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brownsmtnlab · 08-12-2006, 02:40 PM

If you enjoy the off the beaten path and strange , try reading "Helter Skelter" along the way and visit the Barker Ranch site near the ghost town of Ballarat. Ballarat is a town on the west side of the Panamint mountain range. Lots of boondockers campsites near there, and if you leave your Airstream at the base of the mountain most pickups can make the journey up the canyon where the Manson family lived and schemed....The Barker ranch is being taken care of by volunteers (Sierra Club maybe) and is a fun place to visit or stay (First come first served). Be sure to check with any Ranger station for directions and road conditions. One storm can wash out passable roads very quickly.
If you enjoy a lengthy hike, try the Surprise Canyon hike to the ghost town of Panamint City. It too is near Ballarat and is one of the best hikes I've ever taken. It's amazing to find areas of water gushing from the ground in the middle of the desert. The mining town of Panamint city is at the top of the 11 mile hike (one way). Lots of buildings and cabins still exist up there.. You might want to make that an overnighter though, it's a lot of work getting there. Again some cabins are being taken care of by volunteers and can be used on a first come basis.

wkerfoot · 08-12-2006, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goin camping

Within six minutes Bill answers the question!!

DV seems a bit too cool. Anybody have any warm weather ideas in the Southwest?

Try Borrego Springs State Park, they have some full hookup sites. Also closer to civilization. The farther south you go the warmer it will be.

Rich Luhr of Airstream Life was in Borrego last December/January. Check out his blog at airstreamlife.com

Bill

nilesrob · 08-13-2006, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goin camping

Within six minutes Bill answers the question!!

DV seems a bit too cool. Anybody have any warm weather ideas in the Southwest?

Take a look at Big Bend in SW Texas - right on the Mexico border. Gorgeous.

nilesrob · 11-11-2006, 08:01 PM

Heading out to Death Valley tomorrow morning! Wife and kids will fly to Las Vegas next weekend (to avoid missing school), and will pick them up there. I know there's a photo out there with "Vickie" on the Strip.

Traditional Thanksgiving in Death Valley. I know, I know, it's so old fashioned. Ho hum.

Thanks for all the help with advice and recommendations. See you in a couple of weeks!

FreshAir · 11-11-2006, 09:50 PM

I visited Death Valley several times in the 1960s. I loved the place. There was no question that it was the place to take my bride for our honeymoon in February 1969. We rented a small Scotsman trailer (I always slept out under the stars before) and we enjoyed the first couple of days there. Then it began to rain...and rain...and rain...even for us honeymooners it was a bit much. Besides our trailer was sinking into the soggy sand so we packed up and went to Disneyland. We never returned. After seeing this thread I think we will plan a return visit. Do Airstreams float? Really though Death Valley is a fantastic place to see and experience. Enjoy.

Neil

nilesrob · 11-27-2006, 06:31 PM

Thanks to all who helped us plan our trip to Death Valley - the ideas and suggestions were enormously helpful. While we weighed several different campgrounds, we ended up choosing Furnace Creek Campground. While I am in the process of recovering from being out of the office for two weeks, I'll post a couple of pictures for now.

If you ever have the chance, Death Valley should be on your short list. Absolutely stunning, varied, simply amazing. From 200 feet below sea level to 11,000 foot peaks.

The Furnace Brook Campground was very nice and for someone with limited time, centrally located for a short 2-3 day stay in the park. There was no electricity, no water, no hookup. Water is available if you have a container to carry it to your A/S. Generators allowed from 7am - 7 pm. Some sites have shade, and while heat was not an issue the shaded sites are really nice - private. And yes, there is diesel sold at Furnace Creek.

I've trimmed my photos down to 350 pictures from our trip, so if I say it is hard to decide what to show it really is.

Again, our thanks to those who have gone before us!

SteSpot · 11-27-2006, 09:46 PM

Thanks for sharing your Death Valley adventures. It is one of our favorite places.
We saw these critters on a Ranger hike in the fabulous spring of 2005 when Death Valley was alive with wild flowers. The beetle was not small --about as big as my index finger. The mites or small bugs on the Five Spot flower were only evident on the photo--too small for my eyes. pj

balrgn · 11-28-2006, 04:22 AM

Awesome Pics, thanks for sharing!

sos10 · 11-28-2006, 09:39 AM

Hi Nilesrob, It was nice talking to you at Furnace and I ordered 3 pink flamingos. Unfortunately I made a mistake; eating at the restaurant next to the campground.. I had a bad food poisoning and had to cut short my trip.
But, until then, DV was fantastic!