Suggested Backpacking Routes

Indian Pass
Difficulty |
 |
moderately strenuous |
Type of Hike |
|
no trail; walk gravel wash and
cross-country. |
Distance |
|
6 miles to springs; 8 miles to
pass. |
Elevation gain |
|
3000 feet to pass |
Water |
|
yes, in canyon |
Start |
|
6.5 miles north of Furnace Creek
Visitor Center on Hwy 190. |
Vehicle needed |
|
all vehicles |
Maps |
|
Nevares Peak 7.5 minute topo |
 |
|
|
Follow wash bearing left (north) staying in drainage
nearest ridge; head for low pass in mountains to the
east. Last four miles in canyon. No camping within 2
miles of the road or 200 yards from springs.

Hole-in-the-Wall
Difficulty |
 |
moderate to strenuous |
Type of Hike |
|
no trail; walk gravel wash and
cross-country. |
Distance |
|
2 to 10 miles |
Elevation gain |
|
300 to 1500 feet to pass |
Water |
|
no |
Start |
|
Hole-in-the-Wall |
Vehicle needed |
|
high-clearance to Hole-in-the-Wall;
4x4 beyond |
Maps |
|
Echo Canyon 7.5 minute topo |
 |
|
|
Many variations possible. In the large "amphitheater"
between Schwaub and Pyramid Peaks many small side canyons
make good loop hikes by crossing low divides and returning
via another canyon. Several rugged canyons in Funeral
Mountains just above Hole-in-the-Wall can be explored
depending on your climbing ability. No camping within
2 miles of the paved road.

Hungry Bill's Ranch
Difficulty |
 |
moderately strenuous |
Type of Hike |
|
informal path and cross-country |
Distance |
|
2 miles to ranch site from road
end; 7 miles to Panamint City. |
Elevation gain |
|
1100 feet to ranch site; 4100
feet to pass |
Water |
|
yes |
Start |
|
end of Johnson Canyon Road |
Vehicle needed |
|
high-clearance to canyon mouth;
4x4 on last 4 miles to road end |
Maps |
|
Panamint and Galena Canyon 7.5
minute topos |
 |
|
|
Historic ranch site from 1870's contains rock terraces,
corral and orchard. It is possible to continue over
pass (no trail) to ghost town of Panamint City.

Hanaupah Canyon
Difficulty |
 |
moderately strenuous |
Type of Hike |
|
walk 4x4 road and gravel wash |
Distance |
|
3 miles to spring in south fork. |
Elevation gain |
|
2200 feet to spring |
Water |
|
yes |
Start |
|
park at top of alluvial fan,
5 miles up Hanaupah Canyon Rd. |
Vehicle needed |
|
high-clearance to mouth of canyon;
4x4 needed beyond |
Maps |
|
Telescope Peak and Hanaupah Canyon
7.5 minute topos |
 |
|
|
At top of alluvial fan, the road drops into the rocky
wash and becomes 4x4. Walk to the road end then continue
up canyon to the old mining area and spring.

Surprise Canyon
Difficulty |
 |
strenuous |
Type of Hike |
|
wet canyon with remnants of old
jeep road, some rock scrambling. |
Distance |
|
5 miles to ghost town |
Elevation gain |
|
4000 feet to ghost town |
Water |
|
yes |
Start |
|
6 miles northeast of Ballarat |
Vehicle needed |
|
high-clearance; 4x4 final 2
miles to trailhead |
Maps |
|
Panamint and Ballarat 7.5 minute
topos |
 |
|
|
Old jeep road washed out in 1980s and offically closed
to vehicles but
makes a great hiking trail. Ghost town of Panamint City
is a good goal but mountain scenery, abundant springs
and bighorn sheep all make it a worthy hike. Another
7 miles of mostly trailless hiking over pass leads to
Johnson Canyon Road.

