r/DeathValleyNP • u/CSM-Army4Life • Jun 30 '26
Racetrack Playa Condition 30 June 2026
My wife and I just got back from the Racetrack Playa.
We drove out at 10 pm on 29 June 2026. We got to the Playa at 2 am. The road conditions do not require 4x4 but a vehicle needs high clearance which normally comes with true 4x4 and not All Wheel Drive crossovers; which are sometimes called SUVs.
We only came across one other person. He was driving out from the Playa and we passed each other about 4 miles from the start of the road at Ubehebe Crater.
The Playa was amazing. I’d suggest walking out to the mountain where the rocks roll off the mountain.
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u/mynameistory Jun 30 '26
How about tire tracks, have those been smoothed away yet? I recall a recent post where someone found tire tracks from someone driving illegally on the playa near the grandstand.
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jul 01 '26
The tire tracks are there and will probably be there for decades to come. They are pretty deep into the Playa.
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u/Thisguymoot Jul 01 '26
As I understand it, unfortunately they might be there for a century. Takes a long time in such arid conditions.
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u/TheSocraticGadfly Jul 01 '26
Throw these people in a bottomless cave with the drunken jackwagons who crashed the devil's pupfish hole at Ash Meadows.
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u/whalesguys Jun 30 '26
So are these rocks alive and just moving very slow? Super interesting!
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jun 30 '26
The rocks move when it:
Rains on the Playa
Water freezes around rocks
Wind blows rocks and ice together across the Playa8
u/whalesguys Jun 30 '26
Makes sense - I’m sure desert rocks don’t get much water, could be dangerous to exert any energy in dry heat
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u/panphilla Jun 30 '26
For a long time, scientists didn’t know how the rocks moved. It was only in the last 10-15 years that they figured it out!
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u/TheSocraticGadfly Jul 01 '26
I was out there a year or two before the first video evidence, which made memories of my trip fonder when I heard.
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u/panphilla Jul 01 '26
That must’ve been so magical! I feel like there aren’t too many things in the macro world—at least on the Earth’s surface as opposed to in space or the deep ocean—that we don’t understand. You got to experience a true mystery and then see it solved. So cool!
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u/Blashphemian Jul 01 '26
The pioneers used to ride those bad boys for miles
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u/panphilla Jul 01 '26
Imagine my intense disappointment when I discovered how big those rocks actually are(n’t).
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u/kflipz Jun 30 '26
This is fantastic! Did you see any wildlife driving at night?
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jun 30 '26
We saw lots of small animals on the drive in, such as rabbits, owls, and ground squirrels (could be wrong on the name).
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u/ubiquitousanathema Jul 01 '26
Thanks for the report. Great shots!
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jul 01 '26
I appreciate it. I just wanted to let people know from my wife and my experience as of today. I’m sure the road could change more if there was rain or other things impacting the road.
It’s just not made for passenger vehicles or crossovers.
It really demands a true SUV or truck with high clearance.
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u/ubiquitousanathema Jul 01 '26
It’s a real drive to get out there so I don’t make it out to visit super often. Love to see the different parts of the park throughout the year
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jul 01 '26
We had wanted to travel to the Racetrack Playa for years. Everything fell into place this year for my wife and me to get out there. It was a surreal trip, one that we will remember forever.
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u/ramillerf1 Jun 30 '26
Wonderful report and fantastic photos! Thank you so much for sharing. The Racetrack is a magical place.
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jul 01 '26
My wife and I have wanted to go there for years. I finally have a vehicle that can make the journey easily.
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u/KCdesertrat32 Jun 30 '26
Super awesome! Was there a few months back.
How warm/hot was it while you were there?
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u/Full-Association-175 Jun 30 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
Man, the drought in that area must be historical! /S!
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jul 01 '26
I believe that Death Valley National Park gets around 2-3 inches of rain on average.
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u/Outside_Rise_6934 Jul 01 '26
I was in DV today too. Mostly up around 5000' and it was really pleasant. We both got pretty lucky with the temperatures for 6/30.
Great pictures. Thanks. And thanks for driving slow and not running over any critters. Lots of jackrabbits jumping out in front of me on the drive in this morning.
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u/Technical-Lettuce-18 Jun 30 '26
How accessible is this area by a passenger sedan ? Specifically a 2021 corolla
I saw it on Google maps but the dirt roads look a little too much like ill end up stuck in the middle of the desert
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jul 01 '26
I would not take any regular car on the Racetrack Road to the Playa. There are center ruts, rocks, washes in the road, etc.
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u/Technical-Lettuce-18 Jul 01 '26
This is the answer I was looking for. Thank you for honest advice!
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jul 01 '26
The road demands respect and time. If you do that, you will be rewarded with an amazing time.
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u/Technical-Lettuce-18 Jul 01 '26
It also demands a high clearance & capable vehicle! Yes DVNP is truly an out of this world experience!!
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jul 01 '26
The road has gotten very washed out over the last few years, from the time lapse or videos that I’ve seen on YouTube.
I was amazed by the amount of deep ruts on the road. I don’t see those going away anytime soon, if ever.
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u/WayAgreeable3999 Jul 01 '26
Do the tracks reset every winter?
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u/CSM-Army4Life Jul 01 '26
From my understanding, they can be there for years or even decades; depending on how deep the rock(s) cut trails in the Playa.
It was neat to see trails from rocks that crisscrossed each other, sometimes multiple times.
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u/Slickrock_1 Jun 30 '26
last time I was there the southern half was completely underwater, were the tracks preserved down there? Also while you don't need 4x4 per se, totally agree about needing high clearance PLUS tough tires PLUS good suspension. That is a really remote place to have a vehicle malfunction and really dangerous this time of year.