Upper Moonlight Canyon is an extremely challenging hike which ultimately ends up in some of Death Valley's best and most scenic narrows, if you can get there. My quest to reach Upper Moonlight Canyon began in the Fall of 2010. During my visit to Death Valley at that time, I hiked up into Lower Moonlight Canyon with some family and friends by starting at Scotty's Castle Road. We were able to hike the full 7 miles which are required to reach the base of Moonlight Canyon's 1st dry fall, which is the gateway for rock climbers to get into the Moonlight Canyon narrows. The 1st dry fall has long been established as the official turnaround point for hikers. Over one year later, in December of 2011, I finally had a chance to return to Moonlight Canyon in an attempt to see the upper half of the canyon. But instead of hiking back up from the bottom, this time I hiked in from the top. Being that there were absolutely no pictures of the Moonlight Canyon narrows online (except for my own), I had no idea what to expect out of the upper canyon. Some of my questions were-- Would we be able to find a way to reach the top of the 3rd dry fall? Would we be able to find a way around the 6th, 5th, and 4th dry falls, which were known to be in the upper canyon? And would there be any pretty sections of narrows to see? Or had we already seen most of the canyon beauty from our hike through the lower canyon? These were a lot of important questions that needed answers, and the only way to get answers would to be step up and complete the difficult hike. So that's what we did.
We began by waking up one morning at 6:30am at our campground in Stovepipe Wells and driving to Beatty, Nevada. From there we continued North until we turned off onto Phinney Canyon Road. I was a bit apprehensive about driving this road, but unnecessarily so. The road was in great condition until it dropped into the Phinney Canyon wash and started climbing fast in elevation. Soon, patches of snow started appearing on the dirt road. Then we spotted wild horses, which was one of the trip highlights. When we had reached about 6,600 feet in elevation, we realized that we wouldn't be able to drive much further. So we found a good parking spot and hiked up the rest of the road to the pass about 1,000 feet higher in elevation. Once on the pass, we followed the closed portion of the road down the other side into Moonlight Canyon. It circled around a bit and dropped gradually, allowing us to make good progress. The only issues with the old road were the fallen trees which have dropped across it and the sections of snow. The old road finally came to an end at about 6,800 feet and we were left to fend for ourselves cross-country. This is where the hike started to get really difficult. The brush and tree growth were so extensive for the next couple of miles that it made our lives miserable. We had to walk in a constant zigzag pattern, trying to find a pathway through as we ducked under, pushed our way through, and went around endless amounts of tree branches and brush. A short distance after the old road ended, we looked to our left and saw a rock feature that looked like a chair. We decided to name it Throne Rock, because it would be a marker for us on the way back. We realized that coming back up canyon it would be easy to get lost, since there were many side canyons all converging with Moonlight Canyon on a regular basis. So on the way back, we would need to stay to the left of Throne Rock. Click on the first Google Earth map below to see an enlarged map of our route up to this point.
A while later we were able to walk up on the hillside to the right, which gave us some nice flat ground as an easier path. We then dropped into the wash where the main side canyon joined Moonlight Canyon. From there, we hiked through the wash until we came to what I call the Preview Narrows, a short section of narrows with 2 small dry falls which both can be easily bypassed. About 3/4 of a mile later, we walked up to the edge of the intimidating 6th dry fall of Moonlight Canyon, or the 1st dry fall from our hiking perspective. To bypass the 6th dry fall, we had to go up and around the ridge to our right. However, instead of quickly dropping back into the wash, we continued over to and around the second ridge. This is because if you drop back into the wash too quickly, you will get stranded in between the 6th and 5th dry falls and end up having to hike back up. Once we were safely around the second ridge, we very cautiously and slowly made our way down one of the gullies until we could find a safe way to drop back into the canyon. The bypass for Upper Moonlight Canyon is not easy. It kind of reminded me of the bottom half of the bypass for Dry Bone Canyon. The key is to choose the best gully to go down, which we found to be the second one (not the first one) once you have gone over the distant ridge you can originally see from the top of the 6th dry fall. Once we dropped back into the wash, we hiked over and checked out the base of the 5th dry fall, which was very pretty. Then we continued down canyon and eventually walked into some of the most outstanding and spectacular narrows we have ever seen. The Upper Moonlight Canyon narrows in between the 5th and 3rd dry falls are absolutely breathtaking to behold in person. Seeing these narrows firsthand instantly bumped Moonlight Canyon from my No. 2 canyon in Death Valley to my No. 1 spot. And it's doubtful that it can ever be overtaken. An interesting aspect of the Upper Moonlight Canyon narrows is the 4th dry fall, which has the potential to stop hikers about 2/3 of the way through the narrows. The 4th dry fall isn't terribly difficult to get down, but it might give some hikers a bit of trouble getting back up it. It's kind of like a slippery chute at the bottom, and you either need a friend to give you a boost or you need to friction climb it to get back up. It's probably the only dry fall in Moonlight Canyon that a hiker can actually handle climbing with minimal skills safely. Once we slid down the 4th dry fall and continued further down the narrows, we eventually ended up at the top of the 3rd dry fall. We had finally made it! Thus, we had accomplished something once thought to be impossible-- seeing most of Moonlight Canyon's beautiful narrows firsthand as a mere hiker, without any climbing. Our group became the first documented group of hikers seeing the entire canyon without any climbing. There appears to be no bypass of the 3rd dry fall of Moonlight Canyon. Also, note that an incredible 2/3 of the Moonlight Canyon narrows are located in the upper canyon, above the 3rd dry fall. And if you decide to attempt this as a hiker, be extremely careful. I'm serious when I say that the bypass is very challenging. The hike is about 6 miles each way with a total combined elevation gain of about 3,500 feet. Click on the second Google Earth map below to see an enlarged map of the second half of our route.
