Great Dry Fall Canyon – Death Valley National Park

An unofficially-named canyon in the Owlshead Mountains. It is also known as Magnetite Canyon. The canyon received its name from a large dry fall about 0.6 miles from the canyon mouth. Total Distance: 13.0 miles out & back Elevation Gain: 2,014ft. (2ft. to 1,900ft.) Difficulty: Very Strenuous 10+ Mile Difficulty: Strenuous View Rating: Author’s Rating: […]

South Smoke Tree Canyon – Death Valley National Park

An unofficially-named canyon in the Owlshead Mountains filled with smoke trees. Total Distance: 14.0 miles out & back Elevation Gain: 2,480ft. (-2ft. to 2,378ft.) Difficulty: Extremely Strenuous 10+ Mile Difficulty: Very Strenuous View Rating: Author’s Rating: Visitor Rating: Visitor Difficulty Rating: Pets: No Horses: Yes Best Seasons: November-April Special Permits: None Water Availability: No potable […]

Smoke Tree Canyon – Death Valley National Park

Smoke trees grow in this canyon in the Owlshead Mountains. Total Distance: 14.2 miles out & back Elevation Gain: 2,137ft. (-2ft. to 2,021ft.) Difficulty: Very Strenuous 10+ Mile Difficulty: Strenuous View Rating: Author’s Rating: Visitor Rating: Visitor Difficulty Rating: Pets: No Horses: Yes Best Seasons: November-April Special Permits: None Water Availability: No potable or reliable […]

Through Canyon – Death Valley National Park

Hike all the way through (thus the canyon’s name) the Owlshead Mountains via a desert canyon. Through Canyon is the southernmost of the five officially-named canyons in the northeastern section of the Owlsheads. Total Distance: 17.2 miles out & back Elevation Gain: 2,108ft. (-22ft. to 1,967ft.) Difficulty: Extremely Strenuous 10+ Mile Difficulty: Very Strenuous View […]

Granite Canyon – Death Valley National Park

Follow a desert canyon up through narrows and granite boulders into the Owlshead Mountains. Of the five officially-named canyons in the northeastern section of the Owlsheads, Granite Canyon is the second-to-southernmost, with only Through Canyon to the south. Total Distance: 14.2 miles out & back Elevation Gain: 2,006 (-23ft. to 1,878ft.) Difficulty: Very Strenuous 10+ […]

Owlshead Canyon – Death Valley National Park

Explore a desert canyon with rock formations, narrows, and scalable dryfalls. Owlshead Canyon is the second-northernmost officially-named canyon on the east side of the Owlshead Mountains. Total Distance: 12.0 miles out & back Elevation Gain: 2,708ft. (-97ft. to 2,210ft.) Difficulty: Extremely Strenuous 10+ Mile Difficulty: Very Strenuous View Rating: Author’s Rating: Visitor Rating: Visitor Difficulty […]

Talc Canyon – Death Valley National Park

An off-trail route to a desert canyon with dryfalls and rock formations. Talc Canyon is the northernmost of the officially named canyons on the east side of the Owlshead Mountains. Total Distance: 12.0 miles out & back Elevation Gain: 2,578ft. (-101ft. to 2,321ft.) Difficulty: Very Strenuous 10+ Mile Difficulty: Strenuous View Rating: Author’s Rating: Visitor […]

Needle Peak – Death Valley National Park

Scramble up a peak with views over Anvil Spring Canyon, Butte Valley, and much more. Total Distance: 7.0 miles out & back Elevation Gain: 2,669ft. (3,582ft. to 5,772ft.) Difficulty: Very Strenuous 5-10 Mile Difficulty: Very Strenuous View Rating: Author’s Rating: Visitor Rating: Visitor Difficulty Rating: Pets: No Horses: Yes Best Seasons: October-May Special Permits: None […]

Manly Peak & Anvil Benchmark – Death Valley National Park

Scramble up a peak with quite a bit of prominence with views over Butte Valley and much more. Total Distance: 5.6 miles out & back Elevation Gain: 3,479ft. (4,390ft. to 7,129ft.) Difficulty: Very Strenuous 5-10 Mile Difficulty: Very Strenuous View Rating: Author’s Rating: Visitor Rating: Visitor Difficulty Rating: Pets: No Horses: Yes Best Seasons: October-May […]