20 Mule Team Scenic Drive – Death Valley National Park
F ollow the footsteps of the famous 20 Mule Team on this beautiful, unpaved, 2WD-friendly scenic drive through badlands and past old borax mines and Star Wars film sites.
| Total Distance: 2.75 miles point to point | Elevation Gain: 480ft. gain, 185ft. loss (860ft. to 1,230ft.) |
| Road Difficulty: 1.3 | Bicycle Difficulty: More Difficult |
| View Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars | Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars |
| Visitor Rating: (Click to rate) [Total: 0 Average: 0] | Visitor Difficulty Rating: (Click to rate) [Total: 0 Average: 0] |
| Pets: Yes | Horses: No |
| Best Seasons: October-May | Special Permits: None. Gate closes at dusk. |
| Water Availability: None | Overnight Options: None |
| Amenities: None | Crowd Factor: Moderate |
Uses:        | Road Surface:   |
Features:     | Hazards:     |
Mile-by-Mile: 20 Mule Team Scenic Drive
0.0 Entrance to the 20 Mule Team Scenic Drive (860ft.). Turn off of the main road onto the marked 20 Mule Team Scenic Drive (one-way traffic traveling west to east). The roadbed is gravel or wash; the tread is often groomed by the National Park Service to keep it open to 2WD vehicles. The road generally follows a wash as it passes through badland hills. Keep your eyes open for old borax mines (there are many) and the colorful cliffs to the south. Portions of Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi were filmed here in the early days of the national park. The area around Jabba the Hutt’s castle was in 20 Mule Team, as was the cave (actually an old borax mine) where Luke Skywalker finishes his light saber. (36.409644°, -116.794734°)
2.75 Exit the 20 Mule Team Scenic Drive (1,164ft.). (36.397922°, -116.770275°)
History & More
The 20 Mule Team followed several routes out of Death Valley, carrying borax from the mines and the refinery at the Harmony Borax Works out to the railroad depot in Mojave. It was a 20-day trip of 330 miles.
William Coleman, the owner of the Harmony Borax Company, hired a man named Ed Styles with a 12-mule team to transport borax out of Death Valley. As Ed was hitching up his mules one day, William Coleman asked Ed if he could add another 8 mules to the wagons. Ed agreed, and the 20 Mule Team was born.
Driving a 20 Mule Team required great skill. Teamsters used a 22ft. whip to make a “cracking” noise over the ornery animals. For the danger and difficulty of the journey over rough terrain, the teamsters were paid a handsome $4 per day.
The 20 Mule Team was frequently only an 18 Mule Team – with two horses making up the other two animals.
The area around Jabba the Hutt’s castle was in 20 Mule Team, as was the cave (actually an old borax mine) where Luke Skywalker finishes his lightsaber.
Download Road Map
Driving Directions
Take CA-190 east of Furnace Creek to the 20 Mule Team Scenic Drive, 24.2 miles west of Death Valley Junction and 1.1 miles east of Zabriskie Point.
Leave No Trace Principles are enforced
Drones and model aircrafts are prohibited
Camping is permitted only in designated sites or in areas open to dispersed backcountry camping
Click here for all park rules and regulations
12 Month Pass: $55/Death Valley Annual Pass (valid at Death Valley National Park). $80/America the Beautiful Annual Pass (valid at all national park and federal fee areas). $20/Annual Senior Pass (62 years or older US citizens; valid at all national park and federal fee areas). Free/4th Grade Pass (Valid Sept. 1-August 31 of the child’s 4th Grade school year). Free/Military Pass (valid for all active military personel and their dependents with a CAC Card or DD Form 1173).
Lifetime Pass: $80/Lifetime Senior Pass (62 years or older US citizens; valid at all national park and federal fee areas). Free/Access Pass (available to all US citizens with perminent disabilities). Free/Access for Veterans and Gold Star Families Pass (valid for all military and veterans with a CAC card, Veteran HJealth Identification Card, Veteran ID Card, or veteran’s designation on state-issued drivers license or identification card.)
20 Mule Team Scenic Drive
There’s a nice little scenic drive a short distance up CA-190 from Furnace Creek. It’s called 20 Mule Team because it’s the route that the famous “20 Mule Team” used to transport borax out of Death Valley. Ever since I first visited Death Valley in 2001, this has been one of my favorite places to visit and (along with Badwater Basin) it’s one of the few attractions I’ve visited on every single visit to Death Valley where we spent any time in the valley at all (I’m not counting the time we drove the Badwater Road en route to climb Telescope Peak and it was 120F… at 8pm.) The colors of the hills, plus the history of the place, make it something I can’t get tired of seeing.
The scenic drive is best in the early morning or about an hour or so before sunset. (They do close the scenic drive at night, so be wary of leaving the area before they close the gates. You wouldn’t want to be lost among the badlands after dark, anyway, so I recommend morning over evening.) The good thing about the sun being low in the sky is that the shadows create definition between the hills, making it much more scenic than at high noon when the direct sun rays bleach much of the color from the badlands.
The scenic drive is one-way, from west to east. It’s a gravel/dirt road that mostly follows a wash, but the park service grooms it frequently enough that it’s usually accessible to low-clearance vehicles.
At first, the scenery is mostly just badlands. Then you can begin to see color in the hillsides and many old borax mines. Drive slowly; there’s a lot to see!
If you’re a Star Wars fan, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for various shooting areas around 20 Mule Team. Several scenes from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi were filmed here, including Jabba the Hutt’s palace and a cave where Luke Skywalker finishes his lightsaber. (Note that the cave is now closed for safety reasons, so there’s no special reason to go looking for it.) There may be other film sites in the area, as well; I haven’t spent much time looking for film sites though there are plenty of websites that will tell you about what was filmed where in Death Valley before it became a national park.
I have a definite weakness when it comes to the 20 Mule Team Scenic Drive: I can’t stay in the van. Even on early visits, when I wasn’t even out of my tweens, I had to get out and explore the gullies and badlands along the drive. If you do decide to explore a bit on foot, realize that it’s very difficult to find a place to park. Never, ever block the road – other people want to drive it, too. Since it’s narrow and only one-way, you’ll have to find a wash or someplace you can safely pull off without trampling vegetation, etc.
The road winds among the bandlands for some time before finally exiting back out onto CA-190. It’s a really great diversion from hiking in Death Valley and is very beautiful to see!
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