Pleasant Canyon Loop Trail

Took this trail counterclockwise a lot of fun. Went over Rogers Pass area looked like we were one of the first ones with small patches of snow with no tracks.

We made it until checkpoint 6, then the trail was impassable due to ice. Overall was very fun! We took a LR3, Range Rover L322 Jeep 392, Lexus Gx and a Sequoia

Just completed the loop what breathtaking views to be seen and there's a lot of history there. we started at Ballarat witch keep the steep uphill claims to a minimum but when it came to doing the chicken rock obstacle running it clockwise made the drivers view look like you where on the edge of the cliff i highly recommend a spotter for that particular area.

Ran this clockwise starting at Ballarat. The lower section on the way up is very overgrown but made for an interesting drive, expect some pinstriping. The entire trail is super scenic but the smoke was pretty heavy making the views from Roger's pass not as great as we had hoped. We had originally planned on camping in the South Park area but decided to push on to Butte Valley. There is a washed out section just above Chicken Rock that was, in my opinion, even sketchier. Chicken Rock is definitely an experience but not all that difficult. We were glad to get down off the shelf road and stopped at the cabins for lunch. One of the cabins was occupied and one was not. Overall, a great trail that has great views and a ton of history. Definitely worth the trip.

Did this counterclockwise in a 2017 RAM 2500 Power Wagon and do not recommend it to anyone with a huge full size unless you have an experienced co-pilot, there is minimal room for error on the South Park side. Everything was super easy including the infamous chicken rock, no lockers at all, maybe no 4WD. The trail description says no full size and I agree, I would not do this again in a full size because it was very slow going trying to keep the rig from scraping the wall and simultaneously not sliding off the cliff, you need expert eyes on both sides of the shelf road portion at all times. Jeeps and Tacos will enjoy a lot more than I did. I've been back to pleasant Canyon a few times and love that area of DV, but not via the South Park shelf road, that will probably be my only time on that road in a full size. Have I made my point about the full size?? Be safe, enjoy!

I just wanted to update since I'd been about a year since someone posted. This trail is open and in great condition! I kept it in 2 wheel drive for most of the trip, with 4 wheel drive being necessary for Roger's Pass climb and decent, and also needed for the section with Chicken Rock (and probably need 10" of clearance for the 2 main obstacles on that section of trail). Go have fun! See the video of my adventure below!

Took a quick day trip around this loop. On entry I took a slightly different route. About 0.5 miles from Ballarat I took a road that veered slightly to the left instead of the main road heading for the narrow entry of the canyon. This road stayed up higher on the ridge and then rejoined the trail after about 3 miles. This keep me from driving through at least part of the canyon with brush in it. Actually saw a bobcat on this detour. Past Rita's Cabin the trees get pretty thick and close to the road, wide or long vehicles will get pinstriped driving through. The drive along the Panamint crest is interesting, partly lost the road going over one of the peaks. Stopped for lunch at the overlook point. Saw a lot of burros going through the South Park area. Briggs and World Beater Mine cabins would make excellent spots to stay. Rita's cabin is trashed inside, but there appeared to be many good places around the cabin to camp. The old bridge just beyond Chicken Rock has been replaced. They built a steel retaining wall to block off the ravine and filled it. Photos are of this structure. Returned to Ridgecrest to experience the shaking that occurred over the following days....

Our first trail we visited in Death Valley and I'm sure glad we did! It's a great loop type trail full of burros, rocks, mining equipment and free cabins! Chicken rock was a blast, more exciting than a roller coaster. Definitely recommend starting on the northern entrance of the loop and going "counter clockwise" on the loop. Some real nice camping on the halfway part of the loop amongst some shade bearing trees. Also towards the end of the loop there are 2 free cabins that are worth trying to snag if you get there early enough. Highly recommend this trail.

Please note that the bridge shown as Waypoint #10 in the Trail Guide has been removed and the gap has now been filled in with rock allowing easier passage for all types of vehicles. When time permits, the Trail Guide will be updated to remove the bridge from the guide, GPS track, and video.

A small group of us intended to spend the weekend at Briggs and Stone Cabins. We entered from South Park Canyon Road and the road was very rocky compared to when we visited in April 2017. There were large rocks, over 24" tall, and enormous washouts along the trail due to storm damage this past summer. One of our vehicles actually fell into one of the washouts and it required three (3) winches and a stabilizing tow strap to recover it.

I cannot overemphasize what a beautiful trail this is. I've driven it perhaps 3 times and I recommend it most frequently to wheelers of all experience levels. The video focused mostly on Chicken Rock, which is daunting, but I'll say that just cruising around the maze of trails in both Middle and South Park Canyons is also awesome. There are places to camp everywhere and the area is filled with wild burros, too. There are some very interesting spur trails as well; one heading south from Upper South Park Canyon will take you a long ways through some fascinating terrain before it peters out. The spur trails on the north side of Pleasant Canyon are also worth exploring. Finally, for those with an interest in history, the story of the Manley and Rogers, the ones who passed over Rogers Pass, is also extraordinary. Their heroism is one of the most unrecognized stories in American history.