Parking
Small, limited roadside parking area on the north side of Daylight Pass Road near the unmarked trailhead at approximately 36.73458, -116.97209; no facilities at the start.
Overview
About Corkscrew Peak Trail
Corkscrew Peak is a difficult, unmarked desert summit route in the Grapevine Mountains. From the small parking area on the north side of Daylight Pass Road, this out-and-back covers about 7.2 miles round trip and 3,141 feet of elevation gain, taking roughly 5–6 hours. There is no designated trail: expect cross-country travel, route-finding, loose footing, and easy scrambling.
Why go
- Natural rock window below the summit
- Broad Death Valley and Grapevine Mountains panoramas
- Distinctive cross-country desert summit experience
Heads up
- No designated trail and intermittent cairns
- Loose gravel and scrambling make the descent slow
- No shade, water, or facilities on the route
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Death Valley map
Full mapElevation2,592–5,666 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
3 active Death Valley alerts
- ClosurePark roads closed or hazardousPlan around multiple closed roads and use extra caution on damaged routes. - Paved roads: North Highway and Beatty Cut-off are closed due to flooding and debris from the October 22 storm.Official details
- ClosureSaline Valley Lower Springs closed after wildfireLower Springs at Saline Valley Warm Springs remains closed after the September 15 wildfire; stay out because the fire left safety hazards, including potential hazardous chemicals.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Death Valley Tour Guide
Your drive to Corkscrew Peak Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Death Valley National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Death Valley audio tourRecorded for this area
Hells Gate: Your First Big Death Valley ViewListen
“Just ahead is Hells Gate, a high roadside viewpoint that offers one of the first big, sweeping panoramas of Death Valley.”
Plays on the road 0.8 mi from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Death Valley Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Desert Pavement: The Park’s Fragile Stone Mosaic
- A Living Homeland: The Timbisha Shoshone
- 130 audio storiesacross Death Valley’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bighorn Sheep, Desert Tortoise, Coyote, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 36 trails, 114 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Corkscrew Peak Trail
Route, Terrain, and What You’ll SeeThe route leaves the unmarked roadside trailhead and follows a faint, cairned desert approach…
The route leaves the unmarked roadside trailhead and follows a faint, cairned desert approach before entering the wash and gaining the ridge. The upper route climbs steeply over loose gravel and rocky bands to Corkscrew Peak at 5,804 feet. A natural rock window just below the summit is a notable landmark, and the top has broad views across Death Valley, the salt flats, and surrounding mountain ranges.
Difficulty and ExperienceThis is a strenuous, route-finding hike rather than a maintained trail.
This is a strenuous, route-finding hike rather than a maintained trail. Cairns and social paths can be intermittent, and the desert terrain includes steep sections, loose “marbles,” and light Class 2 scrambling. Descending the loose upper slopes can be slower and more difficult than ascending. Carry a map or saved track, and do not continue into a drainage or canyon unless it is clearly part of the intended route.
LogisticsThe trailhead is an unmarked pullout along Daylight Pass Road at approximately 36.73458, -116.
The trailhead is an unmarked pullout along Daylight Pass Road at approximately 36.73458, -116.97209; parking is small and limited, with no facilities at the start. There is no water or shade on the route. The hike is an out-and-back and returns by the same physical corridor. Plan for cool-season conditions and carry ample water; summer heat can be dangerous. Standard park entrance requirements apply, and pets are not allowed on park trails.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Death Valley
71 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
101 sightingsDesert TortoiseMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
458 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
28 sightingsFeral BurroMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
30 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
62 sightingsKit FoxMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Death Valley. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
