Barker Ranch

[koolstrike]

Has anybody driven out from LA to Barker Ranch?

Is it drivable in a day?

A friend and I are think of doing a 2 day Manson tour. I thought, fly into LA, take Scott's Helter Skelter tour, then drive out to Barker Ranch, see Myers Cave.

Is this a feasible trip?

Any additional sites we should ht?

Any suggestions?

[Filmmaker78]

Has anybody driven out from LA to Barker Ranch?

Is it drivable in a day?

A friend and I are think of doing a 2 day Manson tour. I thought, fly into LA, take Scott's Helter Skelter tour, then drive out to Barker Ranch, see Myers Cave.

Is this a feasible trip?

Any additional sites we should ht?

Any suggestions?

We did it in a day. If memory serves, it's about 3 hours each way. We left early and had plenty of time out there for it. You'll definitely want good GPS and a good idea about where it is. It's easy to get lost out in the canyons once you're off the paved roads in Death Valley.

[cindyt]

I just saw a feature on the Travel Channel about Death Valley. It said people drive off the road and never come back--and some of them are never found. Do take film's advice, and make sure you bring plenty of water. I'd hire a guide if it was me.

[kimmer927]

I live 2 valleys over and I highly recommend going anytime in the winter/spring. Bring A LOT of water, it's very dry and you will get dehydrated and not realize it till too late.
also, do not come in a vehicle that is not at least an SUV or 4 wheel drive. The roads that are not paved are filled with very large rocks and boulders. Also bring a jacket, sounds goofy but the wind can be vicious especially this time of year. Please use the roads through Trona by way of Ridgecrest, not the winding roads through Lone Pine, plus you will cut a good amount of time from actual travel time. Death Valley has a 4 Star Hotel, Furnace Creek but can be pricey, Ridgecrest has a lot of hotels in various price ranges. You don't realize how far it is until you drive it and it's at least a 3-4 hour drive each way from LA depending on where you start from to come up here. We tried to drive over the rocks, but got stuck and it was a little creepy at the Barker Ranch. Then the sun started going down and we gave up.
Just be safe, don't be crazy and tell people you are headed over there so they can keep an eye out for you. It's not uncommon for Search and Rescue to come upon people that were out here for a long time just because they didn't tell anyone they were coming.
Also stop by and say Hi! I would love to meet fellow Death Hags especially on the Manson crawl!
Sorry this is so long, but I have lived here for 16 years and safety really is important. The desert is a very strange place and folks don't know what they are getting into at times.