A road to cooler temps in Death Valley National Park is reopening just in time for summer. Heat in Death Valley is already climbing into the low 100 degrees, but Emigrant Canyon Road provides visitors access to high-elevation areas.
The road sustained heavy damage following a severe flash flood in August 2023, according to a park release. The road was temporarily reopened shortly after the flood, but the damage left it vulnerable to further flooding and disrepair.
The National Park Service teamed up with the Federal Highway Administration to make long-term road repairs and improve resilience against any future flood events. The road is now open to summer visitors to the park.
Emigrant Canyon recreation
The Emigrant Canyon road provides access to Wildrose Campground. Located at 4,000 feet above the valley, this campground is on average 15 degrees cooler than Furnace Creek at the valley floor.
After the paved road ends, a two-mile dirt track leads to the historic Wildrose Charcoal Kilns. These beehive-shaped stone structures date back to the 1870s. Nearby, the Wildrose Peak Trail begins—an 8-mile round-trip hike offering sweeping views of the park.
Those with adventurous spirits and high-clearance vehicles can continue even further to Thorndike Campground and Mahogany Flat Campground, perched at 8,000 feet these camping areas are about 30 degrees cooler than Furnace Creek.
Mahogany Flat also serves as the trailhead for Telescope Peak, the park’s highest summit at 11,049 feet.
The park reminded visitors in their release to bring their own water, as none is available along this road or at the campgrounds.
