Death Valley Wildrose Canyon Charcoal Kilns Dispersed Area

At 6,900 feet in the Panamint Mountains, this scattered camping area offers relief from Death Valley’s furnace floor. Sites spread among pinyon pine and juniper below the impressive stone charcoal kilns built in the 1870s. Each of the ten beehive-shaped kilns stands 30 feet tall — worth the visit alone. Camping is primitive with no facilities, but the elevation brings blessed cool nights even in summer, plus actual shade from real trees.

The road up Wildrose Canyon is paved to the kilns, making this accessible to any vehicle. Popular with stargazers and anyone escaping the valley heat. Winter brings occasional snow that can close the upper canyon. Spring wildflower displays can be spectacular after wet winters.

Mountain refuge from Death Valley's furnace