What's the most remote difficult place to reach in the park?

[DAW89446]

I met a young couple once at Furnace Creek who were splitting their honeymoon.up between Las Vegas and Death Valley.

In April 1976, my first wife and I honeymooned in DV. Didn’t go anywhere remote in the valley the first two nights. But did spend the third night camped at Bonnie Clair at the mill building. Camped in our ‘64 VW Westfalia camper van.

[TacoLand]

One of a handful of hikes in DVNP I made an ex-girlfriend cry during. Whoops.

Is this why she became your X-girlfriend? Maybe we should rename Death Valley to Divorce Valley? LOL

I met a young couple once at Furnace Creek who were splitting their honeymoon.up between Las Vegas and Death Valley.

Ha! I'd completely forgotten, but you just reminded me that I celebrated my honeymoon in Death Valley after getting married at the courthouse in Fallon.

Celebrated the divorce a few years later with multiple solo trips to DV.

(This was all before the crying ex-girlfriend adventures.)

Death Valley, it's for Lovers. 

[DeathValleyDazed]

Death Valley, it's for Lovers. 

Another aspect of DEVA is that almost everyone I observe anywhere in the park is that they are having a great time with nature and each other.

[DAW89446]

I married my first in Big Bear Lake, where she lived. We lived in June Lake when we split up. She and her boyfriend rode to Saline and ended up in a shootout.

My current wife and I married in Virginia City by the Justice of the Peace. We lived in Trona, Ridgecrest and Big Pine before we moved to Winnemucca. Death Valley was next door to all three and I spent a lot of time in and adjacent to the park. But I was last in it in 2008. I kind of miss it ...

[MojaveGeek]

Well this is a great question, but need to define what you mean by "remote". Furthest from a road, including 4WD? Hardest to get to?

I was thinking of the area in the Last Chance range north of Dry Mtn. Although the rest of the ridge is only 4-5 miles from the Steele Pass road, that gets little traffic as it is pretty rough. When I was up there, it sure seemed far from anything, and rather hard to get to, though non-technical

I was also thinking of the southern Owlsheads but there is that road that goes up to the old communications site, and I think you can still get up there in a sedan (though its rough).

The area around Panamint Butte is pretty hard to get to. I've not tried the rugged route from the Big Four Mine, and it's a long slog in there from Towne Pass, but I'd say more likely to see people than the other two places above.

[DAW89446]

Not being a hiker, I can’t claim the slot canyons conquered by some here, or the way out places others have trod.

Some of my 4WD roads over the years:

* Goler/Mengle/Butte Valley/West Side Road numerous times.

* Over Hunter Mountain to Teakettle Junction.

* Lippincott trail, several times.

* Steel Pass - one time all the way (Saline to Eureka), Eureka to Marble Bath several times.

* Saline Valley road South to North Pass, several times.

* Tule Canyon - numerous times

* Eureka Valley to Gilbert Summit trail, several times.

* Horsethief Canyon trail, Eureka Valley to Fish Lake Valley - several times.

* Oriental Wash - several times

* Chloride City/Cliff - several times.

* Capricorn Mine (east slope Funeral Range SE of Chloride City) - one time.

* Nevada Triangle, Strozzi Ranch, Phinney Mine - one time

* Titus Canyon - twice

* Skidoo - numerous times

* Harrisburg / Aguereberry Point - several times

* Surprise Canyon / Panamint City - Several times in the lower canyon to the top of the falls, once to PC

* Echo Canyon/Inyo Mine/Schwab - one time, hike to Schwab townsite.

* West Side Road (entire length) several times.

* Racetrack road, numerous times.

* Pleasant Canyon, several times to Claire Camp, and up to the Porter Mine gate and overlook into Happy Canyon.

* South Park Canyon, several times to Briggs camp, the bridge, Chicken Rock, South Park.

* Pleasant Canyon/South Park Loop, one time for the complete loop.


The trails in the northern Eureka Valley I’ve never encountered anyone, as those 4WD trails are little known. The Capricorn is little known, the road almost reclaimed by nature. Didn’t see a soul. Extreme northern DV little traffic.

[DeathValleyDazed]

Not being a hiker, I can’t claim the slot canyons conquered by some here, or the way out places others have trod.

Thanks for submitting your list of "roads less traveled" because reviewing it brings back fun memories and tweaks my curiosity to travel those new to me. Maybe some day I'll be able to check all of your list off as "been there done that?"

[trailhound]

Another remote area is where the Missing Germans remains were found about 4 miles south of Anvil Spring Road.

[GowerGulch42]

I continue to be amazed how far they got that minivan.

[netllama]

I continue to be amazed how far they got that minivan.

Never underestimate the determination of a van full of Germans.