 | Death Valley National Park Other Points of Interest Reviews | 11 - 20 of 46 |  |
 by sspagnaLeave a Comment
|
The Race Track is one of the out of the way places within the park that I have read a number of articles about, and had planned to see when we were in Death Valley. Unfortunately, my husband had neck surgery a couple of years before we visited Death Valley, and we found that rough roads bothered him. To reach the Race Track you must drive 27 miles along an unpaved, high clearance road. What you will find at the end of the road is an unusual area with about a 150 roving rocks. Roving? Yes, these rocks move. No one has actually seen these rocks move, but they leave trail marks behind them. Some of these rocks are softball size, but others larger. A National Geographic article I read estimated that the largest rock weighs 700 pounds. Some of the trails are straight, some are curved, some move in one direction, then make a 180 degree turn and move off in another direction. This area receives three to four inches of rain a year. During summer cloudbursts or major winter storms part of the Racetrack floods. The land here is made of fine, slippery clay and the winds can reach 90 miles an hour. It is believed that these rocks move because of a combination of this slippery mud and high winds, combined with the slight slope of the valley floor in this location. When dry, the playa floor of the racetrack is a hard packed surface. You may walk around all you wish here, but do not move any of the stones. Not only are they here for visitors to enjoy, but scientists are also studying them. For a few photos of the Racetrack, visit the web site listed below. Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
Hello there! My name is Steve Greene, and I have been a Death Valley regional enthusiast since 1955, and have driven nearly every road, dirt and pavement. Your adventure will be heightened by taking the DV/BP road. Pavement will take you just past the Scotty's Castle turn-off, and then the graded dirt road begins. It is wide and flat, and poses no problem whatsoever for a Jeep of any kind. The only concern, albeit a minor one, is the fact that there is a washboard surface to the road from people who drive too fast. Since the road is straight, many people do not adhere to the legal speed limit, although most folks I've seen on the road do keep the speed down. In a stock Jeep, the ride should be fairly nice, as the suspension is soft enough to absorb most of the bumps.
At the northern end of the straight portion of road is Crankshaft Crossing, a quaint little sign post that is adorned with, yes, old rusty crankshafts. You may even notice an engine block or two, depending on the year. Stay to the left (west) at the junction, where the wide graded road heads up and over some small mountains, and keep your camera ready if you enjoy desert landscapes! On the way down the other side, you will travel through Hanging Rock Canyon, a very short but dramatic slice in the rock. Here for a bit, the road has some pavement, as workers from an old sulfur mine used to use the road years ago.
Then it's westward through the Eureka Valley. The Eureka Valley Road cuts off here, and ten miles south brings an explorer to the Eureka Valley Dunes, over 689 feet tall, three miles long, and one mile wide, with a primitive campground on the north side (outhouse only). If you have the time, and like hiking great dunes, it may be worth the 20 mile roundtrip sidetrip to see the dunes, but the graded dirt road to them is also very washboarded. If you don't wish to see the dunes, just continue on westbound where the road takes off, and as you ascend up the western side of Eureka Valley, you can look back to the southeast and see the Eureka Dunes National Natural Landmark off in the distance.
After the Eureka Valley, the road again rises and snakes through some picturesque mountains before dropping you on the descent towards Big Pine. Yes, this is a very cool roadtrip indeed! You can learn more by visiting my Death Valley websites if you wish:
WildDeathValley.com and oldtrailmaster.wordpress.comr />
Have a wonderful trip. -Steve Leave a Comment
|
| | |
 Death Valley National Park by goingsoloLeave a Comment
|
 Death Valley National Park by goingsoloLeave a Comment
|
 Death Valley National Park by goingsoloLeave a Comment
|
 Death Valley National Park by goingsoloLeave a Comment
|
 Death Valley National Park by goingsoloLeave a Comment
|
More Death Valley National Park Tips |
| Best Death Valley National Park Travel Deals |
Hotels Deals
Great Hotel Deals & Packages at Marriott's Official Site. Book Now. Cheap Hotels - Deals
Compare Prices and Save up to 70% See Photos, Reviews & What's Nearby Holiday Inn Valley, AL
Only 7 miles from Kia Plant. Free Breakfast. Book Your Room Today! Hotels In Death Valley
Death Valley - Rooms Reservation. Death Valley - Rooms Reservations. National Hotel
A Room - Free Parking & Transfers Stay Park and Fly at Airport Hotels Sponsored Links
|
