Entering Death Valley National Park from the south via Jubilee Pass Rd. And heading north on…read moreBadwater Rd. You will pass Ashford Mills Ruins. This is what is left of a gold mining operation from a century ago. There are a few standing walls of some old buildings and some remnants of the mining equipment, but little else. Of note, when we visited in April, there was a pretty good wildflower bloom in this area, and everything was covered with Sphinx moth caterpillars-- there were thousands of them crossing the road and unfortunately our truck claimed more than a few speeding down the highway. If you're pressed for time, this one is not essential to see in comparison to Badwater Basin, Mesquite Dunes, Mosaic Canyon, etc. if you have nothing but time, stop in here to stretch your legs and see how with enough time, the desert reclaims just about everything. From dust you come, and to dust you shall return.

Neat piece of history if you happen to be driving by. I definitely wouldn't make a specific trip…read morethere just to see the ruins as there really isn't much to see. Nice spot to stop to stretch your legs and use the bathroom. If you are heading north, the next bathroom is Badwater Basin which is an hour away.

Pretty decent rest stop in the middle of nowhere. The restrooms are ok not super clean but decent…read more There are plenty of pinic tables and an area for dogs to strech. You will how ever notice the sulfur smell (rotten egg smell) since its next to a plant. There was plenty of TP and hand soap.

Trona Highway Safety Rest Stop is located...wait for it,...... in Trona,California…read more It is a typical rest stop we find in the California desert. This one has shade, a bathroom, and alot of billboard showing the interesting history of Trona, the mining that goes on , and the Searles Valley and lakebed. It can be quite windy, and given its desert location, it has austere landscaping that blend in with the surrounding valley. It is worth a stop to perhaps eat something purchased at the excellent TIS General Store just down the road, stretch you legs, and bone up on the local history

Natural Bridge Canyon is a one of the easier hikes with a quick reward, LOVE these! From the…read moreparking lot that has bathrooms it will take about 15 minutes walking up a gentle but constant grade, along pebble floor to the Natural Bridge, which extends across the whole canyon and is quite impressive. Along the way you will see various chutes carved out from flood waters from manyy years ago, you can stand inside of these starring up into the deep blue skies peering out into the beauty of Death Valley to capture GREAT photops. Natural Bridge Canyon offers a short hike 2 miles round-trip with a expansive reward added bonus if you are adventerous continue up past the bridge to see the dry waterfall with the beautiful bluish-green rock colors andd if you are up for scrambling over take in the 20ft dry fall, huge boulders and chutes. ALWAYS bring plenty of H20, be safe and courteous to others.

It's a beautiful arch but nothing extraordinary. Probably my least favorite stop during my recent…read moretrip to Death Valley National Park. I was intrigued by how so few people had reviewed this part of the park, but now I can totally see why. That DRIVE! Ouch. Almost turned around. I was just thinking the whole time like... "Is my car gonna make it through this Gawd awful road?". Saw several cars behind me and a few in front of me just turn right around in the middle of the road. It says it's only 1.5 miles to the parking lot, but it feels like a journey because the road is unpaved and bumpy. If you don't have a 4 wheel drive, good luck and drive slooooow. Once you make it to the parking lot, there are a few restrooms and a trail map. But for that crazy ol' drive, this "hike" up to the arch is super short. AllTrails got it extremely wrong. The whole thing is maybe only about a mile roundtrip. You'll hike up a hill which isn't super steep, but it'll definitely have you huffing and puffing (especially in the heat). And then you'll look up and come up on the arch almost without even knowing it. It's not the most rewarding feeling, but the arch is pretty. I don't know... seeing those massive arches in Utah and Arizona has heightened my expectations. This wasn't worth the long bumpy drive in my opinion. If I could do it again, I wouldn't. I'm glad I can cross it off my list, but there are much better places to explore within the park.

So I make no bones about my love for abandoned things. Yes, it does make me feel a bit like Indiana…read moreJones minus the whip, cool factor, and the only real enemy here in the desert is me being unprepared or doing something stupid. They Keystone Mine is roughly halfway between the Panamint Valley and the Barker Ranch of Charles Manson fame. It is just before the Death Valley National Park boundary. During its productive years used to mine gold. I simply explored the mine entrance and offices. The mine itself is located away from the main gate area and involved pretty rough terrain over miles of switchbacks to get to so I passed. I did attempt to drive above the wash plant and encountered conditions that I could have gotten past with my stock 2016 MDX but decided not to chance it given there is no one out here and no cell service. The main building was pretty cool to explore as were the remains of the washplant, the swimming pool, and the shower area. As with most of these places there is plenty of stuff abandoned in place decaying slowly in the dry conditions. There is also a lot of fauna about if you are patient. From various raptors to wild sheep and donkeys Aside from this there are no services etc so you need to bring whatever you want to use. There are a few camping areas and some of the cabins are for public use. There is also lots of flora and fauna if you are patient. If you want to get to the actual mine, a legit off road capable vehicle with good ground clearance is needed. Also you need to be prepared for desert conditions. I made the run in April and it was still mid 80's. Summertime may be much higher.

Gives you the other worldly vibes. To get to the Devils Golf Course, you have to drive on a gravel…read moreroad which can get bumpy and dusty. Once you arrive it's a lookout than an hike but looks pretty cool!

One of my favorite stopoffs in Death Valley. Ninety percent…read moreof park visitors drive right past the dirt road that takes you to the Devil's Golf Course. Big mistake. The dirt road can be traversed by a prius. What I like most about the Devil's Golf Course is that this place is less crowded, expecially when compared to Badwater Basin which feels like tourists trap because of all the people. - It's OK to taste the salt from your finger tip. - I strongly recommend that you walk deep into this salt experience. It's like walking on snow and ice. Just know that the rocks here can be sharp.