California State Route 190 is arguably the most pleasant stretch of pavement; at least it’s in the best condition. In fact, the part within the park, known as the Death Valley Scenic Byway, is a National Scenic Byway.

Route 178, within the park, is less traveled than 190, and is in need of repaving, but is very much worth traversing. Dual-Sport and Adventure-Tourers will particularly revel over the numerous dirt and gravel roads.

Of course all this is best ridden when the temperatures are reasonable, which is fall, winter and spring. You probably already know that Death Valley gets warm. Indeed, it’s one of the hottest places on earth. Back in 1913, it attained the second-highest temperature ever recorded on our little earth: 134 degrees F. Moreover, there aren’t too many trees to find some shade. So, as any rider knows, you get to soak up them solar rays.

Nearly 550 square miles of this park lies below sea level, including the lowest point in North America – Badwater – which is 282 feet below sea level (expect this to be the warmest place of your visit). The point is the lower elevations do get toasty. 120 degrees is not that unusual in the summer. Temperatures tend toward the triple-digit end of the thermometer from mid-April until mid-October. Bring lots of water in any season.

In contrast to the Badwater basin area, the stark mountains appear even more tremendous as they thrust up into the heavens. Telescope Peak rises to over 11,000 feet. Bear in mind that this chunk of national park comprises more than 3.3 million acres of ruggedly inspiring desert scenery, multi-colored geology, undisturbed wilderness, and some interesting historical sites which makes any ride all the more relaxing and/or exhilarating, depending upon your pace.

In addition, the night sky is another equally spectacular vision. You’ll find it hard to fathom that there isn’t some kind of life out there somewhere when all those star lights seem as dense as downtown Los Angeles.

Be aware that this is a large chunk of Mother Nature set aside for motorcycles, and most of the 3.3 million acres have nothing but scenery. (It’s the largest national park in the lower 48 states). There are some services available within the park, including gas, but do keep an eye on your tank, as there is enough open space to run that fuel down to empty.

There is lodging in the park. As well, there are nine campgrounds with varying facilities. This weekend I camped in one of the low elevation campgrounds (Emigrant). Several higher elevation campgrounds and camping areas in the mountains remain open year round. However, most of the low elevation camps are closed in the summer in the hopes of keeping us wayward riders from getting cooked.

Ride Death Valley National Park outside of the summer, and you’ll look forward to an enchanted return again and again.

Motorcycle Entrance Fee: $10.00 for 7 Days, $20 with passenger.

JT is a desert enchantment located in southeastern California and seemingly created specifically for motorcyclists. No matter that we need to share this locale with all others who venture here, you’ll know when you arrive that it had to have been created by and for bikers.

At nearly 800,000 acres, most of it is not available to explore by those riders desiring to stay on the pavement. But the views along the roads are uniquely otherworldly and the roads themselves are two-lane, weaving stretches of gently twisting pavement, with hardly anyone on them in the early and late-day hours during the winter times I’ve rode here, including this trip.

Not only is JT a location where two deserts of different elevations meet (Colorado and Mojave deserts), it’s a wild landscape with bizarre trees and outrageous rock formations. You’d think some inter-galactic, child-giant stopped by to play with a bunch of roughly-hewn, mountain marbles and then got called away for lunch before he could complete the construction of his imaginative geological fantasyland.

Below 3,000 feet, the Colorado Desert encompasses the eastern part of the park. The higher, moister, and slightly cooler Mojave Desert (also known as the High Desert) is the habitat of the park’s namesake Joshua Trees.

And all this for the admission price of a $5.00, 7-day pass, for a single motorcyclist. Toss a passenger on the back to enjoy the ride and your entrance fee is only $10.00. There is very little that I consider the government does right, but this is one of them!

I thank all those who had the foresight and persistence to set aside the National Parks in North America for the enjoyment of future motorcycle riders who would be the primary beneficiaries of these geo-jewels. In addition, if you are one of those fortunate enough to ride here during any off-peak season, then all-the-more splendor for your wandering spirit.

The timing for riding through American deserts is ideal in the late winter or early spring, not only because the temperatures are moderate, but also the prospect of having your scenery painted with the multi-colored hues of the local spring wildflowers only adds more inspiration to any motorcycle voyage.

The average temperatures of JT are 43-75 degrees in March and 49-83 in April. This weekend I set up my tent at the Belle campground, under a Joshua Tree and next to a cluster of boulders the size of a 3-story building. I was greeted with overnight lows dipping well into the 30′s, by virtue of some frozen water containers neighbors left outside. Moreover, I don’t believe the mercury managed to make its way all the way to 70, but it probably got close. Although these California bones of mine were at the edge of their overnight comfort zone, I’m ready to do it again!

Note: It doesn’t matter what time of year you ride to the desert, bring water. And drink it before you get thirsty. It’s easy to become enthralled by the bold and rugged landscape of the Southwest America deserts, as well as its immense quietude. However, getting dehydrated is not recommended.

Starting out is real easy. Anyone can enjoy the cozy travel north along Route 101 from Paso Robles, cruising through ample wine country, enjoying the Santa Lucia Mountains along the west and the Temblor and Diablo Mountain ranges along the east.

But when you exit at Soledad and head east along Rt 146, the road becomes as narrow as your bathroom door and as twisted as your bathroom plumbing. Much of the roadway has no painted lines on the sides or middle and you would be wise to hug to the right as you snake through turn after turn after turn where you have no idea if anything is coming at you from the other direction. And if there would be, they sure as heck wouldn’t have much room to maneuver.

If you don’t like tight, winding roads, you also probably will not enjoy the periodic pavement drops that result in unplanned airborne excursions when running up some of the asphalt inclines too enthusiastically. It does make for some interesting moments of reflection about the once-in-a-lifetime value of a posted speed limit.

Pinnacles National Monument itself is a pleasant-enough payoff for navigating the tortuous travails of Rt 146. In fact, the road dead-ends at the park visitor center. Yesiree, if you want to check out the “other” side of the park, it’s a looooooong way back and around to the eastern entrance. But I diverge. The spires and crags of the namesake “Pinnacles” are the remnants of a long-ago volcano that was doing its own rock and roll swagger across ancient Central Coastal California in alignment with the San Andreas fault. For the nature lover, there is ample hiking amongst the towering rocks as well as opportunities to view the condors, some with wing spans up to 10 feet wide (wider than parts of Rt 146).

Whenever you are ready to hit the road, you will enjoy twice the fun as you retrace some 17 miles of convoluted pavement to get back to Rt 101: And if you pass someone riding a unicycle, be sure to wave…it will probably be me!

Speaking of water, drink plenty of it. Any motorcyclist riding all-day and exposed to this level of heat and especially with this level of dryness is risking serious dehydration and reduced abilities. (Headaches, dizziness, fainting and even death are some of the symptoms). If you are thirsty, you have already past the point of having enough water.

Death Valley offers a grand mix of entertainment for varied motorcycle riders: On any day you can see tourers, cruisers, sport-tourers, dual-purpose riders and adventure riders taking advantage of the seemingly endless ribbons of asphalt and many hundreds of miles of unpaved back roads, all inter-woven through grand, western panoramas. (This chunk of federally protected real estate is more than twice the size of the state of Delaware).

On this particular trip I tent-camped in the park. There are several campgrounds to choose from at a variety of elevations, from minus sea level to 8200 feet above sea level and over 1/2 dozen options in between. I’ve toured by motorcycle all over North America and camping in this desert is one of the best places I’ve ever been for experiencing the boundless infinity of nighttime stars.