Lippincott Road — Racetrack Playa to Saline Valley Floor
Death Valley's loose shale descent to nowhere.
Lippincott Road is the kind of trail that sorts out who did their homework and who didn’t. Starting near the Racetrack Playa — home of the famous sliding rocks — this route plunges roughly 4 miles down a brutally loose, rocky grade losing over 2,000 feet before flattening onto the Saline Valley floor. The upper switchbacks are tight, eroded, and scattered with sharp dolomite chunks that’ll shred sidewalls. You’re threading between exposed cliffs and soft shoulders with no guardrails and no bailout. The Racetrack itself is worth arriving for — a flat, cracked lakebed where 700-pound rocks mysteriously migrate — but Lippincott is the price of admission from the valley side.
This is a one-way descent in practice — the grade is too loose for most vehicles going up. You need a short-wheelbase rig with high clearance, skid plates, and quality all-terrain tires minimum; lockers help on the loose shale. Run it dry — October through April is the window; summer heat in Death Valley is genuinely lethal. No water, no cell service, no services. Nearest fuel is Lone Pine, over 60 miles away. The payoff: remote desert solitude, the alien Racetrack, and a story worth telling around any fire.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Expert |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Rock |
| Features | Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 4 mi / 6.4 km |
| Duration | Half day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 5000 ft |
| Best season | October-April |
| Minimum vehicle | Short-wheelbase high-clearance 4WD with skid plates |
| Nearest town | Lone Pine, CA |
| Land manager | National Park Service — Death Valley National Park |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | nps.gov |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a long-wheelbase rig like a full-size truck or Crew Cab handle Lippincott Road?
Not recommended. The tight switchbacks and loose shale on the descent are genuinely punishing for long-wheelbase vehicles — breakover and approach angles matter here. Short-wheelbase, high-clearance 4WD with skid plates is the minimum, and even then you're earning it.
When is Lippincott Road passable, and what happens if it rains?
October through April is the window — summer heat in Death Valley is lethal, and a breakdown here is a serious situation. Any rainfall can turn the shale into a greased skillet and trigger flash flooding; NPS can close it without much notice after storms.
Do you need a permit or pay a fee to drive Lippincott Road?
Death Valley National Park charges a $35 vehicle entrance fee (valid 7 days) — no additional permit is required for Lippincott itself. Keep your receipt; rangers do patrol this area.
What's the actual crux of the descent and what makes it so difficult?
The upper switchbacks on the way down to Saline Valley are where rigs get into trouble — loose, chunky shale over steep grades with minimal recovery room on the edges. Rocks shift under your tires unpredictably, and one bad line can put a wheel off the edge fast. Airing down and slow, deliberate throttle control are non-negotiable.
How far is the nearest gas, and is there any water available on or near this trail?
Stovepipe Wells is roughly 50 miles from the Racetrack area — fill up there before you head out. There is no water on Lippincott Road itself; Saline Valley has warm springs at the bottom, but treat any water before drinking it and don't count on them as your plan A.
Trail track
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