Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2007: Death Valley National Park bikepacking / Day 6, afternoon: Bicycle trip up Chloride Cliff Road from Monarch Canyon 13
Leaving my Monarch Canyon camp site at around 3300 feet elevation intact, I go for a ride up Chloride Cliff Road to about 4600 feet.
I don't pass any other vehicles during this ride and haven't seen anyone since leaving pavement yesterday afternoon. It's so nice to ride without the weight of all my gear!
I don't go quite all the way to the old Chloride City site, opting to park the bike and walk up a hill to take in the views of Death Valley down below. I also take a short walk in the area of the old trail to Keane Spring on the way back down to my camp site in Monarch Canyon.
10 round-trip bike miles (walked up the steeper sections).
Interesting patch of reddish soil on the way up Chloride Cliff Road away from Monarch Canyon
Looking back down toward Monarch Canyon to see how much I've risen
Switchbacks on the way up Chloride Cliff Road
An off-camber section of Chloride Cliff Road on the way up
Higher up after more switchbacks on Chloride Cliff Road
Near the top of this set of switchbacks on Chloride Cliff Road
I park the bike and go for a walk up the big hill to my right to take in the views of Death Valley below
Up at the summit of the hill that I just walked up, with Death Valley about 4500 feet down below
Me, up at the summit of the big hill I just walked up
On my way back down Chloride Cliff Road
Further down Chloride Cliff Road on the way back to Monarch Canyon
Back down near Monarch Canyon, an old water tank sits near Chloride Cliff Road
I lock my bike to a wilderness sign along Chloride Cliff Road and go for a short walk toward the old Keane Spring