It was Day 4 of our Death Valley Spring Break road trip. We spent the morning exploring Badwater Basin, Devil’s Golf Course, and Artists Palette on Artists Drive. After a quick lunch during a pit stop on Artists Drive, we decided to spend the last afternoon of our Death Valley Trip hiking the beautiful Mosaic Canyon. Buddy and I are sharing an Easy Guide to Hiking Mosaic Canyon in Death Valley.
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The details
Mosaic Canyon Trail is a 4-mile round trip out and back trail rated moderate to difficult by the National Park Service. To access the trial head, hikers will take a 2.3-mile unpaved road located immediately south of Stovepipe Wells Village. A four-wheel drive vehicle is not necessary for access as the road is usually passable by the average car. However, the National Park Service does not recommend the road for RVs. A large gravel parking lot at the trailhead provides ample parking. We found many of empty parking spaces when we visited on a Saturday afternoon.
Mosaic Canyon Trail is known for its colorful canyon walls and beautiful marble narrows. The trail ends with a stunning dryfall. Mosaic Canyon Trail is a fun and, at times, challenging hike. There were many hikers on the trail the afternoon we visited. But we did find moments of quiet and solace among the beautiful marble canyons. We finished the round-trip hike in exactly two hours. Just as the sun was lowering behind the mountains.
5 Tips for Hiking Mosaic Canyon in Death Valley
1. Prepare for Heat
The best time to visit Death Valley is during the fall, winter, or spring months, before the heat kicks in. Visiting Death Valley during cooler months means that it is less likely that you will experience high heat during your hikes.
If you must visit during the summer months, please follow the precautions that you will find posted throughout the national park. It is recommended to hike before 10am during the hot months. And carry plenty of water. Please do not hike in extremely hot temperatures. It is very dangerous and can be fatal.
Temperature in Death Valley
The heat begins early in Death Valley. In April, the average temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Then desert heats up averaging in the 100s Fahrenheit/40s Celsius and above from May through September. October remains hot with the average temperature 93 degrees Fahrenheit. In general, visiting Death Valley National Park between November through March for cooler temperatures is your best bet.
Also, regardless of when you visit, check the weather. Flash floods can occur in Mosaic Canyon and other canyon hikes in Death Valley when it rains.
We visited the park in the middle of March. The temperature was perfect for hiking! The highs during our stay were in the mid to upper 80s in Fahrenheit, which we found pleasant. It was warm in the midday sun and chilly in the mornings and at night.
We hiked Mosaic Canyon Trail from 4-6pm on a Saturday afternoon. It was warm at times, but overall, a great temperature for a hike! Although, please take this advice with a grain of salt. We live in the Sonoran Desert and enjoy warm dry climates. Some travelers may find the upper 80s quite warm. If you are a traveler who experiences temperatures in the high 80s as warm, hiking Mosaic Canyon Trail in the cooler temperatures of the early morning is a great alternative!
2. Look for arrows
Mosaic Canyon Trail in Death Valley does not have guideposts on the trail! This can lead to confusion, especially in the latter part of the hike. In some places, multiple paths emerge from one point on the trail, and it is unclear which one to take. Other times, it appears as if the trail disappears completely.
But, if you look down, you will find your solution. Arrows!
About halfway though Mosaic Canyon trail, when the path becomes unclear, you will find an arrow made of rocks pointing you in the correct direction. The arrows appear at the first marble boulders that you need to climb to continue the trail. Arrows continue from that point on, guiding you towards the dryfalls at the end of the trail.
When we hiked the Mosaic Canyon trail, we were amused to find the first rock arrow. Earlier in the hike, I commented on the lack of guideposts on the trail. The rock arrow guiding us up a series of slippery marble rocks was a fun discovery!
We did not expect to see more arrows made of rock leading the way as our journey continued. Because I am not accustomed to looking down when I hike, I missed a few. Luckily, Buddy and Sal caught them.
However, not all the rock arrows are well put together. Some can easily be overlooked. We missed a key arrow guiding us down into the arroyo. And instead took a steep dead end trail up the side of the canyon. When hiking Mosaic Canyon in Death Valley, keep an eye out for the rock arrows. Even the ones that may not quite look like an arrow.
3. Do the full hike, or not
Mosaic Canyon Trail begins as a smooth hike with a slight gain in elevation. However, about 1.4 miles in, the trail requires scrambling over large slippery marble rocks. And this is just the beginning. After scrambling up the first dryfall, you will climb more rocks and boulders. Also, the paths and trails diverge into steep trails carved into canyon walls.
The latter half of the trail is not for everyone. If you travel with littles or if you are not comfortable scaling slippery boulders, skipping the end of the trail is a great option. If you choose to hike the first half of the trail, you will not miss out on any of the beauty! Mosaic Canyon Trail’s notable narrows are near the parking lot, and you will pass through them on the way into Mosaic Canyon.
