Furnace Creek, CA – Death Valley National Park is located in the northern Mojave Desert on the eastern side California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range. For visitors short on time we created our Death Valley “Must-See” Highlights post. For those with more time, this day trip takes in the Ubehebe Crater, and for those with access to a high clearance vehicle continues on to traverse Racetrack Valley Road to visit Tea Kettle Junction, The Racetrack, Grandstand, and a short side trip to Lost Burro Mine. Allow a full day to complete this trip as travel on Racetrack Valley Road is slow. We found Jenna Blough’s “Death Valley National Park” from Moon Guides extremely helpful for planning our trip and “National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map 221: Death Valley National Park” useful for navigating the park. All directions are from the Visitor’s Center in Furnace Creek.
Ubehebe Crater
Ubehebe Crater
Ubehebe Crater is a colorful crater that is 600 feet deep and half a mile across. It is part of a cluster of volcanic craters that includes the Little Hebe Crater. The surrounding area is a cinder field created by the volcanic ash. These are maar volcanoes, created through steam and gas explosions, formed when hot magma reaches groundwater. They were created about 300 years ago.
The Ubehebe Crater Rim Trail
We hiked the 1.5 mile loop trail that travels the crater rim. The trail is listed as gaining 500 feet elevation. From the hiking trail you also enjoy views of Little Hebe Crater and the Last Chance Range.
The Ubehebe Crater Rim trail
Little Hebe Crater from the Rim Trail
Another view of Ubehebe Crater
Volcanic ash covers the area
To reach Ubehebe Crater, head north on Highway 190 for 17 miles to the junction with Scotty’s Castle Road. Turn onto Scotty’s Castle Road and continue north for 33.4 miles to the fork at the Grapevine Ranger Station. At the fork, continue left on Highway 190 for 5.4 miles to the signed parking area for Ubehebe Crater. The 55.8 mile (one way) trip to Ubehebe Crater is paved the entire route. Regular passengers cars should not continue onto Racetrack Valley Road.
Racetrack Valley Road
Along Racetrack Valley Road aka Racetrack Road
A trip to The Racetrack requires a traveling the very rough 26 mile (one way) High Clearance Vehicle road that traverses Racetrack Valley. This can be combined with a side trip to the Lost Burro Mine via Hidden Valley Road. All of the High Clearance Roads in Death Valley National Park are to be taken seriously and visitors should plan to be self sufficient when traveling them. These roads are not regularly patrolled, there is spotty or no cellular coverage, there are hazards like washouts, deep sand, and mud. Assistance for a mechanical failure is not easily available, as the park service points out, AAA does not respond to these areas.
Warning sign at the entrance of Racetrack Valley Road
There are no gas stations after Furnace Creek or Stovepipe Wells, make sure you will have enough fuel for the trip. This entire round-trip is about 172 miles from Furnace Creek. Don’t forget to take into account lowered fuel economy on Racetrack Valley Road. We were traveling in our Jeep Rubicon, but for those without high clearance, Jeep rentals were available from Farabee’s in Furnace Creek. It is possible to make a loop trip with Hidden Valley/Hunter Mountain Roads or Lippincott Road, but keep in mind that Lippincott and Hunter Mountain are serious 4WD roads for experienced drivers only. Hidden Valley/Hunter Mountain and Lippincott are often impassable in the winter and early spring due to mud, ice and snow. Check road status with park rangers before attempting. Hidden Valley had a warning for very deep sand past Lost Burro Mine when we visited.
The entrance to Racetrack Road near Ubehebe Crater
Racetrack Valley Road takes off on the right as you head into the one way loop section of the Ubehebe Crater area. As you head south through the desert, enjoy the spectacular views. You will see plants typical of the Mojave Desert including Joshua Trees. The valley is nestled between the Cottonwood and Last Chance Mountains.
Racetrack Road and Valley from the Ubehebe Crater Rim Trail
Fishhook Barrel Cacti in Racetrack Valley
Joshua Trees in Racetrack Valley
Teakettle Junction
Tea Kettle Junction
Located along the rough high clearance Racetrack Valley Road, Tea Kettle Junction is a man made attraction found 19.4 miles from the beginning. The junction sign for Racetrack and Hidden Valley Roads is adorned with numerous tea kettles. No one is really sure when/why this tradition started, but visitors continue to add to the sign, requiring the park service to periodically remove some of the kettles. From Teakettle Junction it is 6 miles to the Racetrack or 3.2 miles to Lost Burro Mine.
Teakettle Junction in Racetrack Valley
The Racetrack & Grandstand
Racetrack and Grandstand in the distance
The Racetrack Playa is a giant dry lake bed that features a large dark rock formation, the Grandstand, rising 73 feet high from its center. The Racetrack Playa sits at 3,714 feet above sea level, and is 2.8 miles long (north-south) by 1.3 miles wide (east-west). The playa is exceptionally flat and level with the northern end being only 1.5 inches higher than the southern. This occurrence is due to major influx of fine-grained sediment that accumulates at the north end. The highest point surrounding the Racetrack is the 5,678-foot high Ubehebe Peak, rising 1,964 feet above the lakebed 0.85 miles to the west. There is a Ubehebe Peak hiking trail.
The Grandstand rises from Racetrack Playa
Racetrack Playa
Another view of Racetrack Playa
During periods of heavy rain, water washes down from the surrounding mountains draining into the playa, forming a shallow, short-lived lake. Under the hot desert sun, the thin veneer of water quickly evaporates leaving behind a surface layer of soft slick mud. As the mud dries, it shrinks and cracks into a mosaic pattern of interlocking polygons.
Racetrack surface dries and cracks into polygonal shapes
The Racetrack has a geological phenomenon called “sailing stones”. Slabs of dolomite and syenite ranging from a few hundred grams to hundreds of kilograms leave behind visible tracks as they slide across the playa surface, without human or animal intervention. Instead, the rocks move when ice sheets just a few millimeters thick start to melt during periods of light wind. These thin floating ice panels create an “ice shove” that moves the rocks at up to five meters per minute. The best spot to look for sailing stone trails is the southern end of the playa.
Racetrack “Sailing Stone” example
Lost Burro Mine
Lost Burro Mine
From Teakettle Junction travel 3.2 miles on Hidden Valley Road to a junction. Turn right and travel 1.1 miles back to the remains of the Lost Burro Mine. A small weathered cabin, stone dugout, and miscellaneous mining equipment are all that remains of this old gold-mining camp. The original claims were filed in 1907 and the mine was in use as recently as the 1970’s.
Lost Burro Mine cabin
Inside the cabin
Stone dugout
Lost Burro Mine
We stayed at Longstreet Inn, Casino & RV Park located in Amargosa Valley, Nevada east of Death Valley during this January 2022 trip. Previously we stayed on the west side of the park at Boulder Creek RV Resort in Lone Pine, California. During this trip we also:
- Visited the “Must-See” Highlights of Death Valley National Park
- 4WD/High Clearance: Titus Canyon & West Side Road
- Visited Rhyolite Ghost Town
- 4WD/High Clearance: Marble & Cottonwood Canyon Routes
- Hiked Marble Canyon, Badlands Loop, Titus Canyon, Salt Creek Interpretive Trail
- Visited Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
