The Racetrack is a very popular place to visit in Death Valley, if you can get there. And there are many reasons for that being the case. For one thing, The Racetrack is in an isolated, beautiful area, being enclosed by several mountain ranges. It is on a massive dry lake bed, with only The Grandstand (an unusual formation of rocks on the northwestern end) rising out of the ground. It is necessary to drive 27 miles of graded dirt and gravel from Ubehebe Crater to get there. After the first 22 miles, you pass the famous intersection Teakettle Junction. Once you've arrived, you can park at the southern end of The Racetrack and start walking out. After a short time, you will start to see the rocks and boulders that have long trails embedded in the clay and mud behind them, showing how they have moved without any human or animal help. Scientists theorize that when there is a correct combination of weather, such as cold temperatures and ice, the ground will freeze and a strong wind will come up and push these rocks around to different locations. As a side note, the best overview of Racetrack Valley is from the top of Ubehebe Peak at 5,678 feet. We have averaged getting flat tires on 1 out of every 4 times we have driven out to The Racetrack. IMPORTANT-- Please do not walk onto the playa when it is wet enough to leave footprints as they are unsightly and can last for years.
View of The Racetrack as approaching from the north on Racetrack Road:
First stop is at The Grandstand. There is a nice parking place where most people stop to get out to explore The Grandstand. I've seen people also stop here to change their flat tires:
The unique rock formation known as The Grandstand:
Terrain change line between the Racetrack mud playa and the Grandstand gravel:
Holding the camera close to the ground to get a lower view of the Racetrack playa:
Walking around The Grandstand to get some different angles and views of it:
Here is a panoramic view of The Racetrack taken from The Grandstand (click to enlarge):
Once you are done exploring The Grandstand, it's time to head a little further south to reach the moving rocks:
Some friends walking out in between some of the moving rocks at the southeastern corner of The Racetrack:
The next eight pictures show some members of our group visiting The Racetrack over the years:
The next three pictures of a few of my favorite pictures I have taken of The Racetrack:
Close up of the mud tracks left behind by a moving rock:
Next up, enjoy nearly thirty more photos taken of The Racetrack and the famous moving rocks over the years:
The next three pictures were taken a short distance up the Ubehebe Peak trail during the first time we attempted it. It was absolutely freezing that day, so we turned back after only a short climb:
Passing Teakettle Junction on our way back to paved roads:
