Racetrack - Lippincott - Hunter Mt 2.0

​"Sailing Stones" on a playa, Lippincott Trail and Ubehebe Crater.

This is long trail no matter what way you approach it.  We did it from Stovepipe Wells, passing through Ubehebe Crater in both directions and it was 190 miles.  If you start from Highway 190 west of the Park the round trip is 113 miles from Panamint Springs, or 155 miles from Lone Pine - without visiting Ubehebe Crater.

Ubehebe (pronounced you-bee-HEE-bee) Craters, located about 225 km (140 mi) northwest of Las Vegas, NV, and 88 km (55 mi) southeast of Bishop, CA, in Death Valley National Park, consists of thirteen overlapping volcanic craters. The largest crater is about 800 m (0.5 mi) wide and 250 m (800 ft) deep. The craters formed during a series of explosions set off as molten rock (basaltic magma) rising toward the Earth's surface flashed groundwater to steam (phreatic eruption). The explosive magma-water interaction blasted pulverized rock high into the air so that the ejected deposits are comprised of both basaltic lava (about a third) and fragments of sandstone and gravel from the preexisting landscape (about two thirds). Debris from the explosions blankets an area of about 40 km2 (15 mi2). Research by CalVO scientists suggests the set of crater-forming blasts may have taken place in response to a single batch of rising magma. The eruptive episode probably lasted a few days or weeks and took place about 2100 years ago.  USGS

There is a GPS - gpx track file at the bottom of the page.
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Ubehebe Crater

Leave the paved road at Ubehebe Crater and head south.  The first 3 miles are the roughest part between the Crater and the Racetrack.  If you are comfortable with the first 3 miles you can go to the Racetrack with no problem.  You will pass through Teakettle Junction.

View the "Grandstand" rock formation in the Racetrack Playa as you approach.

Teakettle Junction

Grandstand

Racetrack Playa is home to one of Death Valley's most enduring mysteries. Littered across the flat, dry surface of this dry lake, also called a "playa', are hundreds of rocks –some weighing as much as 320 kilograms (700 pounds) –that seem to have been dragged across the ground, often leaving synchronized trails that can stretch for hundreds of meters.

To see the moving rocks, drive two miles south of the Grandstand parking area. Walk at least a half mile toward the southeast corner of the playa for the best views of rocks and their tracks on the playa. Erosional forces cause rocks from the surrounding mountains to tumble to the surface of the Racetrack. Once on the floor of the playa the rocks move across the level surface leaving trails as records of their movements. Some of the moving rocks are large and have traveled as far as 1,500 feet. Throughout the years many theories have been suggested to explain the mystery of these rock movements.  Read this news article to see how the mystery was solved.

Be sure to walk the half mile.  We did not know this and and only saw a few small rocks near the parking area.

Rocks moving in parallel

Rocks moving independently

Lippincott Road has the reputation of being difficult and dangerous.  It is neither if you are careful.  The road is plenty wide, but if you do not like shelf roads there will be a serious pucker factor.  There are long stretches too narrow to pass another vehicle.

​The views into Saline Valley are great.

Lippincott shelf road

Looking into Saline Valley

This photo shows the most difficult spot on Lippincott as of November, 2017.  You need high clearance but not 4WD.

​This tarantula was a real bonus!

Most difficult spot on Lippincott

Tarantula on Lippincott

Continue Lippincott Road to the Saline Valley Road and follow it southeast to the Hunter Mountain Road.  Hunter Mountain is a well graded gravel road that travels through stands of pine at 7,000' elevation before dropping back down.

Hunter Mountain pines

Down from Hunter Mountain

Travel along Ulida Flat and Hidden Valley on your way back to Teakettle Junction

Ulida Flat

Hidden Valley Joshua Trees

Lost Burro Mine is at the end of a short left hand spur.

In 1907 Bert Shively's burro decided he'd had it and went to get himself lost. Bert caught up with him in a remote canyon and picked up a rock to get his attention. He never threw the rock at the animal, it was laced with gold. A fifty-ton five-stamp mill was constructed, and mining continued sporadically until the mid-1970s.

Multiple levels would have supported the stamp mill.  You can still see the remains of a wooden tank.

Lost Burro Mine

Remnants of wooden tank

The cabin is "air conditioned" but is in surprisingly good shape.  Note the wheelbarrow.

"Do you have Prince Albert in a can?"  "Better let him out!"

Inside the cabin

Prince Albert in a can

Page updated 2017.

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