Also remember that the tires on the rental car are not good, and that you are not supposed to drive rental cars off the pavement. RVs, trailers, buses over 25 ft. not allowed due to narrow turns and steep dips. Driving on the Racetrack is prohibited. The Racetrack is famous for (and named after) it's moving rocks that leave tracks. 26 miles doesn't sound like a far distance but it is on a road like this. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-38652275', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');the Racetrack with a rental car. Help protect the park by staying on roads with your vehicle. How many scenic driving trails are in Death Valley National Park? 5 mile paved road off the Scotty's Castle Road. . All vehicles. Most vehicles. From the Furnace Valley Visitor Center, it is an 83-mile drive to get here. It is a rugged and remote landscape with an incomparable night sky. Racetrack Playa, Death Valley N.P. Are there any roads in Death Valley National Park? If you'd like to use it in a non-commercial project, school project, etc. Nothing happened to the tires during the drive but the first flat came when he reached Ridgecrest and the second one on the way to Yosemite. Death Valley is a national park in California, USA, and one of those places on earth that look alien as for example Wadi Rum in Jordan does too. But the allure of there being a place deep in the desert where rocks move when no one is looking did not leave me. From Furnace Creek, it can take up to 3.5 hours one-way to get to Racetrack Playa (even though Google says it is quicker than that). I recommend taking NV-160 through Pahrump. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. I see ppl are saying vandalism in racetrack, especially seeing few rocks. Lexi lives in a truck camper down by the river. This place is known as The Racetrack, but most people will know it by its photos of rocks that seemingly move all by themselves across this dry, desolate lake bed. Get onto Hwy. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-38648291', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');car in Vegas to drive to DV. How much was it? Subject to flooding in heavy rains. MyDrivelapse.com and Takemytrip.com provide driving videos and stories to help you plan your trip. All high clearance 2WD roads may be rocky with areas or soft gravel or sand that makes travel unsafe for sedans or RVs. You have to be kind of a nerd to appreciate what is here. Stovepipe Wells and the Nevada Triangle But driving 27 miles on gravel/washboard road at 20mph simply does not justify the journey unless you have an extreme desire to visit the dry lakebed. 70 mile, paved road which becomes State Hwy 178 the last few miles south to Hwy 127. BUT, there is a much better way into the area by coming from the southwest on the Hunter Mountain Road. According to court documents, the driver of the commercial vehicle was 25-year-old Jordan P. Nigh . BY Lawrence Ulrich. From the trails beginning, the hike seems rather mild. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-38656447', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Furnace Creek visitor center. The road is notorious for eating tires. CA There are two routes to choose from: NV-160 through Pahrump and Death Valley Junction or US-95 through Indian Springs and Amargosa Valley. Normally it is recommended for high- clearance vehicles as it can be rough and washboard. This is the new 2016 Furnace Creek map, zooming in on the main area of Death Valley that features the majority of visitor services. Otherwise you'd better have a 4X4 with really good tires. 40-mile paved road north off Hwy 190. The incident resulted in the pedestrian's death at the corner of 12th Street and Wabash Avenue. Becomes Daylight Pass Road after junction with Beatty Cutoff Road at Hells Gate. for street driving, TPMS-equipped (Dill TPMS) Attachments. Road is closed when winter snow or ice accumulates on last 2 miles of roadway. How to drive out too and camp at The Racetrack in Death Valley. We will have a Mustang hire car and was wondering if it advisable to driver (albeit carefully) down to the racetrack? Provides access to Titus Canyon (oneway) Road and Rhyolite ghost town. where did you rent your high clearance vehicle? Although this road is often passable to 2-wheel-drive, conditions can vary. As you approach (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Enjoy! Most vehicles. We are hiring a (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Off-road driving is prohibited as the desert is very fragile and vehicle tracks can remain for years. The Roads Conditions Facebook page can also be used as a resource to ask park staff and other visitors about the conditions of backcountry roads in the park. So, after finishing lunch at about 2pm, we headed to the top of Death Valley and got onto the long, washboard road out to the Racetrack. Definitely don't take any car to the Racetrack as long it's not your own. Private Guided Hiking Tours - Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park Self-Driving Audio Tour. There are videos taken by researchers of the rocks progressing along the playa. When the playa is wet in just the right way and the wind is roaring along, the stones can be pushed along the low resistance surface of the playa by the wind itself. Answer 1 of 4: How does the road compare to the drive through Titus Canyon? If your time is limited, Im inclined to suggest that you focus on more accessible sights. You will probably not encounter more than four or five vehicles on your drive from Ubehebe down to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Rough with some potholes in the southern end. This is a pure natural wonder in death valley. 21.5 mile paved road. However, realize that if you need to get towed, you are talking several thousand dollars with the nearest tow truck miles away and very hard to communicate with ( no cell phone coverage!). 6.5 mile paved road provides access to Beatty off Scottys Castle Road. A low clearance 2WD vehicle is defined as a standard passenger vehicle with less than 8 inches of clearance from the lowest point of the frame, body, suspension, or differential, to the ground. I know all those reviewers drove the Racetrack Valley Road south from Ubehebe Crater. You need 4wd, the roads are unpaved for many miles or so. in this thread in this sub . Very rough washboard. All 4WD roads may be rocky, with deep sand or gravel and steep hills We also needed to let them know its pretty much an all-day trip from Furnace Creek or Stovepipe Wells: an hour to the turnoff, up to 3 hours or even more to the Racetrack depending on road conditions, time to explore and enjoy, and then the return trip. If we ever make it there, he believes that self-driving tech could be an . Is this your first trip to DV, and how long will you be there? ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-38654442', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');the Racetrack, from Teakettle Junction on, it becomes severe washboard (even more so the closer you get )and will rattle the fillings right out of your teeth. You need clearance, but we did see several rental cars on the road. This is an easy hike that takes a little under an hour to complete. That is good advice. But, in a way, they do. The trip was a success! The majority of the distance to the racetrack is paved road. But that was with an experienced desert driver at the wheel. Playa Crater Racetrack Road is a graded dirt road suitable for high clearance vehicles and some regular clearance vehicles in good condition. When you come back from the playa, your drive takes you to the parking lot of the crater. My wife and I made it up to about 3000 feet from Saline Valley, and the landslide was completely impassible and looked impossible for a lizard to climb. Or with a little more time, you can see the natural wonders along Hwy 190 ( Zabriskie Point, 20 Mule Team Canyon, and Dante's View) and those on Badwater Road (Devil's Golf Course, Badwater, Natural Bridge, Artist's Drive, and Golden Canyon), and have time for a hike. All vehicles. On the north end of the lakebed is a rock formation known as the grandstands. The road to the playa - Racetrack Valley Road - is situated near Ubehebe Crater's parking lot. *High-Clearance Vehicle Recommended* Racetrack Valley Road is a long, remote gravel road that travels from Ubehebe Crater to the Racetrack Playa through a part of Death Valley that few get to see. Check out hundreds of videos on my YouTube channel. In terms of info and tips, Racetrack Playa is in a remote area of Death Valley. A high clearance 2WD vehicle is defined as a SUV or truck type vehicle, with at least 15 inch tire rims or more, designed for heavier type use than a standard passenger vehicle, with at least 8 inches of clearance or more, from the lowest point of the frame, body, suspension, or differential, to the ground. Don't be afraid to take all day for the whole trip. Manage Settings Officials with Toys for Tots say that they helped provide roughly 63 thousand toys to 12 thousand kids in the area it serves in the Mid-Ohio Valley. The trip out is half the fun. I've driven it twice in rental sedans [ed.- this might violate rental contract agreements]. The playa is famous amongst tourists and photographers because of its mysterious "sailing rocks" that leave trails behind them on the playa. Youve seen it in pictures: the cracked earth scraped by trails of surreally moving stones. This drive begins near Ubehebe Crater, and takes you on a bumpy ride down to the \"Racetrack\" playa, where rocks famously roam along the flat surface, leaving tracks behind. 