Parking
Park in the open gravel area at the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns. Vehicles are limited to 25 feet. The final 2 miles of Emigrant Canyon Road are maintained gravel and typically passable in a sedan; a vault toilet is available at the parking area.
Overview
About Wildrose Peak Trail
Wildrose Peak is a strenuous out-and-back summit hike from the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns. The round trip is 8.4 miles with about 2,200 feet of elevation gain; allow roughly 6 hours for the full hike. The high-elevation route is a shorter alternative to Telescope Peak, but it remains a sustained climb.
Why go
- Historic charcoal kilns right at the trailhead add a unique pre-hike stop
- Cooler high-elevation temps offer a summer escape from the valley floor
- Summit panorama spans Death Valley, Panamint Valley, and the Sierra Nevada
Heads up
- Last 2 miles of approach road are gravel and parking is size-limited
- Wind and cold can be harsh near the summit, especially in winter
Wildrose Peak combines a historic trailhead, a steady high-country climb, and expansive summit views. It is a demanding day hike, but the route is substantially shorter than Telescope Peak while still reaching a panoramic Panamint Range summit.
Parkwolf’s verdictBottom LineMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Death Valley map
Full mapElevation6,847–9,045 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
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 Wildrose 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 trailhead
Historic Charcoal Kilns in the Panamint MountainsListen
“You're heading up into Wildrose Canyon, to a really unusual historic site, the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Death Valley Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Pinyon Pines: The High-Elevation Pantry
- Mahogany Flat and Telescope Peak Trailhead
- 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 Wildrose Peak Trail
Trail ExperienceThe signed trailhead is just north of the historic charcoal kilns, built in 1877, and enters…
The signed trailhead is just north of the historic charcoal kilns, built in 1877, and enters pinyon pine and juniper woodland in the Panamint Mountains. After about 1.7 miles, the trail reaches a saddle with the first views into Death Valley. The next 2.5 miles roll up and down the ridge before the route switchbacks steeply up the spine above tree line. The final 0.25 mile reaches the summit and its broad views across the Mojave Desert, Panamint Valley, Death Valley, and—on clear days—the Sierra Nevada.
Nature, History, and GeologyThe hike passes through pinyon-juniper woodland and higher, more open terrain.
The hike passes through pinyon-juniper woodland and higher, more open terrain. The charcoal kilns at the start are well-preserved historic structures and worth visiting before or after the hike. From the summit, Panamint Valley lies to the west and Death Valley lies more than 9,000 feet below to the east.
Logistics & TipsThe trailhead is at the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns, around 6,800 feet.
The trailhead is at the Wildrose Charcoal Kilns, around 6,800 feet. The final 2 miles of Emigrant Canyon Road to the kilns are maintained gravel and typically passable in a sedan; the approach and parking area have a 25-foot vehicle limit. Parking is an open gravel area with a vault toilet, but there is no restroom along the trail and no water. Carry a map and compass or GPS, even though the signed route is generally clear.
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.
