Stovepipe Wells, CA – We had a great day trip into the Cottonwood Mountains via this 34.3 mile round-trip on Marble & Cottonwood Canyons 4WD/high clearance vehicle roads. At the end of the Marble Canyon 4WD road we hiked approximately 1.6 miles further into Marble Canyon through two narrows. This 4WD route traverses sand areas, a very rocky alluvial fan and rocky washes. There are great views and very scenic canyons. We used Charles Wells & Matt Peterson’s “Guide to California Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails” for information about this route.
Rocky route into the Cottonwood Mountains
All of the 4WD/ 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.
Our trip started in the Stovepipe Wells area off the road that goes to the left of the campground and past airstrip. Zero out your odometer here. Turn right at the airstrip and head across a gravel road that turns to long sand areas and increasingly bumpier rocky sections. This section is climbing across the broad alluvial plain from the outlet of Marble/Cottonwood Canyons.
A sandy section near the beginning of our route
Around mile 6.4 the route gets increasingly rockier and your travel slows. After a short climb at mile 8.4 the route veers left and drops down into a wide rocky wash. Look for most traveled route through wash, periodic cairns mark the route. At 10 miles head to the left.
Entering Cottonwood Canyon
Cottonwood Canyon before junction with Marble Canyon
At mile 10.7 is the junction of Cottonwood and Marble Canyons. We chose to head right to visit Marble Canyon first. Follow the wash up the canyon, route is not always obvious, stay in the wash. At 13.1 miles reach the end of the 4WD route, which is well signed.
Heading up the wash in Marble Canyon
The beginning of the “foot travel only” section of Marble Canyon
Marble Canyon continues ahead for those who travel on foot/hike. We hiked about 1.6 miles (450 feet elevation gain) up the canyon to check out two Narrows sections. Marble Canyon is beautiful with colorful sheer walls that are polished in some areas. We took the bypass around the chockstone to reach second set of Narrows.
Wall of Marble Canyon
Another section of wall in Marble Canyon
We enjoyed hiking through Marble Canyon
The chockstone that blocked the canyon in center of photo (smooth round boulder)
Colorful Marble Canyon included hues of yellows, oranges, reds, browns, and black
One of the narrows sections
Marble Canyon
Our Jeep at the end of Marble Canyon 4WD route
After checking out Marble Canyon we retraced our route back to the junction of Cottonwood and Marble Canyons and turned right to check out the “large cave” 4 miles further up Cottonwood Canyon described in Wells Peterson’s 4WD guide. Enroute to the cave, at 1.6 miles past the junction stay to the right where a lesser wash splits left. We chose to turn around at the cave based on time. The 4WD route continues for another 4.5 miles into Cottonwood Canyon, but that section is described by Wells & Petersen as “road narrows, gets rougher, overgrown in spots, and not well defined.”
Traveling up Cottonwood Canyon
Cave in Cottonwood Canyon
Inside the cave
Descending Cottonwood Canyon
On the drive out of Cottonwood Canyon, enjoy views of Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes and the Grapevine Mountains.
View of the Grapevine Mountains across the valley
We stayed at Longstreet Inn, Casino & RV Park located in Amargosa Valley, Nevada east of Death Valley during this 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 “Must-See” Locations in Death Valley National Park
- Visited Ubehebe Crater, Lost Burro Mine, & The Racetrack via 4WD/High Clearance Racetrack Valley Road
- Visited Rhyolite Ghost Town
- 4WD/High Clearance Titus Canyon
- Hiked Badlands Loop, Titus Canyon, Salt Creek Interpretive Trail
- Visited Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
