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Death Valley – Spring
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It’s time again for another of our Fall Expeditions. Black Rhino Expeditions are run during the cooler parts of the year and are a combination of driving, exploring mining camps, photographic opportunities, and hiking. Because even a 4×4 truck can only get you so far, much of the great stuff to see is only accessible by foot, though none of our hikes are too strenuous, or too long.
We’ve been working hard to find accessible roads for this trip – Death Valley was hit tremendously
hard in September with a set of powerful storms that resulting in hugely destructive flash floods. For example, as of this writing (Oct. 5), all the roads south of Furnace Creek are closed (see map). The Park is working diligently to get damaged roads re-openend. If they are successful, I’m reserving the right to alter our itinerary slightly.
For this expedition, we’ll be camping at Gold Point Ghost Town for our night halt on Friday night. Camping fee is $12/person. Dinner, plus breakfast Saturday morning, will be available for purchase from the Saloon. Gold Point only accepts CASH! Donations are encouraged as they do not have a liquor license. Details below.
Our night halt for Saturday night will be at Stovepipe Wells Village. The Village offers nice rooms, gasoline, a restaurant, a General Store, and a wonderful, year-round heated pool. (If there is enough interest, we may be able to qualify for a Group Rate.)
During the expedition, we’ll be using SPOT (a satellite tracking device) which will allow those folks who couldn’t make the trip to follow on their computer our daily travels. We’ll supply the link for the arm-chair expeditioners.
After this expedition, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to visit Death Valley.
Health notice/restrictions: Off-road tours are rough, bumpy rides often through rough terrain. Our off-road Expeditions are not suitable for guests with back problems, neck problems, motion sickness, pregnancy, major medical conditions, or any other health condition(s) that could be aggravated by a bumpy ride through rough terrain.
** NOTE: What if a specific Expedition is canceled? While incredibly rare, from time to time, an Expedition may have to be canceled. For almost all of our events, you will be given the choice to either receive a full refund, or transfer your registration to another event that has openings. For some Expeditions, we may deduct up to a 15% fee from your refund to offset unrecoverable expenses. Due to unforeseen circumstances, all Black Rhino Expeditions trips and trails are subject to change or cancellation without advance notice.
Death Valley in known around the world for its spectacular geology – the sight-seeing and discovery is incredible!
We will expertly guide you through this magnificent wilderness and introduce you to life-changing experiences.
Our Expedition Group is small with a limit of 12 vehicles – come be a part of the adventure!
November 21, 2025 – Arrive at Olancha Cafe by 10 am.
1075 US-395, Olancha, CA 93549
(GPS – N 36°15’08” W 117°59’32”)
Be sure to arrive fueled up. (There is a gas station a mile or two north on Hwy 395.) We’ll have a driver’s meeting describing the plans for the next three days and then get started.
We may do some Geocaching along the way. Details to be shared with participants.
From Olancha, we’ll head east on Hwy 190 with our first stop being the shrine for the rock band U2.
This is the location of the photo shoot for their JOSHUA TREE album.
Many people erroneously believe that the photo shoot took place in Joshua Tree National Park. In fact, two Dutch music fans died of heatstroke while searching in Joshua Tree National Park.
The famous tree in the gatefold photo died and collapsed sometime around 2000 and the remnants of the tree trunk are disintegrating, succumbing to the harsh desert environment. The album cover photo was shot at Zabriskie Point, inside Death Valley National Park, a few miles from Furnace Creek.
After we’ve had our fill of an area where streets have no name, we’re off to Darwin, a “semi-ghost town,” just a few miles away. Darwin was once the largest town in the county, and its mine was responsible for a lot of silver, lead and zinc. The Darwin Mine at one time was one of California’s largest lead producers. Darwin has around 20 people living there, though you’d hardly notice.
After we’ve explored Darwin, and road conditions allow, we’ll head out to China Garden Springs via the Old Toll Road which was developed by Bob Eichbaum, the dreamer who in 1926 built Stovepipe Wells Village (a resort originally called Bungalow City).
Sure enough, out if the middle of nowhere is a small pond full of goldfish (some people have said they are actually Koi) not too far from some old, collapsing structures. You wouldn’t believe it if you didn’t see it. The goldfish have been here easily for decades, supposedly left behind by chinese laborers who were prohibited from living in Darwin.
The water from the spring contributes to the lush riparian environment at Darwin Falls, a few miles east of here. The road to the falls is currently closed due to massive destruction from recent flash floods. Darwin Falls is the water source for Panamint Springs which we’ll visit later in the day.
We’ll backtrack through Darwin and then continue east on Highway 190 with our next stop being Father Crowley Vista Point.
Father Crowley Vista Point is known, among other things, for Rainbow Canyon which was nicknamed “Star Wars Canyon” by visitors who came to observe and photograph the military test flights which occurred in the vicinity. Star Wars Canyon has been used by the military since the 1930s by test pilots. Unfortunately, a jet crash in the canyon in 2019 resulted in the death of the pilot and injury to several visitors in the area, putting an end to training flights through the canyon.
