Mosaic Canyon Road Closed this Season - Death Valley National Park

[ski3pin]

We can still hike Mosaic Canyon but it will be a bit longer walk.

News Release Date: October 9, 2018
Contact: Brandi Stewart, 760-786-3226
Contact: Abby Wines, 760-786-3221
DEATH VALLEY, CA – Death Valley National Park’s Mosaic Canyon Road is closed through June 30, 2019. The temporary closure is necessary due to safety concerns during a construction project on to increase the capacity of the Stovepipe Wells water system. The project includes excavating trenches and a large pit, and placing water pipes and a large tank.

Death Valley National Park Superintendent Mike Reynolds states, “The temporary closure of this road is necessary to ensure we have adequate water for fire suppression at Stovepipe Wells. We have responded to structural fires here in the past and sufficient water has always been a concern.”

While the access road is closed for the first three-quarters of a mile, Mosaic Canyon will remain open to hikers. Visitors wishing to explore Mosaic Canyon can park at the Stovepipe Well Ranger Station, walk around the construction zone, and continue up the road. The walk from the ranger station to the mouth of the canyon is approximately 2.5 miles one-way and the first portion is over rough, native desert landscape.

Mosaic Canyon is a narrow canyon with smooth marble walls that have been scoured and polished by flash floods. Alternative hikes include lower Titus Canyon, Fall Canyon, Golden Canyon, and Natural Bridge.

 

[BillTheHiker]

Thanks Ski. I am heading to DV next month.

Last year I hiked up Mosaic to the steep wall then went back down trail to where a bypass trail that climbs above the wall and past it. I took it and it has some steep, narrow and somewhat dicey sections. Then it crosses a long and very steep talus slope. With binoculars I could see a few rock slides over the trail so I returned the way I came. Have you ever hiked that route?

 

[ski3pin]

Bill, yes we have. It is steep and exposed. The bypass finally drops you into the 4th narrows and that ends at a huge grotto falls. You can back track a short ways and find a route that climbs straight up to the ridge top, again on the east side of the canyon. It looked loose and not any fun. We did not continue. A day is only so long in November.

Although it will be a walk to get into Mosaic now, it sure will not be its usual busy place.

 

[Edgewood]

I can feel those smooth, colorful walls beneath my fingertips.

 

[CraggyMan]

Mosaic after a winter rain event.

 

[rubberlegs]

We are leaving soon for a DV trip also. Among other places, we plan to visit Butte Valley, Keane Wonder Mine, Trona Pinnacles (now we are outside the park, methinks), Isham and Fish Canyons (probably hiking much of those), Red Rock Canyon, Cerro Gordo, maybe Beveridge (backpack). Looking forward to playing with our new camper!

 

[ski3pin]

Mosaic after a winter rain event.

Very nice Craggy!