Hike ideas for November Trip

[Gtrsolo350]

Howdy, everyone. I've got my annual trip planned for the 3rd week of November and am looking for some hike ideas.
I know they're only expecting 190 to be open from the west to Furnace Creek and Badwater Rd to mile marker 18 so that definitely limits areas available for hiking.
I've already hiked a bit in this corridor, some of these multiple times actually: Funeral Slot, Double Bridge / Squeeze Slot, Mosaic, Grotto, Artist Dips, Desolation.

Researched Little Bridge, Brimstone, The Crack, Stretched Pebble but if you have any other recommendations or can help me choose out of these I'd appreciate it. I plan on a couple family days with shorter hikes and two days of more serious long distance otherwise challenging hikes. But don't want to carry a rope this time if possible.
If a certain dirt road is open I might shoot for an overnighter to Lower Hidden Bridge and Big Fall. I've had these on my radar for years but just haven't been able to get out there yet.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Brice]

Pothole canyon/dryfall is worth seeing in person.  It's about 7 miles round trip from cottonwood canyon road (if open).  It's a similar distance directly from 190 but you'd be walking cross-fan and that will be more strenuous and difficult than from Cottonwood road.

Telephone arch and the old mill site might be a good family hike.  You can probably start straight from the Emigrant road junction if Emigrant road is still closed.  Will probably be around 4 miles round trip that way, with some portion of that off-trail and rough until you meet up with the Tucki mine road.

https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_b...on3b2x.htm

[Gtrsolo350]

Thanks Brice, Pothole Canyon sounds promising. Really hoping Cottonwood road will be open.

[Beardilocks]

The hike up into Hellfire Canyon (one north of Natural Bridge Canyon) is a nice little hike with a number of side canyons to explore depending on how much scrambling/climbing you/your group want to do.

If you've never done a hike across the main valley/salt pan, I always recommend everyone do that at least once. Whether from the ranch @ furnace across by the old Corduroy Bridge or hiking near the old road to Salt Creek and continuing across the valley.

I've heard Jayhawker Canyon is nice, but I'm not sure about difficulty of access if Emigrant Rd is still completely closed.

With how little could still be open by then, I would recommend a hike to Panamint dunes and possibly further up into the canyon that becomes Lee Wash eventually. Or one of the mines up in that end of Panamint valley. Digonnet discusses these in depth.

Eureka dunes might be open from the west and is well worth it, but not in a direct route to Furnace Creek.

One of my favorite things about Death Valley is the ability to point and shoot. See something cool? Park & hike to it.

Hit us up with any oddball location ideas. Or if more roads open up.

Cheers.

[Gtrsolo350]

Thanks Beardilocks. I'll check out Hellfire and Jayhwaker Canyons for sure.

Totally agree about just aiming for a spot and walking towards it. DVNP is such a great place to explore.

[trailhound]

If the road is open, Mummy Canyon is a great, short hike. On the way in, watch the boulders carefully for an interesting inscription. At the canyon end, look up to see a natural bridge.  If you can get to the road to Dante's View, Coffin Peak has terrific views.

[Bluegreen kayak]

Black Point Canyon, about 5 miles west of Stovepipe Wells on the south side of 190.

[Gtrsolo350]

Thank you both. Black Point Canyon looks good for a bit of dry fall fun. I've been up Mummy canyon but it's been 6-10 years. If 190 is open to that area I might check it out again since its short and easy.

[MojaveGeek]

There is an unofficial but well (excessively) cairned route / use trail from 190 into Jayhawker. I can't recall exactly where it leaves 190 but you should be able to find it on satellite images. There are several old trails north from 190, one leaves from the back of the Emigrant area, over to Lemoigne and beyond. I enjoyed walking from SPW to the old site of the real well, but it was nice to do that as a shuttle hike and would not be accessible if 190 was the only game in town.

North or south (Pinto / Towne) from Towne pass are nice if the weather is hot down lower

[trailhound]

There is an unofficial but well (excessively) cairned route / use trail from 190 into Jayhawker.  I can't recall exactly where it leaves 190 but you should be able to find it on satellite images.

The route to Jayhawker starts at the 3000 foot elevation sign on Hwy 190 between Stovepipe and Towne Pass. When we first hiked Jayhawker long ago, there was no marked path. We did it a second time in 2010. The cairns were there. I talked with rangers about the marked path. They don't know who did it and were not happy about it. It took a lot of work to mark that trail. It had to have been done by someone who bring groups on a regular basis. Boy scouts? College geology class?