Death Valley Driving Holiday

Death Valley Driving Holiday

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BullyB

Original Poster:

2,344 posts

246 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Has anybody been recently...?
I'm off there in late August for a few days as we drive from Las Vegas to San Francisco.

I have the following on my list:
Charles Brown Hwy
Jubilee Pass
Badwater Road
Badwater Basin
Zabriske Point
Furnace Creek
Scottys Castle
Ubehebe Crater

Just wondering if anybody has more suggestions? I have rented a Mustang, as you do.

Anybody know what the Police are like there... I have visions of State Trooppers hidden behind rocks jumping out with speed guns.
I would never speed obviously buy I have a friend who asked etc..


bad company

18,484 posts

265 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Mrs BC have been to DV twice, we stayed at Furnace Creek which was fine ( watch out for deals there). But seriously just about the hottest place on earth in August ! eek

tvrolet

4,251 posts

281 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Artist's drive is worth the detour. Plus the Rhyolite Ghost Town is worth a visit.



There are also quite a few unpaved roads that you can follow even in a regular car smile



On the roads in the actual National Park traffic goes fairly slowly, and cops or no cops you'll stick out like a sore thumb if you're giving it beans. The roads to and from the National Park are a different matter with some VERY fast bits... There aren't cops round every corner but they are there - but mostly parked up on long straights. I've seen them a few times at a particular spot - had to Google-map it, on the outside of the bend on the 190 about 4 miles west of the 127. Sitting on this bend give visibility down 2 loooong straights, but you can see the car on the horizon. So I've never seen them 'hiding' as such, but they are about.

But if you are looking for driving fun and epic scenery in the Vegas area my choice would be to go to Valley of Fire on the 167 around Lake Mead. Superb piece of road, and I think the scenery at Valley of Fire is more impressive than Death Valley although it doesn't have the been-there-seen-it-done-it cudos.



And THIS is why I like Valley of Fire more than Death Valley smile


cat220

2,762 posts

214 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
The old gold rush town of Bodie is worth a visit...

http://www.bodie.com/

Yosemite is also stunning, stayed here a few times in one of the lodges...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g61000-d...


Puggit

48,355 posts

247 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Let me get this straight... The cops are sitting out there in the open in the hottest place on earth waiting to catch speeding drivers? eek

blueheron

461 posts

144 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
I wasn't all that won over when we drove through Death Valley 2 years ago. It was baking hot, dusty, and the scenery just didn't compare at all to Yosemite where we'd just driven from.

If you do go though, pay attention to the signs telling you to switch your A/C off in the car. You don't want to be stranded out there.

cat220

2,762 posts

214 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
blueheron said:
If you do go though, pay attention to the signs telling you to switch your A/C off in the car. You don't want to be stranded out there.
Good point, take plenty of water too. We stopped to help a family en route to Furnace Creek a few years ago, I'll never forget how hot the bonnet was on the broken down car and how distressed the family were with the heat. We ended up leaving their car and taking them with us to Furnace Creek.

tvrolet

4,251 posts

281 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Puggit said:
Let me get this straight... The cops are sitting out there in the open in the hottest place on earth waiting to catch speeding drivers? eek
Hijack alert...

I presume they have industrial strength air-con in their cars.

First time I spotted them at 'that spot' I was 'stretching the legs of a Corvette' heading towards Death Valley and I saw a car miles off on the horizon parked on the outside of a bend. By maybe a mile off something didn't look right so I eased off, then his flashing blues and reds on the roof came on and thought my number was well and truly up eek, but as I got closer he pulled-out and stopped a car coming the other way to the bend...who presumably was similarly exercising his motor. Despite having decent air conditioning I drive past sweating very profusely.

On a later trip there was a cop car parked on the same spot...but I've been past that spot other times when they're not there so it's not a permanent trap by any means, but where you have visibility for maybe 4 miles in 2 directions down very long fast straights in the middle of nowhere with tourists playing in rented cars it's a pretty good place to sit.


