Sidewinder Canyon

Sidewinder Canyon is a location that I first visited in 2007 and then made a return trip to in 2009. I first found out about the location by attending one of the nightly slideshow programs that is held in the Furnace Creek Visitor Center during peak visitation seasons for Death Valley. A lot of effort gets put into those programs and they are very much worth attending if you can make the time for it during your own trips. As far as Sidewinder Canyon goes, there is actually a handout that you can get at the Visitor Center if you are ever interested in visiting this location. After leaving our car at the parking lot, which is about 15 minutes south of Badwater, we hiked up towards the canyon as you can see in the picture which is marked by red arrows. We visited the three official side slots as well as two extra ones, and let me tell you, some of them are pretty intense. When a friend told me to bring a flashlight with me, I was a bit skeptical. But I decided to listen and was glad that I did. You definitely need a flashlight to get through some of the passageways and see the beautiful walls around you, which can be nearly pitch black. During my first visit with my friend Brandon, we only did the first official slot. So when I returned with my wife Daria and youngest sister Tiffany a couple of years later, we finished the second and third slots. It was during this second visit that we accidentally discovered a neat formation that looks like an elephant's head, as revealed in some of the pictures below. It is definitely worth it to follow Sidewinder Canyon all the way to its logical end, as there are nice sections of narrows. This is a great family hike and it is also a great place to see Spring wildflowers in bloom. Click on the Google Earth route map below for a better view of the entire hiking route.

The pictures in this Trip Report are also available for viewing in a slideshow format. Click the button on the left to watch the slideshow. This allows for viewing larger images with an autoplay option and a full screen option. The pictures may also be viewed in the standard Trip Report format by scrolling down below.

The red arrows show the correct route from the parking lot into Sidewinder Canyon. If you think you might get lost, just print out this picture and bring it with you:

Early view looking into Sidewinder Canyon:

Looking out the mouth of the canyon out towards the salt flats:

The main official slots are farther up the canyon, but we decided to turn off into the first large one that we saw. Beautiful colors awaited us inside:

A narrow wash passes between canyon walls:

This first unofficial slot was quite steep and the walls were nearly touching up above:

A small trench cuts through the slot with the walls overhanging:

Reaching a large dry fall which could not be climbed:

Looking back down the slot from the spot where we turned around:

Heading back down and out of the first unofficial slot in the next three pictures:

Up ahead we spotted the second unofficial slot and decided to enter:

We quickly ran into a small dry fall with crumbly rock:

Steve climbing the dry fall in order to continue:

Moving on in the slot, there wasn't much space between the walls:

Climbing another small dry fall and looking back down the very narrow trench:

The slot opens up briefly after a little while. We turned around shortly after reaching this area and headed back out the second unofficial slot:

Here we have spotted the third slot of the day, which is actually the first official slot. This first slot is set back and it is necessary to hike over to it:

The first official slot was difficult to get in, as we had to climb and crawl through a boulder jam:

The first official slot had some dark areas right from the start with all of the fallen boulders:

Steve peeking his head up after crawling under a boulder:

Very beautiful scenery in this slot with nice colors on the walls:

It was near the end of this slot that we entered one of the darkest canyon passages we had ever encountered in Death Valley:

Looking up in this passageway we could see light and the sky above us, just barely:

Walking through the darkness inside the first official slot:

Rounding a dark corner and climbing up a small steep incline:

Steve pushing on with his flashlight to try to reach the end of this slot:

This is the entrance to the second official slot. It has a very menacing look to it right from the start:

We immediately passed through some very narrow and high walls:

The next two pictures show you what it is like to look up at the small openings high above you:

Back at the front entrance to this slot, this is the view looking out towards the sunlight outside:

Outside of the second official slot, here we are looking back down Sidewinder Canyon:

The next two pictures show the Spring flowers and greenery which were present in the main canyon between the second and third official slots:

We have now reached the entrance to the third official slot, and Tiffany is resting on a rock just outside:

The next two pictures reveal the narrow, high, twisting walls which were present in the third official slot:

The third official slot also had some doorways and inside loops which were fun to experience:

Looking up at the sky from inside the third official slot:

Steve and Daria back outside of the third official slot after finishing up our exploration of it:

The next three pictures give you some of the views of Upper Sidewinder Canyon beyond the 3rd official slot:

A dry fall chute is embedded into the canyon wall here:

Looking back from even farther up the canyon:

Tiffany and Steve together once again in Death Valley. There is something special about being with dear family members which makes trips here the most meaningful:

Spectacular scenery in the narrows of the main canyon:

It is definitely worth it to continue up Sidewinder Canyon after the three official slots, as the canyon stays really narrow and interesting. The canyon comes to an abrupt end a short distance past this area:

Here in Sidewinder Canyon we found the first Desert Five-Spot of the season on March 14, 2009:

There is a faint sheep trail which connects Upper Sidewinder Canyon with the ridge above and allows for a loop over to Willow Creek Canyon. Here is the view looking out from the top of the ridge: