Eastern Mojave Vegetation Death Valley Road  
 

Tom Schweich  

Home Page  Death Valley Road connects the Owens Valley with the northern portion of Death Valley, by way of the Inyo Mountains, Eureka Valley, and the Last Chance Range. The road is paved for about half of its length, but the northern Death Valley portion is often washed out in the vicinity of Sand Spring.

Other articles:
• California Highway 168:   at Death Valley Road;
• Field Notes:  20001006080;

Locations: Big Pine. Owens Valley.
Full Size ImageSo, is the road closed? Or Not?  

Junction:
  • California Highway 168

This intersection is three miles west of Big Pine in the Owens Valley. California Highway 168 goes east to Deep Springs Valley, and Fish Lake Valley.

 

 

Locations: Devils Gate.  

Devils Gate

Folded layers of shale form a canyon through which the road runs.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  20001006090;
Full Size ImageLooking into Owens Valley from Death Valley Road  

 

Other articles:
• Papoose Flat Road:   at Death Vy Rd;  

Junction: Forest Road 9S15, "Papoose Flat Road" or "Hines Road"

Other articles:
• Waucoba Saline Road:  10000;
• Field Notes:  20001006090;
Full Size ImageWaucoba Saline Road  

Junction: Waucoba Saline Road, south through the Saline Valley to California Highway 190.

 

 

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  20001006100;

Locations: Little Cow Horn Valley.
Full Size ImageLittle Cow Horn Valley  

Little Cow Horn Valley

Small closed basin.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;
Full Size ImageView west of Little Cow Horn Valley  

 

 

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  20001006110;

Locations: Joshua Flats.
Full Size ImageJoshua trees in Joshua Flats, Inyo County, California.  

Joshua Flats

Full Size Image
Joshua trees in Joshua Flats, Inyo County, California
Valley in the Inyo Mountains, through which Death Valley Road passes.
  Road makes a jog east-west down a small side canyon.
  Road crosses a drainage, down and away from the road to the north.
  Quarry on the left (west).

Literature Cited:
- Peter I. Nabelek and Sven S. Morgan, 2012.  

More roads into a little cove on the left. For the next 1.5 miles is the contact zone of the Eureka Valley - Joshua Flats - Beer Creek pluton with the paleozoic rocks of the Lead Gulch and the Bonanza King Formations.

Most literature seems to use "Joshua Flat" in the pluton name. However, the flat just above this location is called "Joshua Flats" with an "s." The location in Inyo County known as "Joshua Flat" without an "s" is about 65 miles to the south, in the northern part of the Coso Range. I don't know who first used the "Joshua Flat" name, or when the "s" got lost from the "Flats." I suppose that could be a research topic in itself.

  Relatively good, new road angles to the left into a mining area over the ridge.

Literature Cited:
- DeDecker, Mary, 1984.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  Eureka Valley, October 6, 2000;

Locations: Eureka Valley. Last Chance Range.  

Full Size Image
Eureka Valley with the sand dunes at the south end.
Full Size Image
View of Last Chance Range across the Eureka Valley
Death Valley Road rounds a point of rocks from which a good view of the Eureka Dunes and the Last Chance Range may be had.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  Eureka Valley, October 6, 2000;

Locations: Eureka Valley.  

Junction: Eureka Valley Road, goes north through Cucomongo Canyon.

Other articles:
• South Eureka Road:  Junction:;  

Junction: South Eureka Road, south 10 miles to the Eureka Sand Dunes.

 

 

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  20001007070;  20001007130;

Locations: Hanging Rock Canyon.
Full Size ImageHanging Rock Canyon  

Hanging Rock Canyon

 

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;
Full Size ImageGeneral view of Crater  

 

 

Literature Cited:
- Tabor, Lawrence L/, 1936.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  Last Chance Range, October 7, 2000;
• Frasera albomarginata:  16150030;

Locations: Crater. Last Chance Mountain.  

Crater

Full Size Image
Crater, former mining town.
Former mining camp.

From Crater, there is a fairly good road that runs north and then through a canyon, giving good access to the south end of Last Chance Mountain.

I have collected Frasera albomarginata on the southern portion of Last Chance Mountain.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;
Full Size ImageDeath Valley Road traverses the Last Chance Range  

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  20001007080;

Locations: Last Chance Valley.
Full Size ImageValley on east side of Last Chance Range.  

View of Last Chance Valley

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;
Full Size ImageNorthern end of Death Valley.  

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;
Full Size ImageDeath Valley Road climbs the Last Chance Range  

 

 

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;

Locations: Crankshaft Crossing. Last Chance Canyon. Last Chance Spring.
Full Size ImageCrankshaft Crossing  

Crankshaft Junction

Road to Last Chance Spring and Last Chance Canyon.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;
Full Size ImageGeneral view south into Death Valley.  

 

 

Literature Cited:
- Fish and Wildlife Service, 1998.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;

Locations: Sand Spring.  

Sand Spring

Full Size Image
General view of Sand Spring
Astragalus lentiginosus Douglas var. sesquimetralis (Rydb.) Barneby, the Sodaville milk-vetch, was previously listed at Threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife service in 1992. The taxon occurs at (Big) Sand Spring, Inyo County, California, Sodaville, Mineral County, Nevada, and Cold Springs, Nye County, Nevada. Following incorporation of the Sand Spring site into Death Valley National Park and action to protect the population from wild burros, the Fish and Wildlife Service withdrew the proposed rule to list the taxon as Threatened (Fish and Wildlife Service, 1998).

Literature Cited:
- Wrucke, C.T. ; Werschky, R.S. ; Raines, G.L. ; Blakely, R.I. ; Hoover, D.B. ; Miller, M.S., 1984.

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;  23-Apr-08;

Locations: Little Sand Spring.  

Full Size Image
General view of Little Sand Spring
Full Size Image
Vegetation in Little Sand Spring
Little Sand Spring

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;  

Other articles:
• Field Notes:  23-Apr-08;
Full Size ImageFoothills of the Grapevine Mountains along Death Valley Road  

 

 

Other articles:
• Racetrack Valley Road:   at Death Valley Rd;  

Junction:

  • Racetrack Valley Road.
  • South to Scotty's Castle and Death Valley.
If you have a question or a comment you may write to me at: tomas@schweich.com I sometimes post interesting questions in my FAQ, but I never disclose your full name or address.  


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Date and time this article was prepared: 11/3/2024 5:20:49 PM