Lemoigne Canyon Road, one of the gnarliest roads in Death Valley NP
Lemoigne Canyon Road is a very exciting very slow, rocky drive located in Inyo County, in the eastern central part of the U.S. state of California. It’s one of the challenging Backcountry roads in the Death Valley National Park.
Located in Death Valley National Park, the road is totally unpaved. It’s an extremely rough road. 4x4 vehicles with high clearance only. There can be large washouts along this road travelling through the Lemoigne Canyon. It’s very rutted and crosses numerous gullies. Starting 6 miles west of Stovepipe Wells, this route promises miles of unforgiving desert terrain. The road crosses an alluvial fan to the canyon mouth, beyond which vehicle travel is not allowed. Plan about 40 mins to complete the drive.
Located in the southern Cottonwood Mountains, the road features some technical areas. Starting from the paved CA-190, the road is 6.75km (4.2 miles) long. This trail passes through remote areas, so you need to be prepared. The area was once the home of prospector Jean Lemoigne. The old road up the canyon is closed beyond the 4.4 mile point. At the end of the road a hike trail leads to the Lemoigne Mine with its lead-zinc-silver deposit. For the most up-to-date information on road conditions, visit Death Valley’s website at nps.gov/deva.