Coronavirus April 2021 Update: Please note that some information in the posts may have changed and some places may be closed.
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

California Through My Lens

California Travel, Food, Hiking & Road Trips

  • Start Here
  • Explore
    • Beaches
    • Bizarre
    • Caves
    • Food
    • Hikes
    • Historical Structures
    • Natural Wonders
    • Waterfalls
  • Drive
    • El Camino Real
    • Highway 395
    • LA to Las Vegas
    • Pacific Coast Highway
    • Route 66
  • National Parks
    • Channel Islands
    • Death Valley
    • Joshua Tree
    • Lassen Volcanic
    • Pinnacles
    • Redwoods
    • Sequoia & Kings Canyon
    • Yosemite
  • Cities
    • Los Angeles
    • Palm Springs
    • Sacramento
    • San Diego
    • San Francisco
  • Resources
    • Day Trip Ideas
    • Road Trip eBooks
    • Hotels
    • My Favorite Travel Products
    • Travel Videos
  • Browse By …
    • Map Of Locations
    • Cities
    • Counties
    • National Parks
    • State Parks

The Racetrack: The Sliding Rocks of Death Valley

Last Modified: November 21, 2019

19shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

One of the most unusual places to visit in all of Death Valley is located 27 miles down a dirt road, only accessible via an all-day adventure in a four wheel drive car. This place is known as The Racetrack, but most people will know it by its photos of rocks that seemingly move all by themselves across this dry, desolate lake bed. It was a must visit for us on our recent trip and is worth seeing for anyone that finds themselves in Death Valley. It is truly unique and is a relatively undisturbed natural attraction due to the difficulty and planning it takes to get yourself out there. Read on for history and photos of this unique place.

History and Possible Explanation

“The sailing stones are a geological phenomenon found in the Racetrack. The stones slowly move across the surface of the playa, leaving a track as they go, without human or animal intervention. They have never been seen or filmed in motion. Racetrack stones only move once every two or three years, and most tracks last for three or four years. Stones with rough bottoms leave straight striated tracks while those with smooth bottoms wander. Stones sometimes turn over, exposing another edge to the ground and leaving a different-sized track in the stone’s wake.”

Racetrack from Google Maps

Getting There

Getting to the Racetrack is an all-day adventure during the winter months when it gets dark early. The Racetrack road is located about 50 miles north of Furnace Creek, and then from there, it is about 27 miles down a dirt road where your speed will rarely ever reach more than 25 MPH. The road is not overly bad; however it is washboard almost the entire time and jumbles you around as you drive on it. Most people say to plan on an hour and a half drive on this dirt road, but we did it in a little over an hour. Make sure you have a car that is four-wheel drive or at least elevated. If you don’t, you can always rent one from Farabee’s Jeep Rentals, which is what we did.

After about 20 miles, you will reach Teakettle Junction, which means you are about 6 miles from the Racetrack, and this is also the place you turn off to get to Lost Burrow Mine. About a mile later, you should start to see the playa in the distance as it stands out from the other terrain like a sore thumb. You also will immediately notice the Grandstand, which is the black rocks jutting out of the dry lake bed.

The Grandstand

The other unique attraction here is the Grandstand. This small outcropping of rocks blatantly sticks out in the landscape of the dry lake bed. It is in the north part and is about a quarter of a mile walk from where you park. This area is unique as well and is about 65 feet high. You can see the Grandstand from very far away as it is so different than all of the surrounding landscape. Climbing up on it is a great way to get 360-degree pictures of the Playa and the Racetrack.

Here is a video of the Grandstand

The Racetrack Playa

After that, we went immediately to the Racetrack as we didn’t want any other people in our shots, and we were utterly alone. In retrospect, we only saw like three other cars all day, so I don’t think you have to worry about other people as it is so off the beaten path. To see the rocks with the tracks you need to head to the southeast end of the playa. There is a little place to park with a sign about the rocks, and this is where you will start your walk.

It is about a half-mile from where you park to where the rocks are, and as you start to get closer, you will see them. Plan to spend at least an hour here as there are many different rocks to all shapes and sizes, as well as many different shaped paths. You will want to keep looking around. Also, if the ground is at all wet, which is rarely is in Death Vally, you want to make sure you do not walk on the Playa as it can leave you footprints for years to come. Check out my pictures below.

Here is a video showing the Racetrack

All in all, this was one of my favorite parts of our weekend in Death Valley. For the photographer, it is especially fun as it is so unique and provides beautiful photos. Even Amie enjoyed walking around and taking it in, though, so I would recommend you find a way to visit it if you are planning a trip to Death Valley.

Let me know what you think and get directions below.

Filed Under: Central California, National Parks, Natural Wonders Tagged With: Death Valley, Inyo County, spotlight

Interested in supporting this blog?

This blog is simply a hobby and labor of love for me. If you have enjoyed the posts consider sharing it with your friends. I want as many people as possible to explore this state and you can help by letting them know about all of the great spots!

Join the Newsletter

Subscribe for the four day welcome series and to get the latest content every month.

    We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    About JoshMc

    Thanks for checking out the blog, I am happy to be sharing my adventures with you! You can get to know me by reading my about me, which includes a video and additional information on the site, myself and my full disclosure. Also, follow along on Twitter here or read all of my posts on this blog here.

    Primary Sidebar

    About

    Josh from California Through My Lens My name is Josh, and for the last 10 years, I have been exploring as much of California as I possibly can. This site is a collection of those adventures to encourage you to get out and explore California for yourself. More about me.

    Popular Posts

    The Big List of Strange, Fun & Unique Attractions in Southern California
    Pacific Coast Highway: Where to Stop on Your Road Trip
    Top Hiking Trails in Southern California
    Fun Stops on the Drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas
    24 Things to do in Downtown LA
    17 Things to do in Lake Tahoe
    Donner Pass, Summit Tunnel Hike: Old Abandoned Railroad

    Categories

    Other Resources


    Footer

    Search the site

    Additional Information

    Privacy Policy

    About Us

    Copyright California Through My Lens, LLC © 2021