During our Mosaic Canyon Trail hike, we noticed that the majority of fellow hikers chose to hike the first 1.4 miles of the trail skipping the scaling of the dryfalls and large boulders. We, however, chose to hike to the trail’s end.
4. Plan for slippery rocks
If you chose to hike to the end of Mosaic Canyon Trail, plan for slippery rocks.
The dryfalls and boulders that you must scramble to reach the end of Mosaic Canyon Trail are mostly made of marble. This makes them slippery. Especially in the crevices the rocks that hikers use for gripping. Climbing down the marble rocks on the return journey is also tricky. The rocks are very slippery, and it is easy to fall. Be careful climbing up and down the marble dryfalls and boulders.
While scrambling up the slippery marble rocks, Buddy slipped a few times, but nothing serious. At one point in time, while scrambling over a boulder, I had a difficult time getting up a marble rock because of my short stature – I could not reach the nearest grip! But luckily, Sal helped me up.
Coming down the rocks was a different story! Treating the marble dryfalls like natural slides, we slid down most of the rocks on our behinds. Some of the dryfalls are sizable and you can gain a lot of momentum going down as you slide. Be very careful on your way down.
5. What to bring
These are just a few recommended items. Please personalize this list, adding to it what you see fit.
The basics: Sunscreen, a water bottle, a hat, and a simple first aid kit in your hiking backpack. When hiking Marble Canyon, or any other place in Death Valley, bring water, lots, and lots of water!
Bring layers! Especially if you are hiking in the early morning or during the winter. In general, there is about a 30-degree Fahrenheit difference in daytime and overnight temperatures in Death Valley. An early morning hike could begin chilly and then warm up very quickly during your hike. It is best to be prepared and bring layers. A light layer for sun protection when the UV rays are at their strongest is also a good choice.
When hiking, we also always carry a whistle that also has a compass and thermometer, hand sanitizer, a pocketknife. However, I did not feel the need to bring bear spray with us to Death Valley. I was happy leaving that at home!
Buddy’s Tips
- You should always follow the arrows and make sure that they don’t deceive you.
- Make sure you bring a lot of water.
- Be prepared for rock climbing, a lot of rock climbing.
- Near steep areas, be careful where you are stepping and try not to trip. Because you might fall of the edge of the trail near the cliffs or drop offs.
Overall, we had a fun time hiking Mosaic Canyon Trail. Buddy filmed a Movement Postcard at the dryfall at the trail’s end. We especially loved the arrows made of rocks. Unique and quirky, they added made the experience of hiking Mosaic Canyon extra special!
The Movement Postcard also captured the beauty and power of the wind during a Death Valley Sandstorm that we experienced at the end of the hike. It was the perfect end to our Death Valley adventure.
Have you hiked Mosaic Canyon Trail in Death Valley? If so, did you reach the end of the trail? What did you think Let us know if the comments below!
Do you have questions about family travel or traveling with teens? Feel free to reach out! We are happy to chat and share our experiences! We look forward to connecting with you.
Planning a trip to Death Valley? Check out our series about the national park!
- Five Things To See in Death Valley in One Day
- Traveling to Dante’s View in Death Valley? Here’s Everything You Need To Know!
- Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Racetrack Playa in Death Valley
- An Easy Guide to Hiking Mosaic Canyon in Death Valley
- 5 Easy Tips for Badlands Loop Hike in Death Valley
- 6 Tips for Hiking the Unique Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley
- Everything You Need To Know for a Fun Time at Death Valley’s Teakettle Junction
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Mosaic Canyon looks like a fun hike! Thanks for the note about the slippery rocks — I will definitely keep that in mind when I make it there 🙂
Absolutely! We hope you enjoy your time in Death Valley.
What a beautiful place! Can’t wait to visit there someday. I especially enjoyed the movement postcards! So creative and so enjoyable to watch. Can’t wait for the next movement card! 😊👍
Thanks! We share a new Movement Postcard and blog post every Thursday. Stay tuned!
Mosaic Canyon looks like a fun place to hike with all the rocky terrain. I found the rock arrows very interesting.
This is a great guide! I look forward to doing this hike when I make it out to Death Valley one day. Thanks for all the helpful tips!
Mosaic Canyon Trail looks like a hike I can manage! Thank you for the helpful tips and suggestions! I love your photos!
Death Valley is still on our list, and it’s great to learn more about some of the hikes before we go! I love that they use arrows instead of the typical rock cairns formations that other national parks use. Can’t wait to visit one day! Xx Sara
I’d love to visit Death Valley. It looks picture perfect and I appreciate all the great tips like watch out for slippery rocks! I’m looking forward to visiting one day.