BullyB

Original Poster:

2,344 posts

246 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
cheers for the advice, I will check those place out later.
It's going to be HOT for sure!

We are going to Yosemite for a couple of days after Death Valley and then on to San Fran.
I need to research Yosemite next...

BullyB

Original Poster:

2,344 posts

246 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
tvrolet said:
had to Google-map it, on the outside of the bend on the 190 about 4 miles west of the 127. Sitting on this bend give visibility down 2 loooong straights, but you can see the car on the horizon.
Thanks, I just found it...

great pictures too, thanks - I say some in another thread when I was researching

bad company

18,484 posts

265 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
The Mustang is great for driving in the USA but in DV there are some great dirt roads where you really need an SUV for the ground clearance.

Rollin

6,077 posts

244 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Dantes view and racetrack playa. Make sure your tyres are up to it if you go to the latter. There's not many people go and there is zero mobile coverage. Tell someone where you plan to go. Death Valley is properly awesome

Truckosaurus

11,183 posts

283 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
The best bits of Death Valley are reached on foot, some excellent scenery in the hills either side of the valley.

Although not perhaps at this time of year (eg. that Harry Potter actor in the news this week).

As has been mentioned, there are some smooth dirt tracks (eg. Artists Drive) that are amusing to hoon through having steep walls either side of the 'road'.

I stayed at Stovepipe Wells village which was basic but clean and had a decent range of beers in the bar.

Grumfutock

5,274 posts

164 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
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Valley of fire gets my vote as well. Awesome.

BullyB

Original Poster:

2,344 posts

246 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
thanks again guys, all good info. I will get searching on google earth!

Popular place for PH's apparently smile

Matt..

3,586 posts

188 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
As everyone has said, and you know already, it will be horrendously hot at that time. You won't be wanting to get out of the car and walk to far during the day. I'd advise getting up very early and seeing things when it's slightly cooler (though not much), and when fewer people are around.

One point would be that everything is VERY far apart. As in, the racetrack is hours to drive to from stovepipe wells/furnace creek! I'd strongly suggest you research travel times to places, as Death Valley is massive (eg. twice the size of Devon).

What i would say is that because it's in the middle of nowhere, you should get very clear views of the stars. So check that out smile

Look out for the disguised cars being tested too. When i went they were everywhere!

BullyB

Original Poster:

2,344 posts

246 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
Sunrise at Zabriske Point is on the list or possibly Dante’s View.
Looks like that will be at about 06:18 but I think well worth it.

Blib

43,796 posts

196 months

Thursday 17th July 2014
quotequote all
BullyB said:
Sunrise at Zabriske Point is on the list or possibly Dante’s View.
Looks like that will be at about 06:18 but I think well worth it.
You won't be alone.

Trustmeimadoctor

12,526 posts

154 months

Friday 18th July 2014
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160 to pahrump fill up there back down 160 to tacopa rd old spanish trail to the 127 then north to the 178 then north on badwater basin road stay at furnace creek ranch and hire a jeep from farrabees jeep rentals then do some off roading then well we only got to there smile

toohuge

3,430 posts

215 months

Saturday 19th July 2014
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cat220 said:
blueheron said:
If you do go though, pay attention to the signs telling you to switch your A/C off in the car. You don't want to be stranded out there.
Good point, take plenty of water too. We stopped to help a family en route to Furnace Creek a few years ago, I'll never forget how hot the bonnet was on the broken down car and how distressed the family were with the heat. We ended up leaving their car and taking them with us to Furnace Creek.
No need to worry in a modern car these days. They're all tested in Death Valley at this time of year. One year, I think 2004, we were in Death Valley in a heat wave and there were loads of test vehicles hammering there way through Death Valley, so pulling trailers with weights etc.

But do as a precaution keep water in the car as dehydration can catch you out.

Chris