The only hike we really did at Death Valley NP. It's about 2-3 miles RT with some incline and a…read morelarge stretch of uncovered trail so bring sunscreen and plenty of water! There are some challenging climbing pieces through slot canyons and some parts where you have to decide what is actually the trail. Then the end it kind of abruptly has a rock wall so there's no 'viewpoint' at the end but the rock marbling and mosaic rocks along the way are very cool to see. We saw a lot of groups here doing like discussion circles so seems like a popular spot to walk a little in and hang out.

Beautiful dry hiking trail. Reminds me of Zion Narrows without the water. Some bottleneck boulder…read morescrambling from time to time. Arrows made of rocks point the way. Stay on trail. One guy had to be rescued by helicopter in the last year. Very dry terrain. Bring extra water. Limited shade. I suggest using the restroom at Stovepipe Wells first. No cell service. Better go near wintertime. Can be cold, so layer up. Summer can reach over 120°F. We hiked almost 4 mi for about 2 hr.

It was nice, great view of Death Valley. Nice there was information on Father Crowley…read more Not a lot of people there, but then again, it was quite hot that day. We saw a few birds soaring over the valley, it was really a beautiful sight! I wonder how people could have lived there at first, then I realized how. Just beautiful. Go take a visit.

Nice views into Rainbow Canyon: Death Valley National Park…read more Not many people know this spot to be part of the Death Valley National Park... at least I didn't at first but this was my second visit here for the beautiful scenic features. It is located near the western park boundary. When we drive to Las Vegas we stop here to stretch our legs, use the restroom and enjoy the beautiful landscape. Perhaps this lookout is more well known for its use as a military flight training site at Rainbow Canyon. Remember in the original "Star Wars" movie the way the fictional X-Wing starfighters flew through deep corridors of the enemy Death Star?... Air Force and Navy military pilots are known to dangerously but skillfully maneuver their jets (F/A-18E Super Hornets) through the high-walled cliffs that way too and that's why the vicinity has been nicknamed "Star Wars Canyon." It would be so cool to catch this one day as it is never a guarantee which days training flights will take place. We saw a few people there with camera tripods. Rainbow Canyon is below Father Crowley Lookout. There is a plaque on a stone monument at the parking area in memory of Father Crowley. He was known as The Desert Padre. He would often stop here and admire the views when he visited his parishioners to/from Death Valley and his home in Lone Pine. He hit a steer on one of his trips. Review #2123

A cute little drive to see some great scenery in Death Valley National Park. A quick drive but if…read moreit's hot, a great way to cool off in your car and still see something new.

9-mile Scenic Loop [Death Valley National Park]…read more We've driven to Death Valley many times, and a few times we've stopped at scenic spots, Zabriskie Point, being my favorite. The first time around, we didn't even get close to the rainbow-like Artists Palette... the road wasn't yet paved and I didn't want to end up buying our rental car if somehow it got damaged by the rough road. Well, now the roads have been maintained and we finally had a chance to drive in it. Artists Drive is the most popular scenic drive in the park and I've been wanting to see the Artist's Palette since the road is now paved. It's a 9-mile one-way narrow road that twists, turns, and dips like a rollercoaster. Fun! It is a one way road... so no turning back. The drive includes vibrant desert hills, sloping mountain side and, of course, the main event...Artist's Palette. Artists Drive is a short detour off Badwater Road so, yes, we wanted to check out the beautiful colors of Artists Palette on the way back from Badwater Basin to Furnace Creek. Happy trails... Review #3534

Nice little interpretive trail with interesting history and description of how the borax was…read moreprocessed.

There was so much history at Death Valley! Harmony Borax Works is now registered a National…read moreHistoric Landmark. Harmony Borax Works was the central feature in the opening of Death Valley and the subsequent popularity of the Furnace Creek area. The plant and associated townsite played an important role in Death Valley history. After borax was found near Furnace Creek Ranch in 1881, William T. Coleman built the Harmony plant and began to process ore in late 1883 or early 1884. When in full operation, the Harmony Borax Works employed 40 men who produced three tons of borax daily. During the summer months, when the weather was so hot that processing water would not cool enough to permit the suspended borax to crystallize, Coleman moved his work force to the Amargosa Borax Plant near present day Tecopa, California. Getting the finished product to market from the heart of Death Valley was a difficult task, and an efficient method had to be devised. The Harmony operation became famous through the use of large mule teams and double wagons which hauled borax the long overland route to Mojave. The romantic image of the "20-mule team" persists to this day and has become the symbol of the borax industry in this country. The Harmony plant went out of operation in 1888, after only five years of production, when Coleman's financial empire collapsed. Aquired by Francis Marion Smith, the works never resumed the boiling of cottonball borate ore, and in time became part of the borax reserves of the Pacific Coast Borax Company and it successors. Harmony Borax Works was the central feature in the opening of Death Valley and the subsequent popularity of the Furnace Creek area. Come to visit this fascinating landmark in Death Valley!

Of all the places we visited as a family for Spring Break in Death Valley, Fall Canyon was my…read morefavorite. Situated in the northern half of the park, Fall Canyon is accessed via a 3 mile road off the main highway, consisting of dirt, sand, gravel, and rocks up to about the size of a cantaloupe-- not impossible to pass in your 1994 Ford Festiva, but I wouldn't recommend it. The park map suggests a "high-clearance vehicle," which means the few extra inches under a Jeep, a truck, or an SUV could mean the difference between making it to the gravel-covered parking lot, or blowing out your exhaust system on the rocks... the latter could prove to be life-threatening in the heat of the desert. That said, before setting out on any hike in DV, be sure to prepare: even traveling with my 4x4 truck, we carried two gallons of water per person in the truck, with Camelbacks that stored 3 liters of water each during our hikes, plenty of shelf-stable snacks like dried fruit, nuts, and trail mix, sunscreen, a couple of lighters, a good knife, light clothing, hats, a first aid kit... I know, rather Boy Scout of us, but you don't take chances when you're traveling on the periphery of civilization with young kids. Phones generally don't work here. Now that all the worry stuff is out of the way... Fall Canyon is desolate and beautiful. Unlike any canyon in my local San Gabriel mountains, Fall Canyon's stark rock walls, carved by aeons of occasional swift moving flash flood waters, rise in stark contrast from the flat canyon bottom of gravel and rocks. This place is a rockhound's dream: if you know where to look, a geology enthusiast can find pre-Cambrian igneous rock (that's nearly 1.7 billion years old, Mildred), limestone, sandstone, breccia, conglomerate, mudstone, quartz, quartzite, gypsum, and maybe even a few other surprises, brought here from far away by fast moving waters. During our trip in April, the area was flecked with colorful wildflowers, growing in earnest against the deadly heat just a few weeks away, and providing food for voracious hornworm caterpillars, eating as fast as they could. A beautiful collared lizard crossed our path, and we had a brief photo-shoot with it before releasing it unharmed. As the sun went down, lots of bats emerged from the caves in the canyon walls, feasting early evening insects. With young kids, we only journeyed about a mile and a half into the canyon. In some places, the slot canyon narrows, while in other areas, it is wide; in most cases, the steep walls on either side keep you directly on the path. I can't wait to return to this area either sans offspring or when they are a little older and can carry their own water, to further explore the deeper parts of this beautiful area.

NO FALLING, JUST A LITTLE SLIPPING!!!!…read more BACKGROUND: Fall Canyon is one of many colorful ravines in the hills surrounding Death Valley in California; shaped by occasional flash floods that flow from the higher mountains beyond, the canyon is remote and little-visited; deep and moderately narrow for many miles, with occasional shaded, cave-like passageways of great beauty. Some of these narrow, twisting sections are enclosed by smooth granitic walls with an unusual bluish tint. As with most other Southwest canyons, the rocks are layered, but quite differently to the orderly slot canyons of Utah - here the strata are multi-colored, buckled, twisted and eroded, the result of ancient geological forces. Fall Canyon is easily reached and offers a perfect wilderness experience, though it should be avoided during the summer months when the weather becomes too extreme. STATS: Distance: 9 miles Elevation Gain: Approx. 2,200ft. or roughly 400-500ft./mile ESSENTIALS: At least 2 liters of water Know your limits Comfy hiking shoes with good lugs Layered Clothing High protein food/snacks Electrolytes Camera Hat (optional) Sunscreen Trek poles (optional) High profile vehicle (strongly recommended) OUR ROUTE: Before heading home from a magically majestic weekend in Death Valley, me and The Crew headed here to Titus-Fall Canyon for a quick in-&-out. The drive from the paved road to the trail head was more than a little dirty and dusty, it was quite bumpy, thank goodness for high profile vehicles. Low profile cars would probably bottom out and leave a trail of car parts on the road. From the trailhead we headed up a soft sandy wash for about three miles, similar to the one at Furnace Creek. There is very little elevation gain, so it's completely doable for beginner hikers. It's the sandy wash provides a quad workout. The canyon closes in a smidge and provides some shade and the shadows created by the slightly limited shinning sun creates some breathtaking sites and colors of the slot canyon. The slots in this canyon don't get so narrow that packs have to be removed, and there's no need to spoon to the left or spoon to the right to get through. There are offshoot slots throughout this wash, which are worth taking a gander, especially if you are not wanting do all nine miles of this hike. Although there are no signs leading you to the end of the trail, the mouth of a 30ft. waterfall will be your sign that the end is here. DISCLAIMER: Hiking is not something that can be taken lightly. It can be life-threatening as you see and hear on the news, people die or get lost all time. Please, if you are going to hike, never go alone and prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Remember when going for a hike, no matter how short you think it may be, always be prepared. Carry at least two liters of water for every five miles (more if the weather is warm), protein bar, nuts, and electrolytes. Wear sturdy lug sole shoes and protective clothing. Some areas the weather can change quicker than a fireman can put on his gear. It is also very important, always always always let a family member or friend know where you are going and when you expect to be back. Lastly, have fun when you hike it up. Review 86 Yelp 100+ Challenge 2015 #deathvalley #hikingdeathvalley #hiking #belowsealevel

Hike to see the pupfish of Death Valley!…read more To most people Death Valley is a dead and barren desert where nothing survives, but that is the furthest thing from the truth! Death Valley is full of surprises. This desolate and arid valley was once part of a massive freshwater lake! Salt Creek is a remnant of the long gone freshwater lake. As the giant lake dried up about 10,000 years ago freshwater converted to salt water. The creek is now home to a two-inch long fish called the Salt Creek pupfish. The fish lives nowhere else but here! As the home of this fish changed from freshwater to salt water, it evolved and managed to survive in its new environment. The pupfish can also survive in water from near-freezing to above 100 degrees Fahrenheit! To see this fascinating specie all you need to do is hike the 1-mile (roundtrip) long Salt Creek Interpretive wheelchair-accessible boardwalk trail. It traces the path of Salt Creek, and you can peer down into the pools of water and spot the fish swimming around. You must do this during the spring time, however, as the fish go dormant during the heat of the summer. You may also see songbirds and great blue herons during your visit at any time of year. Salt Creek Road is off CA-190 and located 13 miles west of Furnace Creek. It is unpaved but passable to sedans, I know because on my first visit in 2016, I drove my 2005 Thunderbird to the trailhead!

Salt Creek Trail is on a boardwalk that is a 1/2 mile loop over desert sand and spring fed salt…read morecreek. We were excited to locate the rare pupfish that spawn during Spring months, these tiny pupfish have survived in the Valley for 10,000 years yet surviving after a spawn for year ~ WOW! Unique stop worth popping over for an easy stroll to see flora, fauna and the rare pupfish. Plenty of parking and bathroom facilities plus picnic tables along with benches throughout the boardwalk to sit and enjoy the beautiful views all around.

No visit to this NP is complete without doing the one way artist's palette drive. The drive is easy…read morewith lots of pullouts. There are currently many wildflowers to be seen here as well. You can easily enjoy the views from the far or venture out on a trail or short walk from Parking spots.

Easy parking and a short walk to get through a lookout. The photos don't do the color justice and I…read morethink when it's not peak light, you'll see them more vibrant but still fascinating to see up close! Theres not too much of an actual path here then just climbing around for a lookout and then returning to the parking lot.

You can take a short drive (less than a mile) over an unpaved road through Mustard Canyon. The…read morecanyon takes its name from the bright yellow rocks that it is composed of. You do not need a high clearance or 4 wheel drive vehicle to drive through it. The entrance is the same as the one to Borax Works, but goes on to become unpaved as it snakes through the Canyon.

I walked from Furnace Creek Campground through Mustard Canyon and back every morning. It was a nice…read morewalk, especially right before sunrise. It felt like nobody else was on the planet but me and the deep silence was humbling. Nice 5.2 mile walk.

A highlight in Death Valley! Definitely want a vehicle that can go off-roading for this valley…read moreadventure. There are a few deserted mine that you can stop at and visit as well as picturesque landscapes that highlight the beauty of Death Valley. The canyon itself is pretty cool and scenic. It's towards the end so when you get to the canyon then you'll exit the mountain and back onto the main roads. Great to pair with the Ryolite Ghost Town in Nevada as well. We finished the Titus Canyon road in about 2.5 hours including stopping at the sights.

Activity Type: Hiking Nearby City: Stovepipe Wells…read moreLength: 6 total miles Elevation Gain: 6,562 feet Trail Type: Out-and-back Skill Level: Moderate Duration: 4 hours Season: Best Times: Cool to warm Top Elevation: 5,280 feet Other Uses: Good for kids This is one of the classic 4WD (or two-foot!) canyon tours of the American West and should be near the top of your must-see list. Named after Morris Titus, a prospector who disappeared in this area in 1906, Titus Canyon offers fun driving (or hiking), beautiful scenery, and extraordinary geology. From Red Pass, the Titus Canyon Road drops a vertical mile, at times winding through passages hundreds of feet deep but barely wide enough for your vehicle. Check with Death Valley rangers before driving this route, as it's often closed due to snow, mud, or flash floods. Do not enter the canyon if thunderstorms threaten. Vehicle: HC/4WD.