It can be a little overwhelming to find the perfect pair of hiking pants. Completing a thru-hike will be one of the most profoundly rewarding achievements of your life. Death Valley is exceptionally dry. Grade is steep for last mile of ascent; ice axe and crampons are often necessary in winter. Multitools turn a whole box of big, clunky gadgets into a small, portable device so you're prepared for any task. In fact, the only reason I’m able to give any “clever” hiking advice is because of all the laughably bad mistakes I’ve made over the years. She’s right. Striped Butte, the zebra-esque peak that gives this remote valley its name is worth the trip alone. I completed a solo 26 mile backpacking trek around the Cottonwood - Marble Canyon Loop in Death Valley. GPS Waypoints (less than 2 KB download each): Cottonwood/Marble parking for 2WD vehicles, chokestone obstacle, Deadhorse saddle traverse, Cottonwood Canyon camping area, Cottonwood Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon End Road, Cottonwood/Marble Canyon Road intersection, Cottonwood Saddle, Lemoigne Turnoff, Cottonwood Valley, Cottonwood/Marble Camp, Cottonwood Canyon Spring, Cottonwood Springs Camping, Cottonwood Springs, Deadhorse Canyon Camping, Deadhorse Canyon Dryfall, Deadhorse Spring, Dry Spring on Pass, end Marble Canyon Road, Lemoigne Canyon turnoff, Lower Marble Canyon Narrows, Marble & Deadhorse Canyon intersection, Middle Marble Canyon Narrows, rocky outcropping Cottonwood Canyon, saddle looking down Deadhorse, Upper Marble Canyon Narrows. Walking on, climbing, entering, ascending, descending, or traversing any archaeological or cultural resource is prohibited. Backpacking Guide for Cottonwood Canyon & Marble Canyon Loop. The map base includes contour lines and elevations for summits. “There are seven different dune fields in Death Valley,” explains Arnold, “but this one is the most spectacular.” The Panamint Dunes are on the side of a mountain and the hike offers a great view Panamint Valley's broad span. This massive park — the largest in the lower 48 — follows 156-mile long Death Valley through blistering California desert. Cross Country Trek (39 KB download). Possessing, destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging, or disturbing a structure or its furnishing or fixtures, or other cultural or archeological resources, is prohibited. Several rugged canyons in Funeral Mountains just above Hole-in-the-Wall can be explored depending on your climbing ability. Outdoor adventure gifts are the best kind around. The trail combines going … There's nothing quite as satisfying as having just the tool you need for a job, right when and where you need it. Marble Canyon, known for its beautiful distinctive narrows, and soaring walls (a reminder of similar places in Utah), can also be debris choked after storms and dangerous during them. Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley is a much more impressive crater than I initially thought it would be. TRAILHEAD Start/Finish: Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Junction, Day 1 - Hike clockwise to Cottonwood Springs (about 12 miles), Day 2 - Get an early start for a long day continuing clockwise back to your starting trailhead through Marble Canyon (about 14.3 miles). If you prefer boots, make sure they’re lightweight and break them in really well before your trip. It’ll keep you toasty warm, even after spending hours jammed into the bottom of your pack. Our reputation is our most important asset, which is why we only provide completely honest and unbiased recommendations. Elevation gain: 1100 feet to ranch site; 4100 feet to pass, Vehicle needed: high-clearance to canyon mouth; 4x4 on last 4 miles to road end, Maps: Panamint and Galena Canyon 7.5 minute topos. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. Camping is good in Arcan Meadows between Rogers Peak and Telescope Peak. A backpacking tent will be among the heaviest items you carry on wilderness adventures, so it’s a good place to cut down on weight. Trekking poles can add a lot of stability and comfort to your hike. If you’ve spent any time in the woods, you’ve probably made some epic backcountry blunders. Type of hike: wet canyon with remnants of old jeep road, some rock scrambling. This includes all mine structures, features, and ruins (i.e. Marble Canyon presents only one moderate challenge: a boulder blocks (dry pour-off) the canyon exit and a climb of the west ridge is required to get around it. Here are the best hiking trails in Death Valley, organized from the easiest to the most challenging. Turn left onto Cottonwood Canyon Rd and drive 4.3 miles to Stovepiple Wells Campground. There are few established trails in the park, but hikers can follow canyon bottoms, open desert washes, alluvial fans and abandoned dirt roads to get around. SLEEPING PAD: We used the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite and Big Agnes AXL sleeping pads on this trip. When we hit the trail, this is what we carry in our packs. We outline critical considerations and our favorite food choices in our Best Lightweight Backpacking Food Guide. you can drive the family there and do a short 3 mile out and back hike and see one of the greatest views of Death Valley. We highly recommend bringing a trusty water bladder or two (we like Platy Bottles) to carry water between sources. My favorite segment was the second day between Marion Lake and Death Canyon. Packing a top-notch tent is one of the best ways to increase comfort, safety, and enjoyment on backcountry trips. Get the restful trail sleep you’ve earned with one of the Best Sleeping Pads of 2020. There are no designated campsites along this route, but you will surely see signs of previous camps. These remote dunes are more impressive than they look from a distance. Turn right onto Trona Rd and follow it for 21.2 miles. Vehicle needed: high-clearance to canyon mouth; 4x4 beyond. In addition to planning with these resources, we recommend calling or visiting the ranger station in Death Valley to get any updates on current conditions. We put together this list to showcase some solid budget tents that strike a good balance between cost, weight, weather protection, and durability. Give the gift of adventure! Maps: Dunes 7.5 minute topo or Trails Illustrated Map of Death Valley, Comments: Hike across the gently rising upper end of Panamint Valley to star-shaped dunes. The lack of fanfare around the Butte Valley is kind of shocking, but hey, that leaves even more room for you. If you're planning to hit the trail this year, you’ll probably want one of these badboys on your back. This was one of my favorite shots from the hike. Make your way through these canyons until you reach Marble Canyon Road. From the saddle overlooking Deadhorse Canyon (you can see one large cottonwood tree in the canyon below from the top), turn left (not right) from this saddle and head down to the water runoff drainage. 4.0 Here’s our list of the 10 Best Camping Tents of 2020. Planning a road trip to see all of Death Valley in one day is impossible. My friends Rich and Wendy and I started our 32-mile, four-day, Death Valley backpacking trip by carrying only a two-day supply of water, expecting to find Cottonwood Springs, a reliable water source, by the end of our second day. Harmony Borax Works. It is possible to continue over pass (no trail) to ghost town of Panamint City. 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