187.9 KB . It is an endorheic basin, which means that the rivers in it do not flow to the sea. Bring a teakettle to add to the collection at Teakettle Junction. The Last Chance and Cottonwood Ranges surround it. The hardest part of the Racetrack was the drive. Access to park from Panamint Valley Road. As if that weren't enough, there is no phone service on this road. http://www.maturango.org/janetmuseumpages/deathvalley/Backcountry_roads.html, and enough backroads for a few lifetimes out there: http://members.aceweb.com/oldtrailmaster/backroads.htm. Mountain passes from the west over Father Crowley Point and Towne Pass are steep and narrow with a 7 to 9% grade. All vehicles. Tour time: 9 am-5 pm (8 hours) $345 per person for the first two adults* Additional adult tickets $275 $150 children under 12 Lunch is included in this tour The Death Valley Experience Tour This expansive tour is the easiest way to see the best of several of the park's most popular destinations. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. But, like yesterdays sand dunes, the steeper the slope we climbed, the more difficult it was to gain a purchase. The Racetrack Valley Road does not mess around. Going in this way also leaves you the option of exiting to the north to see the crater. It is 2.5 miles long and 1.25 miles wide of mud cracked surface, sediment, dramatic mountain surroundings, and the once-mysterious "racing rocks." From Ubehebe Crater, the journey to the racetrack is a somewhat treacherous 27 mile unpaved road. Subject to flooding in heavy rains. The road is a one-way loop with the start of the road to the playa in the middle of the loop. We got to see most of the tourist spots which was nice but due to the rain and snow that the park received days before and as we were driving in some of the trails and passes were closed. Turn right onto Scotty's Castle Road and drive north for about 33 miles to . I travel with two Brinno cameras - one facing forward, the other in reverse. If you're heading to Death Valley's Racetrack Playa, stop at the crater on the way out. Not to dissuade you from the Racetrack if you have your heart set on it. Subject to flooding and closure after heavy rains. The road up from Saline Valley is probably the worst road in DVNP, which is saying a lot, because it has been closed from "major" landslides, and is plagued with these over many years off and on. Death Valley National Park is a land of wonder. It takes far longer than the distance indicates given the very poor road conditions and need to drive carefully to protect yourself and your vehicle. At one end of the groove will be a large rock. Be sure to start early and plan to be gone all day. He still thinks it has nothing to do with the rd to the racetrack though. The dirt road may take 45-60 minutes to complete, depending on conditions and traffic. I am overwhelmed Most vehicles. Now, at last, we had the vehicle to do it. There are several side trails and 4x4 paths that branch off from this route. Never have had a flat. The stones are relatively easy to find: just look for an oddly strait groove in the otherwise flat, cracked playa floor. Normally, it is recommended for high-clearance vehicles with heavy-duty tires as it can be rough and washboard. You need to realize you are taking a chance on rock infested, heavily washboarded roads that seem like they go on forever at 5 miles an hour. This section of road starts with 8 miles of severe washboarding on an uphill grade, very rough on vehicle and passengers. It seems impossible that such rocks could create these grooves themselves. No way would I do it in a Ford Escape. With NASCAR Championship Weekend fast approaching in Avondale on Nov. 3-7, NASCAR and Phoenix Raceway invited local celebrities and athletes to take . If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. Alternatively, you may use, Death Valley National Park Hotels and Places to Stay, http://members.aceweb.com/oldtrailmaster/backroads.htm, Death Valley National Park Vacation Packages, Things to Do in Death Valley National Park, http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g143021-i2027-k4940819-Driving_to_The_Racetrack_question-Death_Valley_National_Park_California.html. Provides access to Golden Canyon, West Side Road, Artists Drive, Devils Golf Course, Natural Bridge, and Badwater. Biggest problem are the tires. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Continue south on Highway 127 for 44 miles to Ibex Spring Road; plan 1.75 hours for the drive. 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