Walking Wild & Free

Shorty’s Well Route (Hanaupah Canyon to Telescope Peak) 1

Shorty’s Well Route (Hanaupah Canyon to Telescope Peak)

Shorty’s Well Route (Hanaupah Canyon to Telescope Peak) 1

Shorty’s Well Route (Hanaupah Canyon to Telescope Peak)

Traverse Badwater Flats all of the way to the highest point in Death Valley National Park – an elevation gain of over 11,000ft.

Total Distance: 30.6 miles out & back	Elevation Gain: 11,900ft. (-253ft. to 11,036ft.)
Difficulty: Very, Very Extremely Strenuous	10+ Mile Difficulty: Very, Very Extremely Strenuous
View Rating: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0	Author’s Rating: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars4.0
Visitor Rating: (Click to rate) [Total: 0 Average: 0]	Visitor Difficulty Rating: (Click to rate) [Total: 0 Average: 0]
Pets: No	Horses: Yes
Best Seasons: March-June, September-December	Special Permits: None
Water Availability: Hanaupah Springs flow year-round (non-potable)	Overnight Options: Dispersed camping permitted at least one mile up Hanaupa Canyon
Trailhead Amenities: None	Crowd Factor: Solitude
Trailhead Access: 2.3
Uses:	Trail Surface:
Features:	Hazards:

Mile-by-Mile: Shorty’s Well Route (Hanaupah Canyon to Telescope Peak)

0.0 Shorty’s Well Parking Area (-253ft.). Park here. Walk back up the access road, cross the West Side Road, and then begin ascending the Hanaupah Road. Follow the road up the moraine, drop into the wash, and then continue up the road to its end. A use trail in the canyon (if you can find it; often on the southern side) is likely easier walking than trying to use the roadbed. (36.226611°, -116.880493°)

8.3 End of Hanaupah Canyon Road (3,212ft.). Exactly where the road ends is approximate; obey the signs if you’re on wheels. Continue hiking up the canyon – you’ll begin to see greenery fairly soon, indicating that Hanaupah Spring is upstream. (approx. 36.188558°, -117.005375°)

9.3 Begin up to the ridgeline (3,722ft.). Around this point, you’ll pass the second of the two Hanaupah Springs along with a campsite. Be sure to take advantage of the water here, as you’re unlikely to find any more along the route, especially during the dryer summer and fall months. (As a side-trek, you can also climb up to Alexander Zecheriah “Shorty” Borden’s mine on the south side of the canyon.) Begin to climb up the rib of a spur of the ridge on the north side of the canyon – at first, the terrain will be loose and possibly unstable to the point of a Class 3 climb; however, it will stabilize as you climb higher. Note that there are only faint trails after leaving the canyon – you may find social trails or you may have to route-find for yourself. (36.186151°, -117.021368°)

10.2 Approximate Top of Ridgeline (5,233ft.). Turn left (west) to continue upward. Again, there won’t be a trail, though you may spot social trails from time to time. You’ll want to continue heading west, striking for the north-south ridge on which Telescope Peak sits. Route-find to take a route that uses the terrain to your best advantage. Before intersecting the official Telescope Peak Trail, the route wanders across a forested plain. (36.193963°, -117.028776°)

13.8 Meet Telescope Peak Trail (9,927ft.). Turn left (south) to follow the well-maintained, if unrelentingly steep, trail up to the summit. (36.183353°, -117.083521°)

15.3 Telescope Peak (11,036ft.). Enjoy spectacular views in all directions, especially west across China Lake and to the High Sierras – Mt. Whitney (the highest peak in the contiguous US) is visible on clear days. (36.169799°, -117.089419°)

History & More

Recognize that this is not an easy hike. Besides the sheer length, you’ll also be rising more than 11,000ft. – at times, about 1,000ft. every mile (mostly on the scramble from Hanaupah Canyon to the Telescope Peak Trail). It’s a test of stamina and strength of mind as well as body!

Some people drive or ride a bicycle on the road portion of the hike. This cuts the round-trip hiking distance down to 7 miles each way. If you choose to drive, you’ll need a high clearance vehicle and 4×4 above the top of the alluvial fan.

Other hikers like to combine this hike with the Telescope Peak Trail to descend down to Mahogany Flats. They typically either have a shuttle vehicle waiting there or else spend the night at the free campground (no water) near the Telescope Peak Trailhead. (The closest water source is at Wildrose Campground down the Emigrant Canyon Road.)

Some extreme-sports-types like to begin at Badwater Basin (it’s probably best not to leave your car there, especially without notifying the NPS), hike across Death Valley, and then take the Shorty’s Well Route up to the top of Telescope Peak. That’s pretty serious stuff, but it does allow you to say you’ve hiked from the lowest point in North America to the highest point in Death Valley National Park!

Take advantage of Hanaupah Spring since it’s the one reliable water source along the route.

There are a fair number of bristlecone pine trees along the route – these trees are somewhat rare and live for thousands of years.

This route drops you just below the most difficult (per me) section of the Telescope Peak Trail – just before ascending the switchbacks. While this is much easier than trying to find your own route upward, it’s still not a total relief of “clear sailing from here!” when you reach the trail portion of the hike.

Views extend in all directions from the top of Telescope Peak. You’ll have been able to enjoy views down on Death Valley (Badwater Flats) and over the Black Mountains for much of the hike, but now you’ll also get to see China Lake and the High Sierras to the west as well as views into both the south and north of Death Valley and far, far beyond.

Download Route Map

Driving Directions

Begin the trek at Shortys Well, 10.7 miles from the northern end of the West Side Road and 25.1 miles from the southern end.