Overview

Salt Creek Road is a spur off Highway 190 that runs west 1.2 miles from the pavement to the Salt Creek Trailhead. The road is graded dirt, and with heavy use, often becomes badly washboarded. It usually is fine for sedans.

Salt Creek Road provides access to the Salt Creek Boardwalk and endless miles of hiking on the floor of Death Valley in the Death Valley Wilderness Area.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about driving in the desert, ... this is an entirely safe road, but be careful on corners where some drivers come around too fast, and be careful if the road is wet. The park service closes the road when it is washed out.

While out, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. This road is short, so only bring what is necessary of the 10 Essentials. Both sides of the road are designated wilderness, so be sure to keep vehicles on the graded roadway.

Getting to the Trailhead

This road is located in Death Valley National Park, about 3.5 hours northwest of Las Vegas. From town, drive out to Death Valley. From the Furnace Creek Visitor Center (Table 1, Site 0712), drive north on Highway 190 for about 13 miles to Salt Creek Road (Site 0768). Watch for signs on the highway directing drivers onto a dirt road that runs out into the bottom of the valley.

Salt Creek Road branches to the left (west), then shortly bends to the south. The road runs more-or-less straight until nearing the far end, where it winds a bit and bends back to the west. Rounding a hill, the road arrives at the Salt Creek Trailhead, which has vault toilets, trash cans, and recycling bins. The boardwalk trail leaves from the far end of the parking area.