the scenery, you are pushing the clock. Perhaps slow it down a bit and drive from Vegas to Racetrack Playa, stay at Homestead Dry camp for the night. Then, the next day, wake up and head to Saline Hot Spring, then to Eureka (are you planning to do Steele Pass?) Then, you can trek out that night or even stay near Eureka for the night and head out the third day morning.

Death Valley is a Journey AND a destination. Slow down a bit if you can.

 

[Luinil Explorations]

What they said. The road to the Racetrack is 20 miles of bad washboard.

 

[Go2AllThePlaces]

copy that !! Thanks for the advice ! We plan on heading out early friday morning and really wanted to make our camp at the Saline Springs for the thanksgiving potluck weekend! And time isnt on our side for this trip as we need to be back to work sunday afternoon! We will see how much we can get in though.

 

[wordofbabb]

So the damage they talk about to Scotty's Road going into the north section of the park is not preventing a loop up from Racetrack Playa to the Eureka dunes to come back out Steele Pass? I am trying to plan a trip to Death Valley for late April to beat the heat. We want to hit Joshua Tree and Death Valley in one run. We are coming from Seattle so have to spend almost days on the road just going down I5 to get there and then start the journey through both parks. I will post full plan later for discussion. Just been reading part of the north park is closed due to some massive flood in 2015. So unsure how folks get from parts of Warm Springs Rd and up badwater basin to the Eureka Dunes area without going through there. I know they can come in Lippincot Mine Rd and hit Tea Kettle Junction and go up to the Racetrack but you still have to cut west and loop back north unless I am missing a road in all my research.

 

[Luinil Explorations]

Get a copy of the park visitor guide. It has a map and lots of information.

 

[mpienta]

 

[mpienta]

Check out a map of DV first. Steel Pass had some “fun sections” when I ran it in the spring. Make sure your rig is equipped with “sliders” and “diff guards “. The map above oversimplifies the routes by not showing “secondary roads/trails”. It takes a lot longer than you would expect.

 

[mpienta]

Lippincot Mine Road is very “doable” compared to Steele Pass. Scotty’s Castle road is open from the North West to , eventually, Eureka Dunes but not NE to Hwy 95.

 

[Sgt12XU]

My three day trip in DV from April ‘18:

 

[ArmyofMike]

So the damage they talk about to Scotty's Road going into the north section of the park is not preventing a loop up from Racetrack Playa to the Eureka dunes to come back out Steele Pass? I am trying to plan a trip to Death Valley for late April to beat the heat. We want to hit Joshua Tree and Death Valley in one run. We are coming from Seattle so have to spend almost days on the road just going down I5 to get there and then start the journey through both parks. I will post full plan later for discussion. Just been reading part of the north park is closed due to some massive flood in 2015. So unsure how folks get from parts of Warm Springs Rd and up badwater basin to the Eureka Dunes area without going through there. I know they can come in Lippincot Mine Rd and hit Tea Kettle Junction and go up to the Racetrack but you still have to cut west and loop back north unless I am missing a road in all my research.

I forget the name of the road (it's on NPS Death Valley Mapping) that runs from near the entrance to Ubehebe Crater/Racetrack Road, but it heads North by Crankshaft Junction and then heads back West towards the Eureka Dunes. It is BAD washboard, but not impassable by any means. It will lead you to the Eureka Dunes/Rainbow Canyon and you will not have to do Steele Pass if you do not want to. Just a thought.

It's called Death Valley/Big Pine Road (top Right-NE quadrant of DV Map) and will take you through Crankshaft Junction on to the turn for Eureka Dunes.

 

[wordofbabb]

I forget the name of the road (it's on NPS Death Valley Mapping) that runs from near the entrance to Ubehebe Crater/Racetrack Road, but it heads North by Crankshaft Junction and then heads back West towards the Eureka Dunes. It is BAD washboard, but not impassable by any means. It will lead you to the Eureka Dunes/Rainbow Canyon and you will not have to do Steele Pass if you do not want to. Just a thought.

It's called Death Valley/Big Pine Road (top Right-NE quadrant of DV Map) and will take you through Crankshaft Junction on to the turn for Eureka Dunes.

Thanks Mike - I will go back to the maps and see if I can check that out. I was using Google Maps. I also have spoke to a few folks locally who have done Steele Pass and they said it is not as crazy as people make it look on YouTube. Being a noob at this stuff and traveling alone I just don't want to get somewhere and be outclassed on the terrain due to lack of experience.

 

[HudsonZRoamer]

My three day trip in DV from April ‘18:

Curious where that location was of the abandoned cabin towards the end of the part 2 video you camped at. Very good job on the videos I appreciate you being to the point and I must agree Lippincott is a bit hyped. I did this in my Subaru with zero issues.

 

[Sgt12XU]

Curious where that location was of the abandoned cabin towards the end of the part 2 video you camped at. Very good job on the videos I appreciate you being to the point and I must agree Lippincott is a bit hyped. I did this in my Subaru with zero issues.

If you look at the animated map route in the vid, you can see where it is. Pause the vid as needed and you can figure it out. Hang a right off eastbound Charoal Kiln Rd after the Wildrose campground.