Titus Canyon Road

Titus Canyon Road. . , This adventurous backcountry road, proclaimed in 1926 by one enthusiast "one of the grandest and most rugged drives on the American continent," is a legacy from the spectacular boom and bust of Leadfield, a mining town located along the way. The canyon's name honors Edgar Morris Titus, a mining engineer who disappeared in the summer of 1905, a year in which 13 others died here from heat and dehydration. It was Death Valley's deadliest year. , captions: , Bighorn sheep can sometimes be seen in the canyon. , Leadfield , 15.7 miles from here. Now a ghost town, it boasted a population of 300 during its heyday in 1926. , Klare Spring , 18.1 miles from here. Images etched in rock remind us of an earlier people who found this reliable source of water critical to life. , Safety Information , A 27-mile one-way-road starts two miles ahead at the park boundary, ending at the western end of the canyon. The last 3 miles are two-way. Using high clearance two-wheel-drive vehicles is recommended. , Allow three hours driving time. Do not rely on cell phone service in Death Valley. Coverage is extremely limited. , Stay with your vehicle in the event of breakdown. Carry plenty of water. Stay on established roadways. , Start your trip with a full tank of gasoline. Gasoline is available at Beatty, Stovepipe Wells Village and Furnace Creek. There is no gasoline at Scotty's Castle. , A full-size spare tire is recommended. Check tire-changing equipment before you start out. , Flash floods can occur when heavy rain falls over higher elevations. It is best to stay out of the canyon when thunderstorms threaten. , No collecting, removing, or disturbing natural features or historic artifacts.