Twenty Mule Team Canyon is a one-way unpaved scenic drive of about 2.7 miles through eroded yellow badlands in Death Valley National Park, just east of Zabriskie Point off CA-190. The colorful hills are part of the Furnace Creek Formation, with cream, yellow, and white mudstone layers exposed by erosion. The name recalls the twenty-animal teams that hauled borax ore out of the region's mines in the late 1800s.
Details
- Type
- Point of Interest
- Accessibility
- Limited accessibility
Overview
The drive loops through badlands carved into the Furnace Creek Formation, a layered deposit of mudstone and borate-rich sediment. The hills shift in color from darker browns on one side to pale cream and yellow on the other, and the low light of early morning and late afternoon sharpens the texture of the eroded slopes. Borax and gypsum mines operated in this part of Death Valley in the early 1900s, and the canyon takes its name from the twenty-mule teams used to haul ore from the area's borax operations.
Driving the canyon
The road runs one way for about 2.7 miles, following a wide wash before climbing over a few short, steep mudstone rises and rejoining the highway. It is usually passable for standard passenger vehicles when dry, but large RVs and trailers are not suited to the narrow, twisting grade. Check current road conditions at Furnace Creek before you go, since rain can wash out the surface.
Know before you go
There are no services, water, or shade along the drive. Summer heat in this part of Death Valley is extreme, so carry water and limit time outside the vehicle in hot months. The two ends of the loop both connect to CA-190 near Zabriskie Point, so it pairs easily with a stop there.