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1)
Golden Canyon Interpretive Trail
• Length: 1 mile, one-way.
• Starting Point: Golden
Canyon parking area, 2 miles south of Hwy
190 on the Badwater Road.
• Description: Easy, self-guided
trail through colorful canyon. Red Cathedral
located 0.5 mile up canyon from last numbered trail marker.
2)
Gower Gulch Loop
• Length: 4 miles round-trip.
• Starting Point: Golden
Canyon parking area, 2 miles south of Hwy
190 on the Badwater Road.
• Description: Colorful badlands,
canyon narrows, old borax mines.
Follow posts with reflective arrows from stop #10 in Golden
Canyon 2 more miles to Zabriskie Point, or at the trail
junction past Manly
Beacon, follow rock cairns down side drainage
to Gower Gulch and then down the Gulch to finish the loop.
Two easy dryfalls must be scrambled down in Gower Gulch.
• Moderate hike.
• DANGER: If hiking this
loop during the summer, the cooler hours of
early morning are best. Always carry more water than you
think you will need.
In summer carry at least one quart/liter per person
per hour of hiking. Do Not Hike Alone!
3)
Desolation Canyon
• Length: 1 mile, one-way.
• Starting Point: End of
left fork Desolation Canyon Road, (not marked,
look closely for it) 3.7 miles south of Hwy. 190 on Badwater
road.
• Description: Narrow canyon
through colorful badlands. From road's
end, drop into main wash heading south. Hike up canyon,
keeping to right at
the forks.
4)
Natural Bridge Canyon
• Length: 1 mile, round-trip.
• Starting Point: Natural
Bridge parking area, 1.5 miles off the Badwater
Road on graded dirt road, 13.2 miles south of Hwy 190.
• Description: Moderate uphill
walk through narrow canyon. Large natural
bridge at 0.3 mi. Trail ends at dry waterfall.
5)
Badwater Salt Flat
• Length: 0.5 miles to edge,
5 miles across.
• Starting Point: Badwater
parking area, 17 miles south of Hwy 190
on the Badwater Road.
• Description: Level walk
across lowest place in the Western Hemisphere.
Crust of salt crystals may be covered with temporary
lake after rain storms. Watch out for muddy areas.
• No Trail
• CAUTION: Do Not hike this
area during hot months!
6)
Harmony Borax Works Interpretive Trail
• Length: 0.25 mile, round-trip;
for a longer hike, walk the 1 mile bicycle
path along Hwy 190 from Furnace Creek.
• Starting Point: Harmony
Borax Works parking area, 1 mile north of
Furnace Creek on Hwy 190.
• Description: Easy paved
trail loops around ruins of 1880's borax processing
plant. Interpretive signs along trail tell the story of
what you are seeing.
7)
Salt Creek Interpretive Trail
• Length: 0.5 mile round-trip.
• Starting Point: Salt Creek
parking area, 1 mile off Hwy. 190, 13.5
miles north of Furnace Creek.
• Description: Easy, self
guided trail on a boardwalk over small stream.
Good for viewing rare pupfish and other wildlife. Best
in late winter/early
spring.
8)
Sand Dunes
• Length: 2 miles, one-way.
• Starting Point: Sand Dunes
parking area, 2.2 miles east of Stovepipe
Wells, Hwy 190.
• Description: Graceful desert
dunes, numerous animal tracks. Walk
cross-country to 120 ft. high dunes. Best in morning or
afternoon for dramatic
light. Also good for full moon hikes.
• No Trail
Click
here for more day hikes outside the Furnace Creek Area.
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Adventurous Hikes:
No trails. Rock scrambling... you’re on your own!
9)
DeathValley Buttes
• Length: 1.8 mile, one-way.
• Starting Point: Hell’s
Gate parking area, 22 miles NE of Furnace Creek.
• Description: Short but
strenuous scramble to the two prominent hills
at the foot of the Grapevine Mountains. From Hell’s Gate,
walk SW 0.5 mile toward
the buttes. Scramble south up the ridge
to the first of the buttes. You made it! Now you can decide
whether you want to
attempt #2. It’s more difficult. If so, descend carefully
down the ridge 300 ft., then climb the narrow ridge to
butte #2. Extreme
care should be used when climbing the buttes.
Ridges are narrow and exposed with steep drop-offs. Windy
days make this effect quite dramatic. The views are among
the best in Death Valley.
• No Trail
10)
Fall Canyon
• Length: 3.5 miles,
one-way.
• Starting Point: Titus Canyon
Mouth parking area, 3 miles off Scotty’s
Castle road on graded dirt road.
• Description: Deep and spectacular
canyon north of Titus Canyon.
Walk 0.5 mile north along base of mountains to large wash,
then 2.5 mi. up canyon to a 35 ft. dryfall. Using caution,
you can climb around
the falls on the south side. This will give you
access to some of the most beautiful narrows in Death
Valley. You can follow
the canyon up another 4 or 5 miles.
• No Trail
11)
Red Wall Canyon
• Length: 3 miles, one-way.
• Starting Point: Scotty’s
Castle Road, 3.8 miles north of Titus Canyon
road exit.
• Description: Colorful (red)
narrow mountain canyon. From road, hike
2 miles up alluvial fan to mouth of canyon (watch for
meeting of red and
black rock to locate canyon). Rock climbing skills
are needed to continue beyond a dry waterfall 1 mile up
the canyon.
• No Trail
12)
Little Bridge Canyon
• Length: 3 miles, one-way.
• Starting Point: 3 miles
east of Stovepipe Wells Village, Hwy 190.
Park along side of road, (first major canyon east of Grotto
Canyon).
• Description: Ascend alluvial
fan 2 miles south of road to canyon mouth.
The canyon is very wide at first before narrowing. A small
arch appears on the
right 1/2 mile into the canyon and a 20 ft high
natural bridge spans the east side of the canyon 1/2 mile
further on. White
quartzite canyon walls and interesting side canyons
to explore. Canyon narrows further up from bridge.
• No Trail
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Summer Hikes:
Cool places to hike when the Valley gets too hot.
13)
Wildrose Peak Trail:
• Length: 4.2 miles, one-way.
• Starting Point: Charcoal
Kilns parking area, upper Wildrose Canyon
Road.
• Description: A good high
peak to climb (9,064 ft.). Trail begins at north
end of kilns with an elevation gain of 2,200 ft. Spectacular
views beyond 2 mile
point. Steep grade for last mile.
14)
Telescope Peak Trail:
• Length: 7 miles, one-way.
• Starting Point: Mahogany
Flat Campground, upper Wildrose Canyon
Road. Rough, steep road after Charcoal Kilns.
• Description: Strenuous
trail to highest peak in the park (11,049 ft.)
with a 3,000 ft. elevation gain. Ancient bristlecone pines
appear just above
the 10,000 ft. level. The summit rewards you with
spectacular views ranging from Badwater, the lowest point
in the Western Hemisphere
to the east, to Mt. Whitney, the highest
point in the lower 48 United States to the west. Climbing
this peak in the winter
requires ice axe and crampons, and is only
advised for experienced climbers. Telescope Peak is usually
snow-free by June. Don't forget that the high altitude
may slow you down.
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