Panamint City (Ghost Town) via Surprise Canyon(edit)

Overview

This a strenuous hike to a Panamint City, a Ghost Town in Death Valley National Park. that is generally used for backpacking but could be treated as a long day hike. The town was an active Silver Mine until the late 1980's when a rainstorm destroyed the road and the city was abandoned. The area was added to Death Valley National Park in 1994.

The trail climbs up the canyon 4,000 ft in 7 miles to the abandoned town zigging and zagging over the perennial stream that supported the town. At one point the trail climbs up a waterfall. Follow the canyon and you can't get lost, though your feet will get wet. The first time I did this hike, it felt interminable. The constant grade doesn't get better or worse, and when you see the stack of the smelter, you think you are there, but you have one more mile to go. I've only done this trail in the colder months of January and February when it's pretty cold at the 6,000 ft elevation of the city.

There are several ruined structures and two structures that have been adopted by campers. The first is the "Boy Scout Cabin" located in the mouth of Sourdough Canyon to the left (north) of the main canyon. the Second is the "Holiday Inn" which stands in the middle of the canyon with a commanding overlook from the front porch and an operating fireplace and main room that is popular with campers in the evening. (Caution: there are mice droppings in both cabins which should be avoided as they incur the potential for hantavirus.) I've slept in the Boy Scout Cabin beds, but demurred from staying in the Holiday Inn, instead pitching my tent in the trees behind the cabin.

Water is available from a pipe located in front of the former shop (a concrete pad with a partial roof) located in front of the Holiday Inn.

The surrounding canyons are filled with various prospects of different vintages. I've explored small tunnels as far back as I felt safe to walking 1/4 mile back in a giant straight 20' borehole located up the hill behind the large stack of the smelter. Hikes are available in any direction including a potential hike up water canyon or south to Sentinel Peak. There are petroglyphs located under a rock at the mouth of Sourdough Canyon or unknown provenance. It's worth staying at least two days to take it all in.

This trail goes by Brewery Spring and Limekiln Spring.

Getting Started

The trail starts at the mouth of Surprise Canyon near Ballarat. Take the road south of Trona and leave the paved road to the sort of abandoned town of Ballarat. Continue to the north on the increasingly rough and cobbly road to the mouth of Surprise Canyon until you reach the parking area at the abandoned Chris Wicht Camp.

Taking Children

I've seen locals bring their children to this trail to go to the waterfall and back, a nice hike of a couple miles, I guess. Otherwise, your children would have be inveterate hikers as this is a strenuous trail.