Trail Overview

This rocky trail starts in the north at the Ubehebe Crater. It travels through a long canyon in the Panamint Range between Tin Mountain (8,927 feet), Dry Mountain (8,678 feet), and White Top Mountain (7,493 feet). It connects with the Racetrack via the Hunter Mountain trail. You will pass Teakettle Junction, where Racetrack Playa, Hunter Mountain, and Ubehebe Crater intersect. Teakettle Junction is a unique shrine in Death Valley National Park; early settlers associated tea with a nearby water source. It is a tradition to leave a kettle to bring good luck to travelers. Racetrack Playa is home to the famous "sailing rocks," where rocks as large as 600 pounds move on a flat area, making a track on the ground. Ubehebe Crater is a large volcanic crater that is 600 feet deep and half a mile across. A paved parking and hiking trail are available, but there are no restrooms and spotty cell signal. The paved section of the park can be accessed from here. Normally, it is recommended for high-clearance vehicles with heavy-duty tires, as it can be rough, washboarded, and prone to washouts and sharp rocks. Off-road driving is prohibited as the desert is very fragile and vehicle tracks can remain for years. Watch for Joshua trees along the way. Often confused with cacti, Joshua trees actually are a type of yucca that can grow up to 30 feet tall.

Photos of Racetrack Valley Road North

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Difficulty

The gravel, rocky road to the Racetrack is rough, and good tires, 4x4, and high clearance are usually required. Standard rental vehicles are not recommended, and often get flat tires. Use extreme caution on this road in the summer heat. There is no cell phone coverage in the area.

Technical Rating

Siu Leung

Apr 02, 2026

Open

Very rough with small rocks. Washboard almost all the way. I aired down and went 40mph to reduce the long travel time. Got out in 1 hr instead of 3 hours going slow.

Kevin Crandall

Apr 01, 2026

Open

Just washboard road all the way. Air down to smooth it out and to allow faster rate of travel. Well worth the effort.

Steve Sullivan

Mar 17, 2026

Open

Roughest washboard I’ve seen but fine if you go slow.

Jorge Rivera

Mar 02, 2026

Open

Road was washboarded and saw a few cars turn around once they realized that it was a lot slower than they thought. I would recommend going earlier in the day since it is a few hours back and forth on this road.

Oliver T

Feb 14, 2026

Open

Robert Figueroa

Feb 14, 2026

Open

During our inaugural visit to Death Valley National Park, we stayed at Sunset Campground, which was impressively clean and well-maintained despite the peak Presidents' Day holiday crowd. ® We completed a round-trip excursion along the 27-mile Racetrack Road, connecting Ubehebe Crater to Racetrack Playa. The road was heavily wash-boarded and had deteriorated significantly, requiring careful navigation. Along the route, we stopped at the iconic Teakettle Junction to add our own kettle-complete with a custom Teakettle Junction sticker-to the collection. If you happen to find it, be sure to look inside! Current Conditions Summary: • Road Conditions: Deteriorated and severe washboard surfaces. • Weather (The Racetrack): Cool and windy; temperatures in the low 70s with 10 mph winds. • Weather (Furnace Creek): Mid-70s during the day, dropping to the mid-50s in the evening.

Oliver T

Feb 14, 2026

Open

extremely bumpy

John Lane

Dec 28, 2025

Open

We spent a week in exploring open dirt roads in Death Valley in late Dec 2025. We drove the 27 mile length of Racetrack Rd between Ubehebe Crater and Racetrack playa out and back. The first couple miles closest to the crater have been captured by the drainage and is essentially a stream bed. That section is rough and slow going and easily navigated by our Sprinter. Decent clearance is needed but not extreme. Once past that section, it is just lots of washboard for 25 miles to Racetrack playa. Air down recommended to keep fillings in. We didn’t dare attempt Lippencot Pass but we spoke to several people who came through and reported it tight but navigable (one Jeep and one 4-runner).

Cody Shaw

Dec 27, 2025

Open

Some portions of the road are completely gone from washout near Ubehebe Crater. Heavy washboarding in the southern end. High clearance 4x4 should have no problems.

Frank Doepke

Mar 30, 2025

Open

We rode it on dirt bikes. This trail is not just 4x4 as street legal bikes can ride it as well. It was great fun to ride despite being washboard in some sections. Cars will feel the washboard more while bikes can avoid most of it by riding on the side or between the tracks.

Igor Fil

Sep 27, 2024

Open

It is mostly a suspension/tires trail, rather than technical. I did it in 2H on a stock Wrangler Sport with factory street tires. The last 6 miles of the trail after Teakettle Junction has some really rough washboard, otherwise it's decent, just some small/medium rocks.