Telescope Peak in Death Valley National Park - 13 Mile Day Hike
Inyo County, California
Details
Distance
13 miles
Elevation Gain
3300 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Description
Added by Allison Boyle
Telescope Peak is the tallest mountain in Death Valley National Park. It has beautiful views of Badwater Basin and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We have created a detailed trip report for a successful summit up Telescope Peak, easily accomplished in a day. You won't regret doing this hike! It's beautiful! | Full Detailed trip report at shedreamsofalpine.com
High Level Details:
~13 Miles Round Trip (The National Park Website says it is 14 miles, but my GPS said it was less)
~3,300 feet total elevation gain for trip
Trailhead elevation: 8,133 feet if starting at Mahogany Flat Campground
Highest Point on the trail: Telescope Peak, 11,049 feet
Estimated Time to complete: 7-9 hours
No water source along the way, so bring plenty of water for 7-9 hours
Dog friendly? Unfortunately, no dogs allowed on trails in the National Park
Camping Information:
Primarily, there are two camping locations that are relatively close to the trailhead. You could camp at Wildrose Campground or Mahogany Flat Campground. Both of these sites are first-come-first-served campsites. Wildrose is open all year, and on the National Park Website it says that Mahogany flat campground is only open March-November. However, the campground was still open when we went this December, so we stayed there. They haven't really gotten any snow yet this season so I am guessing that is why the campground is still open. There is no camping allowed at Charcoal Kilns.
Trail Details:
The Trailhead starts at Mahogany Flat Campground, you will need good 4WD vehicle to drive up to Mahogany Flat Campground, otherwise, park at Charcoal Kilns (this adds an extra 3 miles to your total trip). I'd say if you are in really good shape, you could probably hike this in 4-5 hours no problem. If you are in "medium shape" maybe plan for about 7 hours. If you are not in very good shape, plan for 9 hours. The hike is very straight forward, there is a clear path the whole way. You will go uphill about 1300' for the first 2 miles and then it will flatten out (more or less) for a bit. At around 5 miles you will reach some switchbacks... this is the "final push". Then when you come over the saddle you will see the summit of Telescope Peak. The views from the trail are breathtaking the entire way, and the views from the summit are even better. You can see Badwater Basin and the Sierra Nevada all at the same time. I'm told, on a very clear day you can even see the summit of Mount Whitney from the top of Telescope Peak. Be prepared for cold weather if you are going in the winter, and call ahead to check if there is snow.
For a full detailed trip report, check: www.shedreamsofalpine.com
Happy Hiking!
Download the Outbound mobile app
Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.
Get the appFeatures
Telescope Peak in Death Valley National Park - 13 Mile Day Hike Reviews
Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
Nearby
Summit Telescope Peak
Hike the Hummingbird Spring Trail
Camp at Death Valley's Wildrose Campground
Drive Aguereberry Point Road
Explore the Eureka Mine and the Cashier Mill
Explore Aguereberry Camp
Community
© 2024 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy