Cottonwood-Marble Gear Checklist
The Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop is a 26 to 28 mile desert circuit with no maintained trail, no signs and springs that run some years and not others. The park counts 3,882 feet of gain and 2 to 3 nights on the route. What hikers pack here answers three problems: finding water, finding two unmarked passes, and pushing through thick brush with covered legs. Nights get cold too, because the high point sits close to 4,800 feet.
What shapes your gear on Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop
- Length and gain: sources differ
- The park's loop page gives 26 to 28 miles and 3,882 feet of gain, while its backpacking page says 26 miles. Weekend Wanderluster logged 27.8 miles over two days. Eastside Sports says almost 5,000 feet of gain and loss. A forum hiker who leaned on a small GPS screen ended up with a 32 mile trip.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop, Death Valley National Park (NPS): Backpacking, Weekend Wanderluster, Eastside Sports and Backpacking Light forums: Need Death Valley Info for March
- Permit: two park pages disagree
- Recreation.gov says every overnight on the loop needs a wilderness permit, in any month, for groups of up to 12 people. The park's loop page says permits are online only. The park's backpacking page also lists the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, the Stovepipe Wells Ranger Station and a 24-hour drop box, while Recreation.gov says in-person permits are no longer offered, though staff can help you get one.
From Recreation.gov, Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop and Death Valley National Park (NPS): Backpacking
- Getting to the start
- The standard start is where Cottonwood Canyon Road meets Marble Canyon Road. The park describes 10.5 miles of road from Stovepipe Wells, with the last 2.1 miles needing a 4x4, and Recreation.gov asks for high clearance and 4x4 on most of it. Eastside Sports advises a driver without high clearance to leave the car at the mouth of the canyon and walk an extra 2 miles in each direction. Susanne had high clearance but no 4x4 and walked the last 2 miles. A forum poster says some people stop roughly a mile before the junction.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop, Recreation.gov, Eastside Sports, Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood-Marble Loop, Death Valley National Park: Day 1 and Backpacking Light forums: death valley cottonwood canyon
- Road conditions change
- Eastside Sports hiked in late October 2024 and found about half of the first 8.4 miles of Cottonwood Canyon Road unusable for vehicles after a flash flood in 2023. The park warns that flat tires are common and asks drivers to carry at least one inflated spare, preferably two.
From Eastside Sports and Recreation.gov
- Springs: the sources do not agree
- The park says springs are usually reliable from December through March and calls Cottonwood Springs the most reliable, with Deadhorse the first to dry up. Eastside Sports found the Cottonwood spring running in October 2024. A November 2019 trip found good flow at Deadhorse and upper Cottonwood. A forum hiker described Cottonwood Springs as a bug-filled, manure-filled swamp on an earlier visit.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop, Eastside Sports, Backcountry Post and Backpacking Light forums: death valley cottonwood canyon
- Direction
- Eastside Sports went clockwise because it seemed less likely to get you lost. Weekend Wanderluster's group went counterclockwise, met others walking the other way and noted that clockwise is the more popular direction. When you book, Recreation.gov treats your entry and exit choice as the direction of travel, not as your camping zone.
From Eastside Sports, Weekend Wanderluster and Recreation.gov
- The dryfall
- The park describes a vertical dryfall of 8 feet in Deadhorse Canyon that must be climbed down, and says the left side may be easiest. Weekend Wanderluster's group climbed an 8 to 12 foot fall on the way up toward the Marble and Deadhorse junction and hauled a pack on a cord. Susanne saw the Deadhorse drop from above, thought it looked much bigger than 8 feet, and found it carrying water.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop, Weekend Wanderluster and Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood Marble Canyon Loop, Death Valley National Park, Day 2
- Camping and fire rules
- Camping is prohibited within 100 feet of any water source, and open fires are banned, though portable gas stoves are allowed. Groups are limited to 12 people and 4 vehicles.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop and Death Valley National Park (NPS): Backpacking
What the agency requires on Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop
Your wilderness permit, digital or printed
Recreation.gov requires permit holders to carry a digital or printed copy at all times on the trip. Cell coverage across most of the park is poor to nonexistent, so save it to your phone before you leave pavement.
From Recreation.gov
A stove instead of a fire
The park bans open fires on the loop and allows portable gas stoves, so a stove and fuel are your only way to cook.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop
A plan for human waste
The park's loop page says to pack waste out or bury it at least 400 feet from water, trails and camp, in a hole 6 to 8 inches deep. Recreation.gov gives different figures: dig at least 6 inches down, put the hole 200 feet away from water, and never leave used paper out. Carrying a trowel and a bag for the paper covers either version.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop and Recreation.gov
What hikers carry on Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop
Water capacity for the dry stretches, plus a filter
Eastside Sports carried a gallon each, a filter, a 3 liter reservoir and a 1 liter bottle per person, and filled up at the springs. Susanne loaded up with extra water because she expected to get lost. The park tells hikers to filter or treat everything, and to stock up at Cottonwood Springs because it may be the last source.
Eastside Sports found the spring running in October 2024 and said it could have carried far less. In hot months the park suggests a gallon or more per person per day.
From Eastside Sports, Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood Marble Canyon Loop, Death Valley National Park, Day 2, Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop and Death Valley National Park (NPS): Backpacking
Trekking poles
Eastside Sports reported being really glad to have poles on this route. The steep climbs to the two passes and the loose gully down into Deadhorse Canyon are where they earn their weight. Susanne took 45 minutes to get down that gully.
From Eastside Sports and Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood Marble Canyon Loop, Death Valley National Park, Day 2
Long pants
Eastside Sports tried shorts on an earlier trip and does not recommend them, because desert brush scratches bare legs. Weekend Wanderluster's group spent about an hour fighting through the tangle of cottonwood, brush and mud below the main spring in Cottonwood Canyon. Susanne got stuck in the same vegetation on her first try.
