November 11, 2025.
12.6 mi. | 3220′ ele. gain | 6 hr.
In April, 2019, I made a last minute weather detour to Death Valley with my friend, LeeAnn. Scrambling to figure out what to do there, I impulse purchased a Bible-sized book called “Hiking Death Valley” by Michael Digonnet. I found a description of this hike inside, and we proceeded to explore this fun and challenging canyon. I never wrote up the story, so I decided to repeat the hike and add it to the blog.
The adventure began at the last campsite on Hole-in-the-Wall Road. Back in the day, this was just a nice spot to park near a cool rock feature. But now, you need to reserve specific backcountry road campsites on rec.gov. Armed with this information, I booked a couple nights at this epic spot.
It was a solo hike day, so I walked cross country from the van to the entrance of the canyon. Along the way I noted all the interesting cacti and other plants growing in this inhospitable landscape. Since my last visit was in the spring, there were many more flowers. Today I’d be lucky to find one. Or, so I thought.
In the gravel wash before the canyon’s official starting point, I noticed a plant with large, sticky leaves, a tall stem and tiny, pastel pink flowers. I was sure I’d never seen it before, so I took a bunch of photos. That was just the first of eight plants in bloom I’d see that day!
What I liked most about the hiking book was that the routes include short, easy, marked trails, remote backcountry overnight missions, canyons that require technical gear and much more. Slit Canyon involved a few sections that the author described as “low class 5,” which is technical rock climbing. I’d done a few of these sections with LeeAnn on our last trip, but it’s a whole lot easier to make a handful of exposed climbing moves when you’ve got a buddy!
I took my time negotiating the short, vertical steps at a couple of the canyon narrows. I knew it would be even harder on the way down because I HATE downclimbing. But I had all day, so I was going to go for it.
As the day wore on, the sun got hotter. Much to my dismay, the canyon also got wider and thus, provided fewer opportunities for shade. I took breaks whenever I found a good spot to escape the heat. Those resting places also often harbored plants who were seeking moisture and shade. A win-win.
There was lots of bighorn sheep sign, but no live animals. I did get to see a tarantula, but he didn’t look too good. Still, it was my first and only tarantula sighting of the year.
Before heading out today, I read my old notes from the other time I hiked here. We were short on time, so we never made it to the “third narrows” as described in the Digonnet book. That was the goal I set for today. The sun made me debate this choice many times over, but ultimately I decided to keep going. The last few dry falls made me stop and think a little, but I worked out a reasonable path and made it above the narrows. From there, the canyon really opened up wide, so it made a good turnaround point.
The whole way back I just dreaded the downclimbing ahead. One of the very first climbs involved a slick, angled slot that had scant handholds and a decent drop. I knew it would be my biggest headache. When I reached that spot, I took off my pack and threw it to the bottom with my hiking poles. Then I sat on the top and talked myself through all the moves, picturing them before I committed. It took a few extra minutes and some deep breathing, but I made it down just fine. I knew I’d done it before, but I operate with an abundance of caution when I scramble alone.
The long, exposed walk back to the van was the last obstacle. I dreamt of raiding the fridge for bubbly water. I had a very successful day of exploring the canyon. Back in the van I looked through my photos and worked out some of the plants I’d found. My first mystery flower was a valley ringstem, which I’d see later in the trip as well. My best find was jointed buckwheat (Eriogonum intrafractum), a rare plant with unique enough features that it could be identified even without flowers. Since my latest obsession is with this genus, I’ve starred it as a plant to learn more about and I hope to see it in its prime someday.
If you’re planning to go off-the-beaten path in Death Valley here are my top tips:
- Make a plan and let someone else know where you’re going. Be confident in your map-reading and navigation skills and always carry a map that doesn’t require cell service or batteries.
- Be prepared for the sun and heat. That might mean starting your hike before sunrise, carrying extra water and electrolytes, wearing sun protective clothing or using an umbrella.
- Any time is a good time to turn around. Don’t push your luck if you’re not feeling it, running low on water or uncomfortable with proceeding with your planned route.
- Enjoy the unique and special landscape you’re in! Notice the flowers and plants. Listen for birds. Investigate nooks and crevices and ledges. Sit still and savor the quiet. Observe the changing cloud patterns. Notice interesting landmarks that you want to explore on your next outing.
- And always, have fun!
