Titus Canyon Road
(Photos are at the bottom of this page.)
Description:
This is one of the most breathtaking drives that you can take in Death Valley National Park. It travels past the Leadfield ghost town and through the stunning Titus Canyon Narrows that are no wider than a single lane road yet the canyon walls tower several hundred feet above.
Main Points of Interest:
I recommend that you visit the Rhyolite ghost town further up Highway 374 near Beatty before returning to Death Valley through the Titus Canyon Road. The road through Titus Canyon travels through a wide variety of amazing geologic formations. Be sure to explore the abandoned buildings of Leadfield. Take time to enjoy the scenery. I hope that you can capture the Narrows on film better than I did.
Difficulty:
My two trips down the Titus Canyon Road were very easy. The road condition on both trips was very good and easily negotiable by a passenger car. I imagine that if it has rained recently the road may require high clearance 4x4s as advertised on the sign at the entrance of the road. You should probably inquire at the ranger station about road conditions if you have a passenger car. (I have seen minivans on this trail.) If rain is in the forecast I would skip this trip because getting caught in the Narrows during a flash flood would be really scary!!
How to get there:
The Titus Canyon Road is a one-way road so you must start at the turn off from Highway 374 in Nevada. Look for the turn off on the north side of the highway. The road is about 25 miles long. Rhyolite is further up Highway 374 near the town of Beatty in Nevada.
The post office at the Leadfield ghost town with another structure in the background.
The remains of two-seater outhouse in Leadfield.
My Jeep is seen entering the Narrows section of the canyon. This picture gives you some idea of the great scenery that you will drive through on this trip.
Here you can see just how narrow some sections of the "Narrows" really can get!! If you take just one side trip when visiting Death Valley it really should be through Titus Canyon.