From Eastside Sports, Weekend Wanderluster and Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood-Marble Loop, Death Valley National Park: Day 1
A paper map plus a saved GPS track
The park says its GPS files are only a supplement and tells hikers to carry a map and compass. Eastside Sports carried a Death Valley map and a phone track. Susanne used topo maps and cached satellite images, then met a couple whose navigation app worked in airplane mode and who held the park's route write-up.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop, Eastside Sports and Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood Marble Canyon Loop, Death Valley National Park, Day 2
Warm layers, gloves and a rain fly
Desert nights are cold at the high camps. Eastside Sports packed insulation, gloves for the morning and a windproof or rain jacket. Weekend Wanderluster's group added the tent's rain fly for the extra warmth. Susanne's water froze inside her tent in February.
From Eastside Sports, Weekend Wanderluster and Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood Marble Canyon Loop, Death Valley National Park, Day 2
Sun protection
Eastside Sports told readers to bring lots of high-SPF sunscreen, plus a hat, sunglasses and several neck gaiters. The lower canyon and the wash near the cars are open and exposed. Recreation.gov notes temperatures often top 100 degrees F from May through September.
From Eastside Sports, Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood Marble Canyon Loop, Death Valley National Park, Day 2 and Recreation.gov
A length of cord for the dryfall
Weekend Wanderluster's group rigged a cord on one pack and hauled it up the 8 to 12 foot fall, and the others handed theirs up partway. The park says the left side of its dryfall may be easiest because of the handholds, which helps when your hands are free.
From Weekend Wanderluster and Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop
Extra food and a satellite messenger
Eastside Sports packed a satellite messaging device, and Susanne carried extra food on her second try after her first attempt stalled. Recreation.gov says rescue is not a certainty and cell reception is poor.
From Eastside Sports, Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood-Marble Loop, Death Valley National Park: Day 1 and Recreation.gov
12 people can go on one permit. Split this list between them so nobody carries two stoves.
Plan a trip hereWhat hikers regret or leave behind on Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop
Shorts
Eastside Sports tried shorts in the past, found the brush rough on legs and does not recommend them.
From Eastside Sports
A tent groundsheet
Eastside Sports left it at home because the camps are sandy and flat.
From Eastside Sports
A phone screen as your only map
A forum hiker who relied on GPS found the small screen inadequate for the tangle of canyons and recommended a good paper map.
From Backpacking Light forums: Need Death Valley Info for March
One pair of fleece gloves
Susanne's only warm gloves were soaked by a spilled drink the night before, leaving fingerless sun gloves for a frozen morning. Her hands went numb folding the tent poles.
Going in without the route write-up
Susanne said the ranger did not hand her the park's route description, and she did not know about the dryfall until she met other hikers who had it. That description now sits on the park's loop page.
From Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood Marble Canyon Loop, Death Valley National Park, Day 2 and Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop
Gear questions for Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop
Do you need a permit for the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop?
Yes. Recreation.gov requires a wilderness permit year-round for overnight stays on the loop, for up to 12 people. The park's loop page says online only, while its backpacking page still lists in-person options, so book online and keep the confirmation on your phone.
From Recreation.gov, Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop and Death Valley National Park (NPS): Backpacking
How much water should I carry on the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop?
It depends on the year. The park says springs are seasonal, usually reliable from December through March, and need filtering. Eastside Sports carried a gallon each in October and later said it could have carried much less, since the spring was running. In hot months the park suggests a gallon or more per person per day.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop, Death Valley National Park (NPS): Backpacking and Eastside Sports
Do you need a 4x4 to reach the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop?
For the standard junction start, yes for the last stretch. The park says the final 2.1 miles of Cottonwood Marble Road need a 4x4. Eastside Sports says a car without high clearance should stay at the mouth of the canyon, which adds 2 miles in each direction, and Susanne, who had high clearance but no 4x4, walked the last 2 miles.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop, Eastside Sports and Susanne's Adventure Journal: Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood-Marble Loop, Death Valley National Park: Day 1
Which direction do hikers walk the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop?
Both ways. Eastside Sports went clockwise and felt it was less likely to get lost on the upper stretch. Weekend Wanderluster's group went counterclockwise and noted that clockwise is the common choice. Your permit records your direction of travel.
From Eastside Sports, Weekend Wanderluster and Recreation.gov
Can you have a campfire on the Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop?
No. The park prohibits open fires on the loop, and portable gas stoves are allowed. Plan to cook on a stove.
From Death Valley National Park (NPS): Cottonwood Marble Loop
Sources
- Cottonwood Marble Loop · Death Valley National Park (NPS) · Agency
- Backpacking · Death Valley National Park (NPS) · Agency
- Death Valley National Park Wilderness Permits · Recreation.gov · Agency
- Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop: Trip Report · Eastside Sports, Matt and Sabine · Trip report
- Cottonwood-Marble Canyon Loop (Death Valley National Park, California) · Weekend Wanderluster · Trip report
- Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood-Marble Loop, Death Valley National Park: Day 1 · Susanne's Adventure Journal, Susanne · Trip report
- Backpacking Training Trip: Cottonwood Marble Canyon Loop, Death Valley National Park, Day 2 · Susanne's Adventure Journal, Susanne · Trip report
- Need Death Valley Info for March · Backpacking Light forums, Hiking Malto · Forum thread
- death valley cottonwood canyon · Backpacking Light forums, Paul Wagner · Forum thread
- Death Valley NP. Marble-Cottonwood (side slot) lollipop loop Nov 17-19, 2019 · Backcountry Post, John Morrow · Forum thread