Death Valley's Backdoor - The Titus Canyon Road
Dec 14, 2020 07:46:30 #
Access to Titus Canyon Road is a few miles SW of the historic ghost town of Rhyolite, Nevada off Hwy. 374. There is a small sign on the right indicating Titus Canyon Road. It's a 27 mile, one-lane, one-way, gravel road that climbs through the Grapevine Mountains of the Mojave Desert and descends through Titus Canyon into Death Valley. There are many pull-offs and a couple of places to hike. In route you pass Leadfield where 300 people came in 1926 to make it rich mining lead. However, the lead ore ran out in less than a year leaving a ghost town which is nothing more now than a deserted mine.
The photos are from 2011 and taken with a Canon Rebel with a Tamron 18-270mm travel lens.
The photos are from 2011 and taken with a Canon Rebel with a Tamron 18-270mm travel lens.
A high-clearance, 4WD vehicle is recommended. We had a group of 6 so I rented this at LAX. However the road was in very good shape.
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Pull-off at Red Pass is the highest elevation at 5250 feet.
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Looking back on the road up to Red Pass.
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Red Pass
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The road down from Red Pass.
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Rusted buildings from the Leadfield Mine. The mine entrance is partially visible on left and above the mine tailings.
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Layers of ancient sea bottoms were compressed into sandstone layers and tilted by tectonic forces.
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Entering the Titus Canyon Narrows. The lower gray rock is 500M years old.
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The walls of the Titus Canyon Narrows close in on the road.
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Leaving Titus Canyon and entering Death Valley.
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Dec 14, 2020 08:01:03 #
Dec 14, 2020 08:04:38 #
Dec 14, 2020 08:10:29 #
Beautiful set, John. It looks like a very inhospitable landscape. I’d love to drive it some day.
Dec 14, 2020 08:34:46 #
Nice captures and interesting narrative. Looks as though your sensor needs a clean, though. Please stay well and keep on sharing.
Dec 14, 2020 08:41:00 #
Thanks for sharing these, John. Death Valley and surroundings are endlessly fascinating for an old desert rat like myself.
Dec 14, 2020 11:06:05 #
When I traveled to the DV, our group of about 12 Jeeps, went to Rhyolite and then drove the Titus Canyon, wonderful road to travel in the desert, after we came out and stopped at a rest area, chatting, we all thought the name should be changed to tightass canyon...
Great Pics, thanks for for taking me back there...
Great Pics, thanks for for taking me back there...
Dec 14, 2020 11:45:01 #
Dec 14, 2020 14:48:21 #
Dec 14, 2020 15:56:42 #
Dec 14, 2020 16:50:19 #
johnsonsjourneys wrote:
Would love to drive that! Thx for sharing!
Thanks for viewing, JJ. We spent about 3 hours doing it. Also, worth a stop at the ghost town of Rhyolite.
Dec 14, 2020 16:52:03 #
AzPicLady wrote:
WOW. That's a road for the bucket list!
Thanks for viewing, Kathy. We spent about 3 hours doing it. Also worth a stop at the ghost town of Rhyolite.
Dec 14, 2020 16:54:20 #
joehel2 wrote:
Beautiful set, John. It looks like a very inhospitable landscape. I’d love to drive it some day.
Thank you very much, Joe. It's an interesting drive to take your time on. We spent about 3 hours and didn't do any of the hikes. Worthwhile to stop at the ghost town of Rhyolite.
Dec 14, 2020 16:56:15 #
Ourspolair wrote:
Nice captures and interesting narrative. Looks as though your sensor needs a clean, though. Please stay well and keep on sharing.
Thank you very much, Ourspolair. I noticed that too when putting this together, but the camera has already bit the dust literally.
Dec 14, 2020 16:58:30 #
Retired CPO wrote:
Thanks for sharing these, John. Death Valley and surroundings are endlessly fascinating for an old desert rat like myself.
Thanks for viewing, RCPO. I was surprised at all the fascinating and beautiful areas in Death Valley N.P.
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