Back Country by Jeep

Today's goal was to check off a Death Valley Bucket List item - do the Titus Canyon loop in a Jeep!

So after breakfast we went over to the Jeep rental place and signed up for a day of back country driving. The Titus Canyon road starts almost back to Beatty, off Route 374. Its a one way, 26 mile gravel road that takes you through some incredible scenery, including a couple of ghost towns (Leadfield being the most interesting). The last few miles are down through a canyon "wash", through the "Narrows", taking you back to the main road. A passenger car could make this trip,  but it is punishing! I guarantee your car would have rattles when you were done! We were surprised at the variety of wildflowers.

After our lunch out of the cooler, we headed west about 10 miles beyond Stovepipe Wells, up to about 3000 feet in the Panamints, up Emigrant Canyon Road to Aguereberry Point at about 6300 feet with a stunning view of the valley from the west side. Again, the road was punishing washboard but once at the summit, it was well worth the discomfort. Quick stop at the abandoned Eureka Mine on the way back down. "Bar food" for dinner at the saloon in Stovepipe Wells.

So we ended up doing about 150 miles in this not very comfortable Jeep (says a lot for Jeep, though. This vehicle had 35000 miles on it  - all of them on these horrible roads. And its still in one piece!)

Quick dip on the pool then crash for the day!