Pleasant Canyon Loop Trail

4.9/5 (11 reviews)
Ballarat, California (Inyo County)
Last Updated: 05/01/2019

Trail Information

Highlights

For the overlander who truly wants to explore the best of Death Valley, the Pleasant Canyon Loop Trail offers a little bit of everything. Mines, cabins, steep mountain ascents and descents, epic views, rocks, cliffs, wood bridges, and more. The loop begins and ends in the Panamint Valley and explores Pleasant Canyon, Middle Park, and South Park. Some of the many sites to visit are Claire Camp, World Beater Mine Cabin, Cooper Mine, Mormon Gulch, Rita's Cabin, Roger's Pass, Chicken Rock (see photo), Chicken Bridge, and Briggs Cabin. Chicken Rock is a downward-tilting, narrow section of the trail which tips your vehicle precariously towards a 200' vertical drop. Once past this obstacle, you face the famous 3-ton limit wooden bridge before descending back into the Panamint Valley to complete the loop.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

4.9/5 (11)
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 03/16/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

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.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 02/19/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

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
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 12/12/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

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.
800
Open
Visited: 10/05/2020

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.
Open
Visited: 02/16/2020

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!

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