Panamint Dunes
Difficulty |
 |
moderate |
Type of Hike |
|
no trail; cross-country |
Distance |
|
3 miles to dunes |
Elevation gain |
|
1000 feet |
Water |
|
no |
Start |
|
5 miles north of Hwy 190 on
unmarked dirt road leading past Lake Hill. |
Vehicle needed |
|
high-clearance |
Maps |
|
Dunes 7.5 minute topo or Trails
Illustrated Map of Death Valley |
 |
|
|
Hike across the gently rising upper end of Panamint
Valley to star-shaped dunes. These remote dunes are
more impressive than they look from a distance. Military
jets often use Panamint Valley to practice low elevation
flight maneuvers, but are less likely on weekends.

Bighorn Gorge
Difficulty |
 |
strenuous |
Type of Hike |
|
no trail; walk gravel wash and
cross-country, some rock scrambling. |
Distance |
|
10 miles from Scotty's Castle
Road to upper dry fall |
Elevation gain |
|
4000 feet |
Water |
|
no |
Start |
|
3.9 miles south
of Grapevine Ranger Station on Scotty.s Castle Road.
|
Vehicle needed |
|
all vehicles |
Maps |
|
Tin Mountain and Whitetop Mountain
7.5 minute topos |
 |
|
|
From the Scotty's Castle Road, hike down to Death Valley
Wash then follow main drainage up alluvial fan to canyon.
Several small dry falls are easily passed, but at upper
end of gorge an 80 foot dry fall requires scrambling
up talus slope on north side to continue beyond. No
camping within 2 miles of the road.

Fall Canyon
Difficulty |
 |
moderately strenuous |
Type of Hike |
|
informal path first mile, then
gravel wash and rock scrambling. |
Distance |
|
3 miles to first dry fall; 6
miles to second dry fall. |
Elevation gain |
|
1400 feet to first dry fall |
Water |
|
no |
Start |
|
parking area at
mouth of Titus Canyon (west end) |
Vehicle needed |
|
all vehicles |
Maps |
|
Fall Canyon 7.5 minute topo |
 |
|
|
Narrow canyon with high walls, similar to Titus. From
parking area, hike north along base of mountains ½
mile to large wash , then up into Fall Canyon. At 3
miles you reach a dry fall, which can be passed on the
south side with moderate difficulty. Day-use is heavy
below dry falls. Backpackers should plan on camping
beyond that point. No camping within 2 miles of the
road.

Titantothere Canyon
Difficulty |
 |
moderately strenuous |
Type of Hike |
|
no trail; walk gravel wash and
cross-country. |
Distance |
|
4.5 miles to Lostman Spring;
12 miles to Scotty's Castle Road. |
Elevation gain |
|
1700 feet down to spring; 4700
feet down to road |
Water |
|
maybe, at Lostman Spring |
Start |
|
11 miles from start
of Titus Canyon Road (do not block road) |
Vehicle needed |
|
high-clearance |
Maps |
|
Thimble Peak 7.5 minute topo |
 |
|
|
With a 2-car shuttle you can hike all the way through
to Scotty's Castle Road, but a more practical way is
to hike to Lostman Spring and return to your car. No
camping within 2 miles of the road or 100 yards from
springs.

Owlshead Mountains
Difficulty |
 |
moderate |
Type of Hike |
|
cross-country and gravel wash |
Distance |
|
7 miles to upper Through Cyn,
16 mile loop to return via Granite Canyon |
Elevation gain |
|
1900 feet |
Water |
|
no |
Start |
|
Confidence Mill
site, 6.6 miles from Ashford Junction on Harry Wade
Road |
Vehicle needed |
|
high-clearance |
Maps |
|
Confidence Hills East and Confidence
Hills West 7.5 minute topo. |
 |
|
|
The east side of the Owlshead Mountains have several
nice canyons for hikers to explore. Through Canyon is
one of the largest and passes through to a hidden basin
at the heart of the mountains. The only known stand
of smoke trees in the park are found here. A possible
loop trip is return via Granite Canyon.


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