Adventure along the Hanaupah Canyon Road in the Death Valley NP

Hanaupah Canyon Road is a very exciting desert drive located in Inyo County, in the eastern central part of the U.S. state of California.The first five miles is accessible via two-wheel drive and high clearance vehicles. Park at the five miles marker or continue with four-wheel drive vehicles only another three miles to the road end. 

Located in the heart of the Death Valley National Park, the dirt 4x4 road is 8 miles long starting from West Side Road. Do not travel this road in severe weather conditions. This trail passes through remote areas, so you need to be prepared. Large boulders, loose gravel, gully wash and no real discernible trail. It climbs the huge alluvial fan before dropping into the gravel wash at the canyon’s mouth 5 miles in. Follow the south fork of the canyon to road’s end, downstream from Hanaupah Springs. Hikers can continue past the end of the road to the spring and old mining area.

It’s one of the challenging Backcountry roads in the Death Valley National Park. Due to frequent flooding in the area, road conditions often vary throughout the park. For the most up-to-date information on road conditions, visit Death Valley’s website at nps.gov/deva.
Pic: tazndave