Lone Pine to Death Valley - hwy 190

Introduction:

Where? : hwy 190 from lone Pine to Death Valley is about 50 mile long and offer few places to visit.

Google Map Link

 

What? : Visiting old and ghost towns, nice Mojave desert with Joshua Trees, year round running waterfall in the middle of the dry desert are the main attraction on this road before getting into the Death Valley NP.

Few blogs links that provides additional information.

This will help you plan your road trip to this area and your Death Valley visit:

• Death Valley
• Death Valley Road Trip
• The Road from Mojave to Lone Pine
• My Eastern Sierra blog directory
• Mojave Desert – Highway 127 from Death Valley to Baker
• Beatty Nevada and Rhyolite Ghost Town
• Death Valley – Ibex Dunes and Saratoga Springs
• Death Valley – Striped Butte Valley 4x4 Drive
• Death Valley – Sidewinder Canyon
• Death Valley – Badwater
• Death Valley – Artist's Palette Drive
• Death Valley – Hiking Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch
• Death Valley – Zabriskie Point
• Death Valley – Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
• Death Valley – Ubehebe Crater
• 
  

 

When? : Not at summer when it is hot

Due note: Refuel at Lone pine

 

My thoughts: The Death Valley is not far from Lone pine (~50 miles to park boundaries) but you have few interesting points on the way.

 

The visit:

You can spend half a day on your way to the Death Valley.

Interesting deserted places to explore and nice year round desert oasis at Darwin Falls.

 

List of locations and short description:

Keeler:

“Live ghost town” with some nice old unused buildings, old cars and “art junkyard”, a short drive through the town.

 

Cerro Gordo Ghost Town:

High in the mountains, a dirt road drive high into the mountain will take you to Cerro Gordo Ghost Town. This deserted town has active hotel place, check in advance for visit options.

http://cerrogordomines.com/

 

Talc City Mine:

Old deserted mins, explore the desert landscape and the abounded mines

https://www.mindat.org/loc-208579.html

 

Father Crowley Overlook:

This is a nice stop on the way, a high viewing point (+restrooms 😊) on the large deep canyon. This canyon is being used by nearby air-force base for canyon flying training. If you see someone with radio scanner and check with them if they can hear the pilots coming and you will see the airplanes flying down in the canyon, a nice and noise view.

 

Darwin Falls:

The drive to the trail head starts from hwy 190 just west of Panamint Springs Gas station. Few miles off-road drive in the dry riverbed will bring you to the trail head on your right. After less than one-mile walk in the dry river you will reach a green section that has running water year-round. After less than additional ½ a mile you will reach the nice waterfall. This is not a long hike, there is no shade so bring with you enough water. Overall this visit can take up to 2 hr.

 

Additional Pictures: