The point of access to the Horsethief Canyon 4x4 trail is found in the western end of Eureka Valley, a few yards west of the end of the paved portion of the Big Pine-Death Valley road. There, at a distance of 32.1 miles east of Big Pine or 7.0 miles west of the road to the Eureka Valley sand dunes, a route starts northward. Elevation here is about 3,415 feet.
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This view gives you an idea
of this route's geography. Fish Lake Valley is situated north and
east of Eureka Valley and is accessed through an arm of the same
range of mountains that separate Eureka Valley from Deep Springs
Valley to the north and west.
To
smooth the ride, I'd recommend dropping your hot tire pressure
five or more pounds (depending on your type of tire). This will
smooth the ride over stones and washboards and give better
traction in the few areas of loose sand. Be sure you have the
means to return your tire pressure to manufacturer's
specifications when returning to the highway.
A sign indicates that this byway is a designated corridor through wilderness lands. Pull off onto this road, which is also the southern access to the Gilbert Summit-Eureka Valley 4x4 trail. Traveling north 1.2 miles will bring one into a wash, where the Horsethief Canyon 4x4 route starts. A duplicate sign indicating a corridor through the wilderness area will indicate the route. The elevation here is at 3,500 feet.
The
start of the Horsethief Canyon 4x4 trail, which junctions with
the Gilbert
Summit-Eureka Valley 4x4 trail
1.2 miles north of the Big Pine-Death Valley road. The 1991 Jeep
Cherokee belongs to my friend, Graham C., who has accompanied me
on many other trips featured on my website.
The first 0.2 of a mile traverses the wash bottom (all further mileage figures will be from the start of the trail at its junction with the Gilbert Summit-Eureka Valley 4x4 trail). The gravels are pretty hard packed and traction is not a problem. After any flashflooding or runoff the route will likely need to be reestablished by those who come through first after the ground dries. After the first couple of tenths of a mile, the route exits the wash course and becomes more discernible over harder ground. At 1.0 miles from the start of the Horsethief trail, a set of shallow but sharp washes are crossed. After periods of water runoff they might have short vertical walls, which will require some shovel work to allow lower vehicles through them.
The
lower route as viewed from the driver's vantage.
One
of several old placer gold prospects found along the way.
A mile and a half after starting the Horsethief Canyon 4x4 trail, the road starts to ascend the alluvial fan toward the mountains ahead. The route turns from soft and sandy to hard and more well defined. The route's surface is interspersed with stones, some small rocks, small creosote bushes and beavertail cactus growing from between the tracks.
Scattered along the route to the canyon's mouth are prospects, which appear to simply be a shallow hole scooped from the surface and the resulting mound of displaced dirt set immediately alongside. These are gold placer prospect holes dug decades ago. These prospects are found seemingly everywhere scattered around much of the Eureka Valley floor, and several are found ahead nearly to the boundary of the national park within the canyon.
At 3.3 miles into the trail, the route drops into the main wash channel that exits the mouth of Horsethief Canyon, at an elevation of about 4,130 feet. Another sign indicates that this route is a corridor through the wilderness area. The route begins to be hemmed in by low hills on either side of the wash, with multi-colored hues of different geologic makeup. A small prospect bores a hole into the side of the southern hillside. Soon ahead are found the “gates” of Horsethief Canyon. These are found 3.9 miles from the start of our trail.
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View
northeast from the alluvial section below Horsethief Canyon.
Along
the lower alluvial area below Horsethief Canyon. View is a bit
south of west toward the Inyo Range.
A
second sign indicating that the route is a corridor through the
Piper Mountain Wilderness area. My truck is just dropping into
the main wash channel exiting Horsethief Canyon.
A
prospect is found as one enters the mouth of Horsethief Canyon.
The
“gates” of Horsethief Canyon.
Beyond the “gates” of Horsethief Canyon, the canyon narrows considerably and begins to bore through the main mountain body. The “gates” themselves are made up of a different geologic matter – appearing to be either volcanic ash impregnated with stones, or solidified mud embedded with stones. In any case, it is of a different material than anything else around and contrasts sharply with the surrounding surfaces.
Just above the gates, at 4.0 miles, there is a level camp spot on the right (south) that is inviting to those wishing to pitch a tent or set up their camper. The view from the level area is blocked a bit, but a short scramble of a few yards will take one to higher ground where a panorama of Eureka Valley south and west will delight. The elevation at this level spot is right at 4,400 feet. If you are planning to take this route in summer, it will provide a respite from the heat of the valley floor, and will be about 6° to 8° cooler during the day.
Graham
C's Cherokee at the “gates” of Horsethief Canyon.
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My
truck at the “gates of Horsethief Canyon. View is westward
toward the Inyo Range.
View
up Horsethief Canyon from the level camp spot. Here the canyon
takes a northerly trend, which it will keep until exiting into
the southern end of Fish Lake Valley.
Immediately after passing the level camping spots above the “gates,” the canyon and route turns more northerly for the remainder of the canyon route. The canyon begins to squeeze down, although never becoming deep nor confining.
At 4.6 miles, a fence crosses the canyon. This is the boundary for Death Valley National Park, although there are no signs. From this point onward, you'll be crossing lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, although you'll still be within the Piper Mountain Wilderness Area until you get out to Eureka Valley Road. There is no means to lock the gate (which is simply strands of barbed wire hooked to a piece of wood, in which it is stood up and slipped under a barbed wire hoop at the top of one of the gate uprights), so I surmise that the Park Service have no intention of closing off this route temporarily; unless they close the trail to all vehicle use for good.
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A
cholla cactus grows from stone.
