Big Bear, CA
I quiet mountain community full of back country adventure.
Warm Springs Road
A short side trip from the Saline Valley Road to the Saline Valley Warm Springs in Death Valley National Park, California. The road is used to access the Warm Springs Hot Springs of the Saline Valley. The region and its hot springs became very popular in the 1960’s
The hot springs were improved before the National Park was formed in 1994. As such; showers, bathtubs concrete pools and three bathrooms. these bathrooms are replaced by the Park Service. Palm trees were planted to create am oasis. Additionally, there is a small airport known as the “Chicken Strip”, which is a 1400 foot dirt runway cleared near the hot springs. The “Chicken Strip” landing strip is about a 10 minute walk from the oasis.
There are three distinct springs and camping locations. The warm springs oasis existed as its own four some 40 years prior to the national park service taking over. The location became quite popular and nudity was common. There was quite a bit of controversy when the national park service took over due to the decades long existence of the improvements conflicting with the governments tendency to (over)regulate.
A “clothing optional” policy is still permitted at the springs, but nudity is frowned upon elsewhere at the site.
The road is maintained for the most part and should be accessible to most 2WD vehicles.
Notoriety
It is said that Charles Manson visited the Warm Springs looking for entrance to the bottomless pit. Manson believed the bottomless pit was an entrance to an underground world, which would protect him from the race war he tried to start as part of his plan to start “Helter Skelter.”
Trail Summary
| Name | Warm Springs Road |
| Location | Saline Valley, Death Valley National Park, California |
| Length | 7.5 Miles |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Warm Springs Road Trail Map
References
White Top Mountain
White Top Mountain road is located off of Hunter Mountain Road, in Death Valley National Park, California. A hilly and mountainous road connecting the Hidden Valley road to the White Top mining area district.
The road is approximately 11 miles in length and has an elevation gain from 4800 feet above sea level to 7000 feet. High clearance 4WD is recommended when wheeling this trail. The route is passable to high clearance 2WD in the first 5 miles. Beyond that distance, the NPS recommends high clearance 4WD because of 3 relatively small dry falls, 12-24″.
Travel beyond Burro Spring Junction is not recommended when wet or snow covered during winter months.
Once near the top of the trai, the Huntley Mining operations are visible.
The Lawrence Asbestos and Fluorspar claims located on the north slope of White Top Mountain two miles northeast of Burro Spring have been explored by several lessees over the years, but have produced only a few hundred tons of asbestos and fluorspar. Much scarring in the area has resulted from dozer prospecting and road building. The property consisted of three fluorspar claims, thirty-two asbestos claims, and a millsite under, location by R.H. Lawrence of Mojave. In 1970s the lessees proposed to develop the fluorspar deposits and ship the ore to Barstow via truck. Today the area consists of bulldozed prospects and a miner’s shack. Wright H. Huntley, pres., Huntley Industrial Minerals, Inc., to T.R. Goodwin,
Death Valley – Historic Resource Study – A History of Mining
White Top Mountain Trail Map
References
Homestake Dry Camp
The Homestake Dry camp is a primitive campground located in Racetrack valley inside Death Valley National Park. It contains four very large and reasonably flat campsites which could accommodate multiple vehicles for larger groups.
The mine site as no amenities beyond a single chemical toilet at the North end of the location and a few wide spots in the road denote the camp sites. The toilet is in reasonable condition, but it does have some rodent damage and the odd spider web.
There are fire rings, but no fires or wood gather is not allowed. There is no trash bins, no water, no tables.
Homestake Dry Camp is however the only camping near the Racetrack playa and is arguably some of the most remote camping in the national park. The campground was very clean during out last visit and the night sky on a moonless night was second to none.
This is certainly well worth a stop over if you are so inclined and the campground offers a great point to explore the Lippincott Mine Road, the Lippincott Mine, Ubehebe Lead mine and of coarse the racetrack.
On our trip, we were offered the best of remote primitive camping. While we stayed dry, the night boomed with thunder from Saline Valley. The moonless night sky gave us an opportunity to see the Milky Way. There was a constant breeze which did not offer us a sound sleep, however, we will return which is the best endorsement one can provide.
Directions
The campground is located at the southern end of the Race Track Valley Road.
Campground Summary
| Camp Ground Name | Homestake Dry Camp |
| Latitude, Longitude | 36.6372892,-117.5745213 |
| Sites | 4 |
| Elevation | 3780 |
| Amenities | No Water, No Fires, No tables |
Homestake Dry Camp Trail Map
Mesquite Springs Campground
Mesquite Springs is a campground in Death Valley National Park, Located just a few short miles from Scottys castle. Mesquite springs offers a nice refuge for the traveler. Not far from the main north – south highway running the length of Death valley.
The campground is typically open all year round and cooler than Furnace Creek. There is a small fee to stay here, but well worth it to stay in this little oasis. There may be a campground host, but you should not count on this for your planning with regards to firewood. There is little undergrowth, so you do feel a little exposed to your neighbor.
Typically a quiet little outpost used by campers who want access to the northern section of the national park. Mesquite Springs offers a great launching point for the northern dunes, racetrack valley, Ubehebe Crater and parts beyond.
This is a great place to enjoy your beer and smores in the evenings while the Kangaroo Rats play around your feet. The remote area and dark skies allow for great star viewing.
| Campground Name | Mesquite Springs Campground |
| Latitude, Longitude | 36.96303, -117.36840 |
| Address | P.O. Box 579 Death Valley, CA 92328 |
| Number of Sites | 40 |
| Elevation | 1800 |
| Reservations | No |
| Amenities | Flush Toilets, Fire Rings, Tables |
| Website | https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/mesquite-spring-campground.htm |
Mesquite Springs Campground Map
Camping Tents
My wife and I just got back from a camping trip in Death Valley National Park a few weeks ago. Â During this trip, for the first time we used a new “Family Sized” doom tent. Â The camping tents sleeps 6 people, is tall enough for me to stand up, came with a rain fly and outside vestibule. Â The new tent certainly had it all, which also caused me to think back to all the tents I have used and known.
Pup Tents
The earliest and oldest tent I have used was a 1950’s era pup tent my father used in the Boy Scouts during the late 1950’s.  The tent was nothing more than a piece of green canvas, two polls, wooden stakes and some string.  The tent had no floors and no doors at either end.  I used this tent once when I was about 9 years old, in my back yard.  My dad helped me set it up in our backyard.  From what I remember, it took about  10 hours to set.  Most of this was watching my confused dad trying to remember how it was supposed to work.  As I recall several of the wooden stakes split in the touch enriched soil of our backyard lawn.  Once erected, and musty and the smell of mildew filled the air, but after a few hours it was aired out enough to crawl underneath.  There was only enough room for my sleeping bag, and the tent was just tall enough that I could crawl underneath looking much like a WW2 G.I. going underneath the barbed wire.
That night, I slept under the “stars” in Los Angeles, CA. It was a mild fall evening as I recall, yet somehow my dads old pup tent managed to make it colder. Now having any doors meant that our cat could wander in during the night and scare me, which he did. I woke up early in the morning, went inside the house and finally got some sleep. I do not know whatever happened to this tent. It was better than nothing, but just barely.
Family Tents
During the late 70’s my family went camping a lot with my cousins.  I don’t recall the true “owner” of tent, but the group had a family style tent.  This thing was huge and seemed perfectly suited to host a sultan and his harem.  Anyways, this thing was a beast and required a troop of 6 to move it into place.  I know for a fact that when it was collapsed from the previous trip my mom and/or aunt would spend a hour sweeping out all the dust,dirt and grime brought in by four boys,  It always confused me that each time we setup the tent again, we unfolded it to a cloud of dust and it was dirty inside.
These were great tents if weight was no object, but I suspect that these tents would not do well in a breeze yet alone a windy night. There was a complex exoskeleton of polls which could never be assembled unless you had a masters in engineering. There was one large door, and a floor, which is a much needed feature over my dads pup tent. I don’t remember any windows, but I do recall that unlike my dads pup tent which “cooled the air”, this tent always ran HOT.
Modern Pup Tent
Prior to a spot horse packing trip in the early 1980’s. Â Dome tents had yet to come into their own. Â My folks purchased two pup tents for the trip. Â The modern version of the pup tent was constructed with rip stop nylon and did include a floor, short side walls, a closed off back along with a door and screen door. Â The tent did not include any sort of rain fly, so my folks made one witch attach using a three inch standoff my dad built on his lathe. Â This proved very important as during the trip we were deluged with rain.
Dome Tents
Dome tents have dominated the market since they were introduced to the market. Â They range in size from small two man models to large family sized. Â They may contain multiple rooms, vestibules and some have a small door to access an ice chest to gain access to a much needed beverage. Â All in all they are the best of the best, strong, flexible and lightweight.
Many years ago I was camping with a boy scouts at the annual desert caravan, which was a large camp out with scouts from around southern CA. There were probably 800 campers there that weekend. The previous year high winds buffeted our campsite, and learning from the previous year I came prepared. During the day I erected my dome tent which was about six feet tall. Knowing the winds were coming, I ran a guy wire from each of the polls out 50 feet. Whenever possible, I would tie it down to a sage bush. So, I effectively had my tent anchored to the earth in a 50 foot radius all around. A few of my friends made fun of me for my setup.
And then the winds came….
Throughout the night, the winds howled. It was far, far worse than any previous year. It was difficult to sleep with the sound of the wind buffeting the tent. After a long and sleepless night, I emerged from my tent to discover the damage done by the winds that night. It wipe out the camp, the entire dessert caravan. Outhouses were lifted and thrown 100 feet, and broke car windshields. Worst of all, every tent was broken, torn and shattered by the wind. Tent poles were split, bowed and broken. Every tent was wiped out…. except mine.