Road Trips Let us know where you've been on your Harley, the best places to visit on a bike, etc.

My Death Valley trip

Old Mar 5, 2014 | 02:38 PM
  #1  
keith_stepp's Avatar
keith_stepp
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20,823
Likes: 1,506
From: Nowhere
Default My Death Valley trip

Ok so... I'm doing the Laughlin River Run rally this year and taking a couple of days to go to Death Valley. My plan is to take Bad Water Basin Rd up to Stove Pipe Village, and spend the night. The next morning I am going to hit the Mesquite Flat Dunes, but after that... I dunno.

Was thinking about Ubehebe Crater and Scotty's castle, but the photos of the crater seem underwhelming (just a big hole in the ground), and Scotty's castle, while impressive, is not really what I would want to see on a visit to Death Valley.

What's the best way to go back to Laughlin?

I was thinking about skipping the crater and the castle and just taking the 190 to the 127 and back to Laughlin, but I do not know what sites there are to see on the way or if the route is good riding.
 
Reply
Old Mar 5, 2014 | 03:07 PM
  #2  
Mike Horrell's Avatar
Mike Horrell
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,232
Likes: 4
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Default

At a minimum, hit Artists' Drive and Dante's Peak

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23167360
 
Reply
Old Mar 5, 2014 | 04:27 PM
  #3  
doc ock's Avatar
doc ock
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 826
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix
Default

Stop at the Crowbar in Shoshone for lunch.
 
Reply
Old Mar 5, 2014 | 04:54 PM
  #4  
keith_stepp's Avatar
keith_stepp
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20,823
Likes: 1,506
From: Nowhere
Default

Originally Posted by Mike Horrell
At a minimum, hit Artists' Drive and Dante's Peak

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23167360
Thanks!

I had already planned on the Artist's Drive loop, then doubling back to the playa for some sunset photos. Dante's peak is a great suggestion.
 
Reply
Old Mar 9, 2014 | 01:53 PM
  #5  
steelbreeze's Avatar
steelbreeze
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: brookfield ny
Default

Stop at the Crowbar in Shoshone for lunch---great advice doc. cool joint. ice cold beer was great!
 
Reply
Old Mar 10, 2014 | 01:14 AM
  #6  
fxdxruss's Avatar
fxdxruss
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 507
Likes: 3
From: 2 miles from the Sun!
Default

The ride over to Panamint springs is nice, also Scotty's castle won't disappoint from there you could head out 267 to 95 thru Beatty, Vegas, then back thru Searchlight to Laughlin. It's a long way thru the park speed limits are not all that fast. Take water, you can get gas in Shoshone, Furnace Creek, Stove Pipe Wells, if you do not already have a National Parks Pass you can get one in Furnace Creek. Just about any thing you see in Death Valley is awesome. (Panamint and back might be a bit much.
Russ

From Furnace Creek 190 out to 160 thru Pharump then over the hump ( stop at Mt Springs Bar) thru Vegas Drop down I15 south exit Nipton 164 east to Search Light.
Read something about a small motel in Beatty I think was Atomic motel, had a good breakfast.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/atomic-inn-beatty
 

Last edited by fxdxruss; Mar 10, 2014 at 01:29 AM.
Reply
Old Mar 10, 2014 | 05:36 AM
  #7  
DaveNBPT's Avatar
DaveNBPT
Road Master
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 1,030
Likes: 80
From: Newburyport, MA
Default

I was just out there and took a ride past Stovepipe wells to Lone Pine. The road takes you over a couple of passes(through) Panamint Springs(Rt 190 to 136). Great scenary! I just gassed up in Lone Pine, got a candy bar and headed back to DV. It was a great ride.
 
Reply
Old Mar 10, 2014 | 06:10 AM
  #8  
JACKO1's Avatar
JACKO1
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
Default

Scotty's Castle is a must see while in the Valley.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Mar 10, 2014 | 09:26 AM
  #9  
zeus33's Avatar
zeus33
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 35,506
Likes: 27
From: Calgary eh
Default

Go see the Race Track...


 

Last edited by zeus33; Mar 10, 2014 at 09:29 AM.
Reply
Old Mar 10, 2014 | 03:55 PM
  #10  
keith_stepp's Avatar
keith_stepp
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20,823
Likes: 1,506
From: Nowhere
Default

Originally Posted by zeus33
Go see the Race Track...
This was my #1 "must do", but I understand that it is 23 miles of dirt road to see it. :-(

Plus it is an out and back, which may make day 2 too long. Your experiences would be appreciated.
 
Reply

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:15 AM.

story-0
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-4
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-5
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-6
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-9
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE