Death Valley GPS: scenic dispersed backcountry *roadside* camping?

[Losangeles]

Death Valley GPS: scenic dispersed backcountry *roadside* camping?

Hi all - in April I am planning on spending 1 night camping in Death Valley. (sadly I can’t stay longer)

I will be in a self contained, 4x4 high clearance truck camper, so I would prefer a private, safe, silent + scenic place to camp. I need no hookups.

Anyone have any GPS co-ordinates to share? That way it would be hopefully easy to find. :-)

As i only have 1 night to camp, and don’t need any facilities at all… I’d rather be on my own, with just stars and silence. I know I need to be at the side of a dirt road in an already disturbed place. (see below)

Here is more info as to where i can NOT boondock - there are a lot of places I can’t boondock.
https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/backcamp.htm

and… I am aware that “Off-Road Driving is prohibited. The desert environment is extremely fragile and slow to recover from vehicle damage. If pulling off a road to camp, choose a place that has already been disturbed.”

and… I am aware: “Where is dispersed backcountry roadside camping allowed?
Along dirt roads at least one mile away from any paved road or "day use only" dirt road.
Camp only in previously disturbed areas and park your vehicle immediately adjacent to the roadway to minimize impact. The wilderness boundary is 50 feet from the center of most dirt roads.”

Thanks. :-)

[EdColorado]

You have several options.

https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvis...ry%20Roads.pdf


Echo Canyon Road is worth exploring.

Enjoy your trip.

Ed

[Losangeles]

Originally Posted by EdColorado

You have several options.

https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvis...ry%20Roads.pdf


Echo Canyon Road is worth exploring.

Enjoy your trip.

Ed

Awesome - thanks Ed - very helpful.

[Losangeles]

p.s. - more info, as it is needed. Sorry to be not more specific initially

So my ambitious plan is to arrive to Panamint Springs area about 2 pm-ish…. on a Thursday. Early April coming up.

Probably best if I stop for the dinner / camp / crash out a little ways east of Panamint Springs… but ideally somewhere silent and scenic… then hit the road early the next morning.

Maybe I camp somewhere just east of Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes + adjacent Stovepipe Wells?

Things I’d love to see the next day if I can somehow squeeze it all in

Zabriskie Point
Devils Golf Course
Badwater Basin
Artists Drive / Artists Palette (at sunset)

(likely won’t have time for Dante’s View)
(likely won’t have time for Rhyolithe Ghost Town in NV outside of the park, sadly - too far north east for the time I have)
(I would love to see The Racetrack but sadly i know it is a 28 mile dirt road trip, so sadly I will not have time for it.)

Then exit out the east side on the 190 to drive 2 hours that Friday early evening… to overnight camp at Lovell Canyon. NV, near Vegas.

Thoughts? Thanks. :-)

[Losangeles]

p.s... Someone suggested to try to see fighter jets in Rainbow canyon Death Valley and I know that is close to Panamint Springs, but Google Maps doesnt show me clearly how to get to Rainbow canyon Death Valley...?

any tips?

thx

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by Losangeles

p.s... Someone suggested to try to see fighter jets in Rainbow canyon Death Valley and I know that is close to Panamint Springs, but Google Maps doesnt show me clearly how to get to Rainbow canyon Death Valley...?

any tips?

thx

Never been there but this should get you started. Looks interesting.

Includes a GPS coordinate.

Plug the coordinates into Google Earth.

https://aviationphotodigest.com/a-vi...ainbow-canyon/

[John in Santa Cruz]

btw, IMHO, the best back country map of Death Valley is the one from Tom Harrison. it shows /all/ the back country roads, and uses different road symbols for different road grades.

I scanned an old version of it many years ago but I would get the current edition, he updates this map every couple years, and the roads and park changes all the time. this link is just so you can see what the map looks like.

http://hogranch.com/files/Bitmaps/DV-HugeB.jpg