Ubehebe Crater — Volcanic Blast Crater at the Head of Racetrack Valley Road

Ubehebe Crater is a half-mile-wide, roughly 600-foot-deep hole in the northern end of Death Valley, blown out when rising magma hit groundwater and flashed to steam. Park at the rim lot, walk to the edge, and look down into banded orange, tan and black rock. A rim loop runs around the crater, and the smaller Little Hebe Crater sits just down the trail. Wind up here can be vicious, so hold onto your hat and your kids. There are pit toilets at the lot, but no water and no services. Fill up before you come.

The access road is paved and fine for any vehicle. It is also your last good staging spot before Racetrack Valley Road, where the pavement ends and the washboard and sharp rock begin on the way to Teakettle Junction and the playa. Top off your water, check your spare and your tire pressures, and start the dirt with a full tank. Entrance fees apply to Death Valley National Park, and cell service is none, so verify conditions with the NPS before you go. Have a dirty day.

Steam-blast crater at the Racetrack road start