We began by waking up one morning at 6:30am at our campground in Stovepipe Wells and driving to Beatty, Nevada. From there we continued North until we turned off onto Phinney Canyon Road. I was a bit apprehensive about driving this road, but unnecessarily so. The road was in great condition until it dropped into the Phinney Canyon wash and started climbing fast in elevation. Soon, patches of snow started appearing on the dirt road. Then we spotted wild horses, which was one of the trip highlights. When we had reached about 6,600 feet in elevation, we realized that we wouldn't be able to drive much further. So we found a good parking spot and hiked up the rest of the road to the pass about 1,000 feet higher in elevation. Once on the pass, we followed the closed portion of the road down the other side into Moonlight Canyon. It circled around a bit and dropped gradually, allowing us to make good progress. The only issues with the old road were the fallen trees which have dropped across it and the sections of snow. The old road finally came to an end at about 6,800 feet and we were left to fend for ourselves cross-country. This is where the hike started to get really difficult. The brush and tree growth were so extensive for the next couple of miles that it made our lives miserable. We had to walk in a constant zigzag pattern, trying to find a pathway through as we ducked under, pushed our way through, and went around endless amounts of tree branches and brush. A short distance after the old road ended, we looked to our left and saw a rock feature that looked like a chair. We decided to name it Throne Rock, because it would be a marker for us on the way back. We realized that coming back up canyon it would be easy to get lost, since there were many side canyons all converging with Moonlight Canyon on a regular basis. So on the way back, we would need to stay to the left of Throne Rock. Click on the first Google Earth map below to see an enlarged map of our route up to this point.
A while later we were able to walk up on the hillside to the right, which gave us some nice flat ground as an easier path. We then dropped into the wash where the main side canyon joined Moonlight Canyon. From there, we hiked through the wash until we came to what I call the Preview Narrows, a short section of narrows with 2 small dry falls which both can be easily bypassed. About 3/4 of a mile later, we walked up to the edge of the intimidating 6th dry fall of Moonlight Canyon, or the 1st dry fall from our hiking perspective. To bypass the 6th dry fall, we had to go up and around the ridge to our right. However, instead of quickly dropping back into the wash, we continued over to and around the second ridge. This is because if you drop back into the wash too quickly, you will get stranded in between the 6th and 5th dry falls and end up having to hike back up. Once we were safely around the second ridge, we very cautiously and slowly made our way down one of the gullies until we could find a safe way to drop back into the canyon. The bypass for Upper Moonlight Canyon is not easy. It kind of reminded me of the bottom half of the bypass for Dry Bone Canyon. The key is to choose the best gully to go down, which we found to be the second one (not the first one) once you have gone over the distant ridge you can originally see from the top of the 6th dry fall. Once we dropped back into the wash, we hiked over and checked out the base of the 5th dry fall, which was very pretty. Then we continued down canyon and eventually walked into some of the most outstanding and spectacular narrows we have ever seen. The Upper Moonlight Canyon narrows in between the 5th and 3rd dry falls are absolutely breathtaking to behold in person. Seeing these narrows firsthand instantly bumped Moonlight Canyon from my No. 2 canyon in Death Valley to my No. 1 spot. And it's doubtful that it can ever be overtaken. An interesting aspect of the Upper Moonlight Canyon narrows is the 4th dry fall, which has the potential to stop hikers about 2/3 of the way through the narrows. The 4th dry fall isn't terribly difficult to get down, but it might give some hikers a bit of trouble getting back up it. It's kind of like a slippery chute at the bottom, and you either need a friend to give you a boost or you need to friction climb it to get back up. It's probably the only dry fall in Moonlight Canyon that a hiker can actually handle climbing with minimal skills safely. Once we slid down the 4th dry fall and continued further down the narrows, we eventually ended up at the top of the 3rd dry fall. We had finally made it! Thus, we had accomplished something once thought to be impossible-- seeing most of Moonlight Canyon's beautiful narrows firsthand as a mere hiker, without any climbing. Our group became the first documented group of hikers seeing the entire canyon without any climbing. There appears to be no bypass of the 3rd dry fall of Moonlight Canyon. Also, note that an incredible 2/3 of the Moonlight Canyon narrows are located in the upper canyon, above the 3rd dry fall. And if you decide to attempt this as a hiker, be extremely careful. I'm serious when I say that the bypass is very challenging. The hike is about 6 miles each way with a total combined elevation gain of about 3,500 feet. Click on the second Google Earth map below to see an enlarged map of the second half of our route.
SAFETY ALERT-- This hike contains sections of climbing, exposed bypasses and/or high dry falls and requires safety ropes & equipment in order to complete the entire hike. Those without the proper training, experience, and safety gear should stop at the top of the first major dry fall encountered during the hike and not try to get past it.
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.
Spotting some beautiful wild horses on our drive through Phinney Canyon:
The snow on the road got thicker, the grade got steeper, and the road got rougher. So we parked and started hiking:
A rough spot in Phinney Canyon Road has been filled in with rocks:
Passing by the well known boulder which has rolled onto the upper portion of Phinney Canyon Road:
View looking back down Phinney Canyon as we gained elevation:
Finally reaching the saddle after hiking up 1,000 feet in elevation and looking over the other side into Upper Moonlight Canyon. The snow capped Sierras can be seen in the distance:
From the saddle on, the road has long been closed and is now just a hiking trail:
Trees and branches have fallen over the old road in places:
Steve emerging from working his way under a fallen tree:
At this spot, the road has come to an end and we are about to start our cross-country navigating:
Throne Rock can be seen a few minutes later. It looks like a stone chair that a giant walking by would sit down in. Use Throne Rock (a bit blurry in the center of this picture) to find your way back to this point:
A landslide of purple rocks on the hillside up to the right:
As you can see, there was no straight path through the brush and trees. It was a matter of constant navigation and zigzagging:
Continuing to work our way through with a nice view of the Cottonwood Mountains far in the distance:
This section we have named the Hillside Walk because if you stay to the right there is much easier terrain along the flat hillside just before the side canyon meets up:
Interesting banded rock formations sticking up on the hillside:
Once the main side canyon converges with Moonlight Canyon, the terrain gets a little bit easier with a small wash to walk in:
Reaching what we have named the Preview Narrows, which are a short section of narrows long before the actual canyon narrows start:
Steve standing on the edge of a minor dry fall:
This is what that minor dry fall looks like from below. This entire section can be easily bypassed, but we dropped in to explore it:
Looking further down this short section of narrows with its rugged rock texture:
This is another minor dry fall in this short section of narrows:
Bighorn sheep skull and horns found along the way in the wash:
The terrain once again got a bit brushy and slowed down progress:
Finally arriving. Steve standing on the edge of the 6th major dry fall of Moonlight Canyon:
Looking over the edge of the 6th dry fall. This was actually a three stage dry fall:
A close-up of the 6th dry fall as the polished chutes drop down:
Tobin snapped this picture of Steve reviewing his bypass notes which had been sent to him by a climber friend a couple of years earlier:
The challenging bypass would go up and around the hillside in this picture, staying a ways below the base of the rock wall seen in the distance:
View further down Moonlight Canyon as we headed around on the bypass:
From the bypass we snapped this picture of the top of the 5th major dry fall of Moonlight Canyon. If you drop off the bypass too soon, you will be stranded in between the bottom of the 6th and the top of the 5th dry falls:
Tobin making his way up the first part of the bypass. As you can see, we have to climb up quite high from the wash:
Continuing to circle around the bypass, not too high but not too low either. Looking back at the complete 6th dry fall:
On the bypass heading over the distant ridge finally, which will get us past the 5th dry fall:
Now we have to choose 1 of like 5 possible gullies to head back down and get off the bypass. At least 3 of the 5 looked really scary. We analyzed all of them and chose the one we were most comfortable with:
Here Tobin is carefully making his way down the gully we have chosen, which still included some steep sections with crumbly rock:
Tobin climbing down off of the bypass and dropping to the canyon floor. I chose a little bit easier of a route, which didn't involve any climbing, just extreme caution:
After that we walked back up the canyon to see what we had missed. Steve is pictured here at the base of the very pretty 5th dry fall:
Time now to head down canyon and find out what else is in store for us:
As you can see, it was quite a cold day during our December hike. Temperatures while we were hiking dropped as low as 17F:
Majestic peaks towering above Upper Moonlight Canyon:
A neat area with three different rock slides coming down from the mountain:
Check out the unique shape and design of this rock:
Up ahead the canyon started narrowing down and we had great anticipation:
Sure enough, we walked around a corner into our first official section of the Moonlight Canyon narrows:
Steve getting a picture at the beginning of the upper narrows:
First sign of the contrasting colors of red and purple, which would punctuate the narrows:
A lone tree guarding entrance to the taller narrows we were about to enter:
The next two pictures highlight the red and purple rock walls on opposite sides of the canyon:
Large purple boulders which have fallen into the middle of the wash:
The steep slopes and uplifted tilting of the canyon rock was very interesting to behold, as seen in the next two pictures:
In the middle of Moonlight Canyon's spectacular and lengthy upper narrows:
Patterns across the polished surface of the rock:
From this point on, the canyon narrows had such a remarkable beauty:
Notice the contrasting purple and red which I spoke about earlier on full display here:
Lots of smaller dry falls were spread out through the narrows. None were super challenging:
The beautiful rock of Moonlight Canyon's narrows is on display in the next two photos:
High above the canyon walls of the narrows was this rectangular rock sticking out. This rock makes the Diving Board on Half Dome look tame by comparison:
A series of small ledges which must be climbed down to continue through the narrows:
Up ahead there was a black stained undercut or small cave where the canyon took a sharp right:
Around the bend we continued hiking through more narrows:
I had actually expected the narrows to end much earlier, so it was a great surprise to find them continuing for such a long time:
Very pretty section of dark purple rock. Notice, too, the brilliantly shining light colored rock at the base of the right side of the canyon:
More uplifted diagonals of rock in the narrows:
Passing by a high canyon wall that shot straight up in the air:
Hiking through another stunning section of narrows. Notice the reds in the background:
As you look at the next four pictures, notice the increasing level of beauty as we got deeper into the narrows. Moonlight Canyon was saving the best for last:
This is the only picture I'm sharing of the 4th dry fall of Moonlight Canyon. We part climbed and part slid down this dry fall and then turned back to take this picture. As you can see, it is a bit tricky getting back up. There is a small chute to the left which needs to be friction climbed. Either that, or you will need a boost, because the rock is smooth and slippery:
Continuing through the narrows past the 4th dry fall:
Tobin standing on a rock in this amazing section of canyon with unique rock shapes:
As you can see in the next two pictures, light and dark purple colors were really taking over the canyon:
Check out this awesome dry fall and chute, which starts straight and then takes a sharp turn to the right:
True slot narrows in Moonlight Canyon. This place just keeps getting better and better:
Another set of minor dry falls that we had to climb down. But it wasn't as hard as it looks:
Up ahead we could see that the narrows were looking fantastic. We kept hoping that we wouldn't run into any obstacles to stop us:
Just a small passage through the wash as the canyon continued to wind around:
The cliffs and peaks high above the canyon would come into view once in a while:
Continuing to progress through the narrows in our next three pictures:
Up ahead we were approaching the grand finale of Upper Moonlight Canyon. I knew this because the sheer beauty of the slot narrows and bright red background took over and I had remembered that from my hike through Lower Moonlight Canyon:
The ending is probably my favorite section of both halves of Moonlight Canyon. It's too bad that they have to be hiked separately if you are not a climber:
Looking back towards the narrows we had just walked through:
And we have reached the end. Steve standing on the top of the 3rd major dry fall of Moonlight Canyon:
Looking down at the base of the 3rd dry fall. Notice that a balloon is down at the bottom, but we had no way to get down there to pack it out:
Carefully inching down a small ledge on the right side of the 3rd dry fall to get some pictures:
Looking back at the top of the 3rd dry fall from along the ledge. You can see that it is topped with a massive chockstone. Only climbers can get down this:
And this is the view down from the left side of the 3rd dry fall:
If you look just to the left of me, you can see down the wash passage and how these are true slot narrows. The slot narrows of Moonlight Canyon are probably my favorite single spot of any canyon in the park:
A small panoramic taken in Moonlight Canyon on the hike back out (click to enlarge):
We ended up barely being able to reach the old road before dark and we hiked out of Moonlight Canyon by way of the moonlight:
