Have you ever wanted to travel to the Moon or Mars? That may be unrealistic, but if you want to experience something similarly unreal, then visit Death Valley National Park.
Our crew of motorcycle riders visits Death Valley in the Spring (almost) annually to savor the otherworldly aspects of this incredible and unique corner of the planet. From Badwater Basin at 282 feet below sea level to Dante’s View at 5575 feet above sea level within a few miles of one another, this place is alive with intense geological activity, faraway vistas, unusual sights, and the overall feeling of being very far away from any kind of civilization. And this year, the snow-capped mountains.
I wrote about a previous Death Valley trip in 2019 and simply cannot get enough of the joy that I feel traversing the emptiness of the expansive area. We missed out in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, returning in 2022 and again just last week.
This year, rates at The Ranch at Furnace Creek were up significantly. That ended up being a moot point, as the place was booked up weeks before our target date.
Instead, we stayed in Beatty, Nevada, about 40 miles from Furnace Creek. Beatty is a small, hole-in-the-wall town with decent hotels and B&B accommodations at about one-third the cost of staying in the National Park.
Restaurant choices in Beatty are dismal, and the few places often have long lines. If we stay in Beatty next year, we will likely prep food at home, let our chase vehicle carry it up, and cook our chow on the hotel grill.
This trip covered the same two-lane route we usually take—up Bouquet Canyon Road from Santa Clarita and through the Antelope Valley to Tehachapi. Along the way, we saw miles of California poppies freshly in bloom. It was magnificent.
From Caliente east of Tehachapi on California State Route 58, we took Caliente Bodfish Road to Lake Isabella. If you’ve never experienced Caliente Bodfish Road, do yourself a favor and plan a trip on this winding mountain road that debouches at the gorgeous Rankin Ranch, then ascends over another range and ends near Lake Isabella.
Following our lunch in Lake Isabella, we headed east through Ridgecrest and up Trona Wildrose Road, turning left at Panamint Valley Road, which took us into Death Valley National Park. A right on California State Route 190 guides us to Stovepipe Wells. A quick jog at Scotty’s Castle Road gets us to Daylight Pass Road to Beatty.
Our ride covered about 360 glorious miles with temperatures ranging from 42 to 75 degrees.
We gathered in a hotel room Friday night for snacks and adult beverages. By the time we all were hungry, we heard from our scouting party that the barbecue joint had a one-hour line, and then ran out of food. We scrounged and made it through the night.
Saturday morning breakfast was disappointing, as well. The only food store in town is at a dollar store with nothing fresh—bring snacks. Fuel up in Nevada—gas in the park is about $3 per gallon higher.
We then headed to Furnace Creek, where you can find a bar, restaurants, and a pretty good general store.
The next stop was Badwater Basin—the lowest point in North America. It is an amazing site, with a boardwalk that heads out over the broad, white, and funky dry lake. We could see a tiny sign 282 feet above us on the mountain behind us that says, “Sea Level.”
We then headed back to Furnace Creek for a bar-food lunch and then up to one of the highest points in the park—Dantes View. Temperatures dropped from almost 80 to 55, and it was sunny and slightly windy. It was a mind-blowing view from over a mile above the valley floor.
We rode down the mountain afterward and stopped at Zabriskie Point, famous for the location of the eponymous 1970 film by Michelangelo Antonioni that featured score music by Jerry Garcia and Pink Floyd. It’s a walk up to the overlook, where you can see the dunes rolling into the distance.
By this time, the sun had moved across the sky, so we made our last stop at Artists Palette. It’s a mountain configuration with many muted colors showing the incredible mix of natural elements needed to produce so many colors in one place. Afternoon sun highlights the colors, so we usually make it our last stop. We covered about 200 miles on Saturday.
Some of us stopped at the barbecue joint for takeout before returning to our hotels to assure ourselves of having dinner. Others ate food brought from home. We then headed to the Ultimate Motorcycling RV to watch the day’s MotoGP Sprint race. A fine time was had by all.
Sunday morning was bright and sunny with cool temperatures. We fractured into groups heading in various directions, including AZ Dave returning to Scottsdale. He was the attendee who traveled farthest.
Visit Death Valley National Park in the Spring or Fall—Summer is ridiculously hot, and Winter is freezing cold. I promise you an experience like no other.
Photography by Teejay Adams, Zaid Awni, Jonathan Handler, and Judy Lee
Death Valley Motorcycle Ride 2023 Photo Gallery