Father J. J. Crowley served the Owens Valley and Death Valley areas in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1919, he was given this remote parish that served four counties and 30,000 square miles of desert. His area ran from Bishop, California, to Barstow, California, and included both the lowest point in the country (Badwater Basin in Death Valley) and the highest (Mount Whitney in the Eastern Sierra).
Father Crowley is perhaps best known for his efforts coordinating what was called “The Wedding of the Waters.” The three-day celebration in October 1937 commemorated the completion of a paved road from Mount Whitney to Badwater Basin, connecting the highest and lowest points of the country through the city of Lone Pine.
Next stop as we continue our eastward trek – Panamint Springs Resort for lunch, and if necessary, refueling. (Panamint Springs has in the past been a frequent night halt, but the accommodations have seen better days, and no longer meet our minimum standards.)
We’ll head east on Hwy 190 heading to Stovepipe Wells where we’ll check in, perhaps take a dip in the pool, and make plans for dinner. If time permits, I may dash across the road to take some sunset photos at Mesquite Dunes.
November 22, 2025 – We’ll set out shortly after our 9 am driver’s meeting from Stovepipe Wells and head west on Hwy 190 to do a little exploring off Saline Valley Road.
We’ll stop at Boxcar Cabin, a simple two-room cabin that was once a train boxcar used by miners. The boxcar is most likely from the Carson & Colorado/Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge railroad, or possibly the Death Valley Railroad. Mining prospects were first worked here in the 1930s.
We’ll drive through Lee Flat (a huge and picturesque Joshua tree forest) navigating our way to Hunter Mountain Road, and make a stop at Hunter Cabin.
Hunter Cabin, built by William Lyle Hunter sometime around 1875, consists of a one-room log cabin constructed of pinyon pine and measures approximately twelve by twenty feet, a spring twenty yards uphill that had been opened up into a watering trough, and a primitive corral about one hundred yards northeast of the cabin. Continuing on, we’ll make our way through Hidden Valley and end up at Teakettle Junction.
While the origin of the name is unknown, Teakettle Junction has become a tradition for visitors to attach teakettles to the sign with messages written on, and in, them. Be sure to bring your own teakettle, and message, to leave behind. 
We’ll continue south to The Racetrack, where we’ll get a chance to see The Moving Rocks. The Racetrack is a scenic dry lake (playa) with “sailing stones” that make “racetrack” trails. It really is something to see. 
After The Racetrack, we’ll head back to Teakettle Junction, and continue north to Ubehebe Crater.
Ubehebe Crater is a large volcanic crater 600 feet deep and half a mile across. It is believed that it was created as recently as 2,100 years ago!
Ubehebe Crater is easily viewed from the parking area on its west rim, and further exploration will bring you to smaller craters.
Walking to the bottom of the main crater is easy; however, the trip back up can be exhausting, but is definitely worth the effort. 
Continuing northward, we’ll drive through the desert and ultimately make our way to Gold Point Ghost Town for our night halt.
Gold Point, and its Saloon, has always been a requested favorite stop by previous adventurers. It’s a little out of the way, but easily accessible. Previously, we could stay in the cabins and only pay for that night’s stay. Now, there is a two-night minimum and it’s hard to plan enough exploring nearby to justify staying two nights.
We’ll be camping at Gold Point – camping fee is $12/person. Gold Point only accepts CASH – PLAN ACCORDINGLY! If necessary, there will also be an opportunity to buy gas at Gold Point.
The owner of Gold Point, Walt Kremin, is offering us two dinner choices, and breakfast. To not have to bring food (and keep it cold), kitchen gear, and the clean-up afterwards while camping, is so nice. You’re not obligated to participate – the choice is yours.
Breakfast for Sunday morning: $15.00
Everyone loves to hang out in the Saloon. We’ll hang out, recap the adventures of the last two days, and then it’ll be time to hit the hay.
Enough for today. Let’s see what’s on deck for Sunday.
November 23, 2025 – Today, we’ll set out shortly after our 9 am driver’s meeting from Gold Point Ghost Town and 
head west with our first destination being Crater Sulfur Mine.
Crater Sulfur Mine contains the largest deposit of sulfur west of the Mississippi River. Mining began here in 1929, and there was a small company town named Crater which had a peak population of 36 people in 1931.
The Crater Mine was active until 1953, when a sulfur dust explosion destroyed the mill. Some small-scale mining continued off and on until 1986. In the 1990s a larger scale operation took place that destroyed or damaged what remained of the town site and some of the equipment.
Departing from Crater Mine, we’ll continue our westward trajectory toward the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest via Wyman Canyon.
Wyman Canyon is a relatively easy climb – a twisting and turning canyon, with numerous creek crossings, and will eventually bring us to the Ancient Bristlecone Forest where the oldest living thing on earth stands – “Methuselah” is believed to be over 4,850 years old. (The photo to the left is NOT Methuselah, but it is representative of the trees we’ll encounter.) We’ll spend a little time visiting the Visitor Center, shooting photos, and exploring the surrounding forest before making our way back down the mountain to Hwy 168.
Once on Hwy 168, we’ll continue west until we reach Big Pine and Hwy 395.
We’ll take a few minutes to say our good-byes… until the next trip.
I’ll look forward to seeing you on the next adventure.
