Desolation Canyon is located 3.7 miles south on Badwater Road from CA 190 in the Furnace Creek area of Death Valley National Park. Turn east on the unmarked gravel road and drive ½ mile to the end. This gravel road was in much better shape than the one to Natural Bridge. From the end of the road, you can see the parking area for Golden Canyon to the north. The park service rates the trail as moderate and states it is three miles round-trip. I was stopped a bit short of 1.5 miles by a five foot high ledge in the canyon floor and made it a 2½ mile round trip. The route climbs 350 feet with an average 5% grade. This is one of the hidden gems of the park without the crowds that flock to Golden Canyon less than two miles to the north. The trail is not marked, but follows the canyon floor into a narrow, twisting passage. This trail has numerous shaded locations, but sunscreen is still required. Carrying and drinking plenty of water is also essential anywhere in the park. I hiked the trail during our February 2015 trip to southern California.
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| Topographic map with GPS hiking route |
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| End of road parking and trailhead |
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| The Golden Canyon parking area is visible at the base of the hill |
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| Looking across the valley to the Panamint Range |
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| The canyon ends at this wide wash of alluvial material |
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| Eastern side of the canyon |
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| Following the stream-bed into the canyon |
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| The canyon quickly narrows |
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| Looking back down the canyon |
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| What seems to be a maze of badlands is just a series of small side canyons |
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| This part of the trail is completely shaded from afternoon sun |
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| The canyon floor is about 15 feet wide at this location |
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| A straight section of the canyon leads to ... |
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| ... a series of silt mounds that require the trail to zig and zag |
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| One of the developing side canyons |
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| A reminder that Artist's Palette is less than 2½ miles to the southeast |
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| Fallen rocks narrow the canyon even more |
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| More silt deposits |
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| Only a fracture in the rock now, but a side canyon in the future |
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| The trail climbs around a large alluvial fan |
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| Looking up the side canyon that deposited the silt |
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| The canyon floor is now just a single-track foot path |
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| More deposits from another side canyon |
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| When it rains, water pools behind this deposit and the mud dries and cracks |
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| The source of the blockage |
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| Another bend in the trail |
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| More of the artist's pastel palette |
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| This small ledge provided stairs |
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| The trail continues with less silt and more rock |
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| The ledge that stopped me |
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| Looking over the ledge |
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| Even a dry fall leaves a silt deposit |
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| More of the varied palette of nature |
Heading down, part 1
Heading down, part 2
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| A small cave or an abandoned mine |
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| Parking locations are at a premium |
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| Furnace Creek Inn with the Funeral Mountains beyond |
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| Looking back at the Black Mountains in the afternoon sun |
An entrance fee of $20 admits all the passengers of a single vehicle for seven days. Other options include an annual Death Valley National Park Pass for $40, an Interagency Annual Pass providing access to most national park, national forest and BLM fee areas for $80 and a lifetime Interagency Senior Pass for those age 62 and older for $10.
The park website is
http://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm.
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