240: Trona Pinnacles - Otherworldly Stop Near DEATH VALLEY National Park (DESERT WILDFLOWERS)

Last week we took a weekend road trip to Death Valley to kayak on Badwater Basin’s temporary & ancient Lake Manly ( • 239: Kayaking at BADWA... ), and on our way home we made a stop at a truly unique and geological wonder. Join me today as we explore the otherworldly Trona Pinnacles in the California Desert Conservation Area just outside of Death Valley National Park.
This is a perfect stop when taking a road trip from Los Angeles to Death Valley National Park. This BLM land is filled with unique rock formations that have been used as a filming location for many TV shows, commercials & movies, and currently there are wildflowers blooming.
Located in the Searles Dry Lake basin about a half hour east of Ridgecrest, CA and an hour south of the Panamint Valley entrance to the national park, Trona Pinnacles makes for the perfect add-on to any Death Valley road trip from Los Angeles. Just south of the town of Trona you’ll find a clearly marked turnoff with signs placed by the Bureau of Land Management along SR-178. The road from here is all dirt & gravel, and it can be quite sketchy if you don’t have a high clearance vehicle. Four wheel drive is not necessary on this entrance road, but I would be hesitant to bring a low clearance sedan on this road. The Kia Sorento we had last weekend handled it without any issues. This access road can be muddy in areas and will even close as a result of weather at times, especially during the winter months.
Just a 3 hour drive from Los Angeles and 4 hours from Las Vegas, you can plan a short pit stop to stretch your legs here as part of a Death Valley day trip, or plan an overnight camping trip to see the stars! The Trona Pinnacles offer a mesmerizing backdrop for adventure and exploration. Photographers, nature enthusiasts, hikers, and off-roaders will all be spellbound by the rugged beauty of the tufa formations found here.
Trona Pinnacles might not be well known for wildflower superblooms, but when this desert landscape gets abundant winter precipitation, the landscape can fill with vibrant colors in the early Spring. Currently the middle pinnacles walking loop is lined with striking yellow Desert Gold (Geraea canescens) blooms and rich purple hues of Desert Sand Verbena (Abronia Villosa). While it’s still too early in the season to tell if we will get a true “superbloom” here this Spring, the current wildflower conditions are already lovely and worthy of a visit in my opinion. Most years the wildflowers peak in March/April in California’s Mojave Desert and only last for a few weeks before the warm dry weather causes them to fade for the season.
For more information on visiting this geological wonder, visit my full Trona Pinnacles blog post at:
www.flyingdawn...
#desert #mojavedesert #trona #roadtrip #deathvalley #visitcalifornia #ridgecrest #wildflowers #superbloom

[@lopezexplora]

Beautiful place!! 😻 Thank you for sharing🥾🥾

[@KhurshidsChannel]

wow!! Beautiful place. Thank you for sharing.

[@kumitheexplorer664]

Hi Dawn! I'm a huge fan of your KZbin and Instagram. You explain everything so well and quality of your video and photos are so nice. I really enjoy every video you guys make. If it's possible, could you please sound up little bit for your KZbin channel?

[@flyingdawnmarie]

Thank you so much for your comment. I have been having an issue with uploading my videos in app and the volume not loading consistently. I am definitely trying to troubleshoot the issue, thank you again for your kind words & informative feedback.😊

[@PeterBaumgart1a]

Nice overview and pictures, thanks! Though similarities to Mono Lake tuffas are really just very superficial IMO. There is a visible difference due to the different formation process. One is additive (secretions), the other is subtractive (erosion).

[@flyingdawnmarie]

Thanks for the comment & I can absolutely understand your pov & insight on the tufa differences…the look and formation process of each is very different for sure. As an Iowa girl born & raised I’m always fascinated at the uniqueness and diversity of California’s landscape & topography both the similarities and differences. I personally see an “overarching” familiarity when I look at these spires & tufas…they make me think of the tufas I love at Mono Lake but certainly they are very different formations, unique both in make up and overall formation.😊