Lippincott Mine Road, Death Valley National Park on 4x4wire.com

--- Lippincott Mine Road ------------------------------

4WD Moderate - very remote area
Experienced Driver - varies with weather, road repairs
Average time 1 hour; but 2-3 hours from pavement to get there
Located west of Scotty's Castle, Death Valley NP
Desert Scenery, wildlife, old mines

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By Len Wilcox

The back-country of Death Valley National Park is remote and wild. Trails range from easy, graded gravel highways to mountain goat paths; the conditions change with the weather and the park's maintenance schedule. To get to the Racetrack you'll need to travel the park's back-country; there's no easy way to get there. But it's worth the trip.

The rocks that move

The Racetrack is a unique attraction of Death Valley National Park that not many park visitors get to see. It's a dry lakebed in a very remote and beautiful area. On the north end of the lakebed is a rock formation known as the grandstands. Rocks from the grandstands break off and fall onto the lake. There, they perform feats that make this remote playa world-famous: They move. The rocks leave trails behind them as the scoot around the lake. You'll find a rock sitting innocently anywhere on the playa - from next to the grandstand to the far southern edge - and behind it will be a trail, from the rock sliding across the fine clay surface of the lakebed.

Ubehebe crater

The Racetrack is located beyond Ubehebe crater, which is north of Scotty's Castle. The National Park Service advises that 4-wheel drive may be needed to get to the Racetrack from Ubehebe. On the day I went there, it wasn't true. Coming from Ubehebe, the 4-wheel drive requirement was overcautious; the road was washboarded but graded and easy, fit for the family sedan. This changes, when a rainstorm comes to re-arrange the desert, or the Park Service sends a grader down the road. Coming from the south, however, is an entirely different story. It's always difficult.

There are two ways to come in from the south. One is a relatively easy 4-wheelling trail. An experienced wheeler probably wouldn't have needed 4-wheel drive, unless there are washouts from a recent storm. The second route is a serious, 4-wheel-low, high-pucker-factor, mountain-goat trail known as the Lippincott Mine road.

The Lippincott mine road takes off from the Saline Valley road, north of Panamint Springs. The other trail - the Hunter Mountain and Hidden Valley route - also takes off from the Saline Valley Road, which is accessed off of state highway 190 west of Panamint Springs. You'll need a good map, as the routes are not marked and there are no signs.

On Highway 190, about 3 miles west of the road to Darwin, the Saline Valley road takes off northward. At the same intersection, Talc Mine road heads westward. Follow the Saline Valley road north. After passing through a low pass in the Talc City Hills you'll come to the intersection with Santa Rosa road; stay right. Ten miles later (from leaving Highway 190) you'll intersect with the Saline Valley alternate; bear left. The next intersection is with the White Mountain Talc road; stay to the right. Now you're climbing into the Nelson Range, where there are range cattle, pinons, juniper, and even some digger pine and bristlecones - and, interestingly, you're within Death Valley National Park, which is much more famous for Badwater, which is below sea level. To the southwest you'll see the Panamints and Telescope Peak.

Twenty-three miles after leaving highway 190, you'll intersect with the Hunter Mountain road. This is decision time. Either way will take you to the Racetrack. The Hunter Mountain road takes you to Teakettle Junction, where you can go north to Ubehebe Crater or south to the Racetrack.

The sign says it all

However, bear left if you're looking for a wild and hairy drive up the Lippincott Mine road.

Eleven miles down the Saline Valley road (34 miles from highway 190) you'll hit the intersection of the Saline Valley rd with the Lippincott Mine Road (on some maps, Lippincott is identified as the Ubehebe Crater Road). There's a large rock cairn. Turn right, and just beyond is sign that warms the heart of any dedicated 4-wheeler. Even better: they're not kidding. It is a warning to take seriously. You're only ten miles from the Racetrack, but 7 of those miles are going to be on a low-range mountain trail.

The view into the Saline Valley is spectacular

The trail rounds the foot of a mountain then heads up a canyon that winds its way through spectacular scenery. The rocks are an interesting collage of volcanic lava, granite, sedimentary conglomerates, and a lot of interesting quartz - gold-bearing, perhaps, judging from the amount of mining and the number of prospect holes in the canyon.

The trail narrows

The climb gets very serious - almost straight up, it seems. This is slow, low-range work. There are washouts, most of which have been repaired with rocks, and in places you'll only have a foot or so between your outside tire and a disaster. The drop gets hairy: hundreds of feet, not straight down. But not enough of a slope to matter; a mistake would be fatal.

There's an additional problem: if there's a breeze in the canyon, it will be coming from behind you, which, coupled with the low-range hard climb, can cause overheating. Watch your temperature gauge.

The road tops out at a saddle. This isn't the summit, but it's a good stopping point, and the view is fantastic. There's room to park with your grill in the wind to let things cool.

Further on, the pucker-factor eases as the dropoffs are not as severe, but the trail remains a challenge with switchbacks and washouts and low-range climbs. The trail ends just beyond the summit at a nice bladed road, with another warning sign like the first for the traffic coming from the other direction.

Three miles beyond is the Racetrack, and many more miles of gravel to Ubehebe.

Editor's note: Since first publishing this story on Desert USA, I've received a number of emails with new information about this road and trails in the Saline Valley. The road conditions change regularly - anyone with current information is invited to post a message on Trail Talk (Trails and Events Forum). As indicated, these road conditions will change due to weather and maintenance. If there aren't any recent posts, for current road information call Death Valley National Park at 760-786-2331.