Re: First-timer with little time
Posted by genie on March 07, 2004 at 11:48:42:
In Reply to: First-timer with little time posted by aaron on March 06, 2004 at 12:54:30:
I post this kind of stuff alot because I don't have an SUV either, I love DV, and there is alot you can do in even one day, depending on where you are coming from and the time of day you arrive.
Let's pretend you arrive in DV at 7 am near Furnace Creek. View from Zabriskie, 20 Mule Team dirt loop. Turn South and see Devils Golf Course, drive Artists Palette, havent seen the new "improved" badwater but it sounds awful, not sure if that's worth the extra miles.
Stop back at furnace creek inn and splurge on a lovely lunch. By now it is maybe 1 pm. You can make up the cost by staying beatty that night. however if you are really short on time stay in stovepipe, and dont eat at all that night (the food is terrible, the location is good) and that'll save you too. However with the cost of holiday inns these days maybe you wont care. at any rate its a nice restful stop at the inn. I'd recommend panamint as by far the best place in DV to eat,but i assume it will be too far off your path.
So you ate. Stop and look at the pupfish. Drive past the cornfields. Stop on road side, take a walk if you want.
Go to dunes. Stop on roadside, walk out on dunes as far as time and heat allow.
Go up to Mosaic canyon, walk as far as daylight allows.
Then turn your car around and either go stay in stovepipe or drive up (half an hour more) to Beatty. Exchange club is nicer than stagecoach IMHO, cheaper than but just as nice as your average holiday inn. If yo stay in beatty in the morning for sure you can spend a little time in adjacent ghost town of rhyolite. If you have half a day more, go to Scotty's Castle and take the tour, but thed rive will take an hour and fifteen from beatty.
I am assuming you are leaving and heading out via vegas. if you are leaving and heading back to LA, exist via 178 Wildrose Canyon, see more scenery, and its the fastest way back to LA but dont expect a freeway.
Now instead of going on my own drive, i have to get back to work so i can spend about three days anyway in DV in another month.
Enjoy yourself.
G