Question about camping

[WayOutWest]

Eureka Valley, past the sand dunes campground, are numerous areas a 2WD can park a few yards off the road and set up camp on the east side of the dune field. A friend of mine with a 2WD Toyota Highlander did it about 20 years ago without traction or clearance issues. The road is two track and may have a high enough center to snag a sedan, but soft enough to be plowed by the car’s underbelly. Drive as far as you feel comfortable, the road gets sandier as you progress. The campground at the end of the bladed road is also among the least used.

Mesquite Spring below Scotty’s Castle is also among the less crowded improved camp sites that aren’t of the dirt parking lot style of those in the Furnace Creek / Stovepipe Wells area.

Oriental Wash, in the northern part of the park, leaves the park and the state. Esmeralda County, NV routinely blades the road freeway smooth starting in late March and early April, the CA side gets less love. Several scenic ghost towns, however the elevations here will be prohibitive in March due to snow.

Off of CA168 between Big Pine and Oasis and as you approach Oasis, North Eureka Valley Road heads south and t-bones into the Big Pine-Death Valley Road near the South Eureka Valley Road (to the sand dunes) junction. It gets annual maintenance but is often washed out at the confluence of Cucomungo Canyon. However, the first few miles in from CA168 travel through Joshua trees with piñon pine on the hillsides. The elevation is +/- 5,000 feet, so might be nippy. A few miles in there is a mill site with a nice, large and flat terrace with nice views east and up north through the Fish Lake Valley, that might make a nice camp.

There is another byway off of the North Eureka Valley road that is cherry stemmed through wilderness area that returns to the Big Pine-Death Valley Road at the end of the pavement on the west side of the valley, which my buddy traversed in his 2WD Highlander without issue (though I was guiding him in my 4x4 Tacoma), which has some scenic places. That byway is little known and seldom used. It is two-track all the way but firm with a few brief, shallow, wet weather water crossings and a mile long hard packed sandy stretch at the end.

You can also take North Eureka Valley Road north out of Eureka Valley as well. It’s signed and graded annually. Depending on the storms this winter, you might be able to travel its length to Oasis in Fish Lake Valley.

The afore mentioned Greenwater Valley road area is also nice. But your elevation, especially along the northern end, is well above 4,000 feet, so nights and mornings will be brisk.

I don’t keep a close eye on the road conditions any more since I don’t live in the area like I once did, so don’t know how well they’ve fared in the flash floods, winter storms since, and how much the park has repaired and improved them.

Thanks so much for your suggestions!
Eureka Valley and Dunes seem pretty far from pavement --- also at the moment, it appears that the entire, paved road from the park center, to Scotty's Castle, is closed.  So I don't see that it is very doable to go to the north part of the park if I want to spend time in the middle and south, as it would require a big detour....however, I would like to visit this area in the future when road conditions are better.  I haven't been in that part of the park much at all.  
Mesquite Springs camp does look attractive but as the road to it is closed I'll have to wait for another visit to go there.
I don't mind brisk weather, actually prefer cold to heat, so Greenwater Valley Rd sounds suitable.

[WayOutWest]

I'll second DAW's comment about Mesquite Springs being very quiet; I've enjoyed my times camping there. I haven't heard that the road up there is open yet; that would be nice.  I'll also add that the lower loop of Texas Springs is tents, and is usually fairly quiet due to the hills around it. I can usually get a spot before 1 pm, but I'll go earlier because there are ones I prefer. The upper loop is entirely different, easier to get into but basically a gravel parking lot. I'll be out there early March; if you see a white van with Nebraska plates, come say hi. I would be interested in what you've done to your van for camping.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!

Yes I like the idea of a quiet campsite.  I may check out Texas Springs --- I will look for you if I go there.  The way you describe it sounds familiar -- it's been a long time but I believe I camped there in the late 1980s or early 1990s.  I expect to be in the area starting about March 4 or 5.  I've been tinkering with my van setup for a couple years but I'm getting closer to done.  It's not a high-tech van conversion, but has the basics and I'm enjoying the setup.  I just was in Anza-Borrego desert last month for a few days and that was a really nice trip.  I like the free primitive camps there.

[WayOutWest]

I like to camp outside of standard campgrounds when possible, but I only have a 2WD

Unless I missed it, Wild Rose Campground on the way to the Charcoal Kilns and Telescope Peak could be considered. Paved all the way and quiet. Not sure but there may be some rarely used side dirt roads along the way for dispersed camping?

Please post a trip report here upon your return. Welcome to this forum.

Thank you!  Yes, I just checked and the park info is that Wildrose Campground is open, I should try that one, I don't believe I have ever camped there. And I would like to do some exploring in that area...actually I'm coming into the park from Panamint Valley, before I go into the park I want to visit Trona Pinnacles near Ridgecrest.  Then see if I can do some hiking in Panamint Valley.  So camping at WildRose would be convenient on my first days into the Park.

[DeathValleyDazed]

  So camping at WildRose would be convenient on my first days into the Park.

Here's a time lapse drive of the ten miles from Panamint Valley Road to Wildrose. There are lots of fun vintage sites to explore from the Wildrose Campground.


In case you do drive up Wildrose Road from Trona here's some nostalgia to keep in mind as you motor through the canyon. This signage at the beginning is actually from Highway 190 looking up the closed (at that time) Emigrant Canyon Road.

And here a time lapse driving down from Wildrose to Panamint Valley Road. 

[MojaveGeek]

If you have not been to the Kilns I highly recommend it, and the road is fine for 2WD. Gets tough beyond. Wildrose peak is a great hike, or you can just hike the first two miles to the ridge and find some views down into the valley - awesome.

When are you going? I will be driving by the Pinnacles for the first time on 20 March or so and they seem to be something I must visit, but I don't know anything. If you learn stuff before then, please post!

[WayOutWest]

I have never slept at Slab Camp.  It is really just a BIG slab.  I don't know if people party but any camp area with others around might be subject to same.  Emigrant has had noisy neighbors show up at 1 AM, for example.  Slab is popular with dirtbag hikers and climbers, who tend to go to sleep early anyway, but who knows from day to day.

As for flats....  I got one on the paved Badwater road once

Noisy neighbors showing up at 1am....sigh...that's the problem with any type of campground.  Always the potential for this.  Show up late at night AND then start setting up their camp AND start having dinner late at night.  Hence, my preference for camping outside campgrounds.    But really, it's the late arrivers who should be the ones avoiding camping in campgrounds.  

So Wildrose Camp would be sketchy in early March? It's showing as currently open, in early February....I wonder if snow and/or ice could be a problem there in the winter.

[MojaveGeek]

So Wildrose Camp would be sketchy in early March? It's showing as currently open, in early February....I wonder if snow and/or ice could be a problem there in the winter.

I've never seen snow there in March, though anything is possible. Last year I was there the 3rd week of March and Wildrose looked pretty full each day (I was just up there hiking a few days, sleeping at SPW - indoors). Chilly I am sure, so sort of depends on what kind of gear you have and what you're looking for. When I'm out in March I carry a menu of possible hikes ranging from the valley floor to the higher Panamint peaks, and choose depending on the weather. If you thought it was too cold you could drop down into the Panamint valley for the night and wild camp outside the park, but I don't have recommendations about spots.

[Brice]

I was just up Echo canyon and can confirm sites 1-5 are 2WD accessible. Site 5 is the last one before you enter the canyon. Beyond that there is some deep gravel which could be trouble for low clearance vehicles.

[WayOutWest]

I was just up Echo canyon and can confirm sites 1-5 are 2WD accessible.  Site 5 is the last one before you enter the canyon.  Beyond that there is some deep gravel which could be trouble for low clearance vehicles.

Thanks, that is helpful to know.  Though I read on the park info site that they are requiring permits for camping in Echo Canyon.  These are free, but are a hassle, as I tend to be quite spontaneous in my adventures and so can't often plan ahead enough such that getting a permit would be convenient.  I rarely know exactly where I'll end up each day....

[WayOutWest]

So Wildrose Camp would be sketchy in early March? It's showing as currently open, in early February....I wonder if snow and/or ice could be a problem there in the winter.

I've never seen snow there in March, though anything is possible.  Last year I was there the 3rd week of March and Wildrose looked pretty full each day (I was just up there hiking a few days, sleeping at SPW - indoors).  Chilly I am sure, so sort of depends on what kind of gear you have and what you're looking for.  When I'm out in March I carry a menu of possible hikes ranging from the valley floor to the higher Panamint peaks, and choose depending on the weather.  If you thought it was too cold you could drop down into the Panamint valley for the night and wild camp outside the park, but I don't have recommendations about spots.

I will be looking around Panamint Valley for possible spots, yes.  I haven't done enough exploring in that area....for instance have never been to Darwin or Darwin Falls, so would like to get there.  
I see in my notes that I've hiked Surprise Canyon in the past, but I don't recall that, must have been a long time ago, so I'd like to go there again...