FJ Cruisers of Northern California

Death Valley Trip

Looks like we will be in Death Valley Feb 10 for 4 or five days. Taking a base camp approach using Furnace Creek as the base camp. Looks like the campground will be close to full. Don't like all the people but we won't be there much anyway.

We plan to check out the race track and wildrose areas. We would like any recommendations for places to explore and see. We only have one off road rig so, we won't be going to to far off the main trails.

If you are in the area stop by say hi. If you are up for a off road trip let me know.

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Permalink Reply by Mikerd400 on January 19, 2013 at 11:18pm

Titus Canyon is a must see. It's a one way trail, not very diffucult. The canyon is just beautiful to drive through.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hope on January 20, 2013 at 6:21pm

///We would like any recommendations for places to explore and see. ///

The drive from Furnace Creek to Badwater Basin is excellent, at that time of year, get out and roam some of the scenery, for sure on the salt "flat"; also great is stopping at Artists Pallete (probable sp!) and the ghost town Ryolite. The roads are great and not crowded even though this is the best time of year to visit the park, which I think, is the largest NP in the country.

I remember great pizza at the bar/resteraunt/watering hole at FC. temps high 70's/low 80's that time of year too. We rented a car and drove on to Las Vegas, passing Yucca Mountain and having a great time. That was 5 years ago, fun trip. hope you have a great time, I bet you can find oiff-road sections too.. That would really be fun .

Steve Hope.

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Permalink Reply by Overlander36 on January 20, 2013 at 10:13pm

If you are loking at the Wildrose area you might consider camping at Panamint Springs while in that area - warmer than Wildrose cg and hot showers are available.When we were there three weeks ago the cost was $7.00 per night. The resteraunt has good burgers and an astounding selection of beers considering the location. Be sure to stock up on gas before coming into the park (Trona or Lone Pine) gas was $5.99 /gallon at Panamint springs. Cheapest gas in the park is at Stovepipe Wells - around $5.00 per gallon. If you are doing Titus Canyon and Ryolite you can get gass in Beaty, NV - also the closest place to have a tire fixed.

In the Wildrose area you might want to check out Aguereberry Point (looking East you can see Badwatter Basin, lowest point in North America, and looking West you can see Mt Whitney, highest point in the lower 48) and the charcoal kilns - bring warm clothes as they are both over 6K ft and temp there was 26 degrees at 1pm when we were there. We did a nice trip from the ghost town of Ballerat up Goler Wash road to the Barker Ranch (Manson familly hangout after the LA murders.

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Permalink Reply by BigFish on January 25, 2013 at 12:44pm

We are planning to land at Furnace Creek. The gas price intel is golden. Thanks for that information. More trip planning.

We hope to make Aguereberry Point.

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Permalink Reply by Shaman Rawb on January 24, 2013 at 10:24pm

Check out my Death Valley videos: YouTube

And the blog I wrote on it: BLOG

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Permalink Reply by BigFish on January 25, 2013 at 12:40pm

Yep - checked out your vids and Blog a few weeks back. Very helpful. Can't wait to get there. We are coming out of Tahoe so I hope the weather/road conditions on 89/88/395 are ok for me to pull the pop up.

Working on loading up the Ipad mini with maps and intel.

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Permalink Reply by Shaman Rawb on January 25, 2013 at 12:49pm

Use MotionX GPS HD on your iPad. You can load up different types of maps for an area of any size. it was INVALUABLE.

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Permalink Reply by BigFish on January 25, 2013 at 1:25pm

Based on your blog and comments and some research I went with the MotionX GPS HD. I have loaded a few maps. Still learning the software. It looks like it will a great tool and fun to use.

I will be loading a big area, so overnight plus more time will be required. My IPad mount should arrive Tuesday. Looking forward to mounting the IPad and us ing the system.

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Permalink Reply by John H on January 25, 2013 at 10:26am

You need to get "Death Valley SUV TRails": http://www.amazon.com/Death-Valley-SUV-trails-four-wheeling/dp/0970...

However it looks as though it's out of print. I bought mine in the visitor center at Furnace Creek about 3 years ago - it was an absolute inspriation and led, indirectly, to my purchase of the FJ.

Another must is the National Geographic map of the park: http://www.amazon.com/Death-Valley-National-Park-Illustrated/dp/156...

Blog of my recent journey there: http://n5296s.blogspot.com/2012/10/death-valley-backroads-day-1-get... (and two more linked from it)

Have fun!

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Permalink Reply by BigFish on January 25, 2013 at 12:37pm

Hey John H

Thanks for the intel. I have the map and I agree - a must. Great planning tool.

I checked out your Blog. Very interesting and helpful as you addressed a number of questions and concerns I had. We plan to take some of the same travels. We will have one full size truck with us so we won't be able to travel the narrow trails. We hope we can get out of the race track the way you went.

We will poke around for the book.

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Permalink Reply by John H on January 25, 2013 at 2:50pm

You should be OK - no guarantees of course. There is nowhere on the Teakettle-Hidden Valley-Hunter Mountain route that would be a problem for a full size truck, though you'll have to drive carefully in places. You can get sand accumulations in Hidden Valley - not enormous, but enough to make 4wd a comforting thing to have.

Enjoy!