As the route progresses up the canyon, the creosote bush declines and pretty much ends at the DVNP boundary fence, although individuals are found a ways further up the canyon.
At 4.8 miles the canyon forks, the road taking the left fork. Though here the roadway is not very well defined, evidence of minimal use.
At 4.9 miles, the first Joshua trees begin to appear, although most are small, single branch individuals.
At 5.1 miles the canyon constricts to its minimum size. A couple of small boulders might require some care to negotiate if you are piloting a large, full size truck or Hummer H1 or H2. Otherwise, there are no obstacles along the entire route. Nearby is an interesting sight: a cholla cactus growing from solid rock.
Continuing up the canyon, it gradually widens and it becomes obvious that the head of the canyon is close. Joshua trees become more numerous and larger. At 6.5 miles from the start of the trail, the canyon opens into an open bowl. Piñon pines start showing up on nearby hillsides in the east. The northern terminus of the Last Chance Range shows up in the south.
At 6.8 miles the first glimpses of the White Mountains in the vicinity of White Mountain Peak show.
At 7.0 miles, you reach the summit at the head of Horsethief Canyon. The elevation here is approximately 5,325 feet, or nearly 2,000 feet higher than the beginning of this tour. The view northward includes the White Mountains and the Silver Peak Range, dramatically set against a foreground of Joshua trees.
At 7.1 miles the route turns a sharp 90° right (east) turn and junctions with North Eureka Road.
View
of the northern tip of the Last Chance Range from the head of
Horsethief Canyon.
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The
White Mountains from the summit of the road at the head of
Horsethief Canyon.
The
terminus of the Horsethief Canyon 4x4 route at North Eureka Road
in the southern tip of Fish Lake Valley. The snowy northern
slopes of the Last Chance Range are seen on the right.
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Looking
back down Horsethief Canyon from the route's terminus with North
Eureka Road.
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View
north down North Eureka Road from its junction with the
Horsethief Canyon 4x4 route.
At the junction of North Eureka Road, you can choose several routes of travel, depending on your destination.
Turning south on North Eureka Road will take you swiftly back into Eureka Valley. It is approximately 13 miles back to the Big Pine-Death Valley road and if the road has recently been maintained it will be a relatively swift trip. However, the road is often closed due to washouts. It is closed as of this writing, so see North Eureka Road Discussion (2/11/05)
If you wish to exit the Eureka Valley and Death Valley area and head out into Nevada (the Nevada border is only four miles away as the hawk flies) or back into Owens Valley, turn north along North Eureka Road. Traveling northward along North Eureka Road will be the way to go if you wish to make a loop trip back into Eureka Valley via the Gilbert Summit-Eureka Valley 4x4 trail.
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Scene
in Fish Lake Valley along North Eureka Road.
To finish out the Horsethief Canyon 4x4 trail, I will include North Eureka Road also, which will end in 8.4 miles at its junction with CA168 just south of Oasis Ranch. The road is maintained and generally in good shape; and is suitable for all types of vehicles.
This is a lonely country out here. Fish Lake Valley is prime cattle ranching and alfalfa raising country. Farther north, the valley is well watered with numerous year around streams pouring forth from the lofty White Mountains, it's summits as high as 14,242 feet at White Mountain Peak. In addition to livestock, the wild horse roams free.
Traveling northward along North Eureka Valley, any traces of the Mojave soon disappear. The Joshua forest found at the southern end of the valley peters out quickly and sagebrush dominates.
At 3.8 miles from the Horsethief Canyon road, a windmill with a large wooden tank and several watering troughs comes into view and the road makes a jag around it. The elevation here is 5,042 feet. A road marked as an open route takes off eastward across the valley and into Nevada. This road accesses the ghost town of Sylvania, Nevada in the Sylvania Mountains to the east. You can also access NV266 from this point, it coming out there a short distance across the state line.
On the hillside adjacent to the windmill and water tanks is a terraced millsite, which has a nice view and would make a nice camping spot if you are so inclined.
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Panorama
north and northeast across Fish Lake Valley.
Continuing north along North Eureka Road, you will quickly encounter a junction with Oasis Road 3.1 miles north of the windmill. Either continuing ahead on North Eureka Road or taking a right turn on Oasis road will put you back on CA168 within a mile.
Continue on North Eureka Road, which follows the powerlines, if you wish to go west on CA168 to Gilbert Summit or Owens Valley. If you wish to return to Eureka Valley via an equally lonely 4x4 trail, the start of the Gilbert Summit-Eureka Valley 4x4 trail is 2.8 miles to the southwest; the route takes off to the left (south) of the highway at the summit sign. Big Pine, California is 36 miles away. Bishop, which has all the amenities, is 14 miles north of Big Pine.
Take Oasis Road, which exits out on CA168 about two-thirds of a mile farther north, if you wish to go into Nevada. Dyer, Nevada is about 19 miles away and has groceries, supplies and gasoline at the Esmeralda County Store. Gas prices generally run substantially cheaper than they do at Owens Valley gas stations. The owners and staff at the store are friendly and the store nearly always has a few locals in sharing local news and conversation with each other.
Fish
Lake Valley is an empty land, with cattle and alfalfa. The snowy
Silver Peak Range forms the valley's eastern boundary.
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The
view south along Fish Lake Valley. The Last Chance Range, which
separates Eureka Valley from Death Valley, is seen in the
distance.
End
of the road – North Eureka Road and CA168. The view is
northward. Oasis Road junctions with CA168 in the middle
distance, about two-thirds of a mile down the road. Oasis Ranch
is seen in the background. Dyer, Nevada, is about 19 miles away
off the photo to the left. The Silver Peak Range is seen in the
background.
