United StatesCalifornia Daylight Pass (Beatty Road)
Daylight Pass (Beatty Road) Bike Climb - PJAMM Cycling

23.4
PDI
16.1 mi
DISTANCE
4,501 ft
GAINED
5.3 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
MORE

Page Contributor(s): Carla and Tom Morton, Granger, IN

INTRO

This 16.1 mile bike climb is located in CA, USA. The average gradient is 5.3% and there is a total elevation gain of 4,501 ft, finishing at 4,463 ft.

Use the profile tool, route map, and weather forecast to conquer this cycling climb.

PLAN YOUR ROUTE

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See more details and tools regarding this climb's grade via our interactive Profile Tool.
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If you have any information regarding this climb, we'd like to hear from you. Click the CONTRIBUTE button to share your thoughts with us.

ROUTE MAP

MEMBER RATING

Difficulty: Challenging
4
Road
4
Traffic
3
Scenery

CURRENT WEATHER

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NEARBY CLIMBS (0) RADIAL PROXIMITY

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MEMBER REVIEWS & COMMENTS

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Mar 24, 2023
There are straightaways of over a mile on this climb. I usually like to hear the wind in my ears etc, but this time I'm glad I had my phone and earbuds and a podcast to keep me from just turning around it was so boring.
Apr 29, 2021
difficulty: Challenging
scenery: 3
traffic: 4
road: 4
Apr 29, 2021
scenery: 3
traffic: 4
road: 4
I thought this was harder than the full Daylight pass route, mostly because the lower portion of the road undulates quite a bit between steeper and flatter. You could do this climb from either Furnace Creek or Stovepipe Wells (and there are places to park off the road if you want to cut out some of the valley floor and start closer).
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PROFILE TOOL
Route Data
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CLIMB SUMMARY

Cycling Daylight Pass Death Valley - view of road and valley below

View back down to Death Valley from Beatty Rd/Daylight Pass Rd while cycling up Daylight Pass

Ride 12.8 miles gaining 4,131’ to elevation 4,314’ at 6.1% average grade.

Visit our Death Valley National Park page 

The climb begins in the heart of Death Valley National Park and ends just west of the California/Nevada state line. This is the easier approach to Daylight Pass and shares its last 6 miles with the Daylight Pass Road climb (Daylight Pass Road to Junction: 6.6 miles at 6.1% gaining 2,109’; Beatty Road to Junction: 9.8 miles at 4.6% gaining 2,391’).  From the junction to the Pass is 6 miles at 6.3% gaining 1,950’

 The first several miles of this climb are on a long, straight road that can be demoralizing in the heat. Views along this route while not as spectacular as Dantes View or Artist Drive are very good and this is a climb well worth your time if you are travelling to Death Valley for a cycling trip. There is no water along this route and bringing enough (too much) water is highly recommended.

Bike climb Daylight Pass Death Valley - road and mountains 

Start climb at the intersection Beatty Road and Hwy 190

Mile 9.8 is the merge of Daylight Pass and Beatty Cutoff Roads (Hell's Gate - view on banner photo, above) where there is a picnic table and shade.

Junction of Daylight Pass Road (left) and Beatty Road (right).

Daylight Pass is 6 miles through the canyon above the junction.

Cycling Daylight Pass Death Valley - PJAMM Stacy Topping on road with bike

Stacy taunting Death Valley at Hell’s Gate  😈

Cycling Daylight Pass Death Valley , road and mountains

Beatty-Daylight Pass Junction.

Cycling Daylight Pass Death Valley , road and mountains

The only shade in 13 miles - junction Beatty-Daylight Pass Roads.

Cycling Daylight Pass Death Valley , road and mountains

Just past junction of Beatty and Daylight Pass Roads.  

Cycling Daylight Pass Death Valley , road and mountains

Stark desert scenes and formations along the climb.

Cycling Daylight Pass Death Valley , road and mountains

Mile 8 - Corkscrew Peak upper right third of photo.

Bicycle ride Daylight Pass Death Valley - bicyclist on bike on road

Mile markers from the start of the climb to the pass.

Cycling Daylight Pass Death Valley , road and mountains

Bring lights if you start mid afternoon or later -

There can be a brutal headwind climbing Daylight Pass.

    Cycling Daylight Pass Death Valley - cyclist at pass sign with bike

PJAMM finishing up #6 of our 10 DV climbs in 2014.

A nice hike off this route (junction at mile 5.6) is the Keane Wonder Mine

AllTrails.com:  “Keane Wonder Mine Trail  is a 8.1 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Death Valley, California that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking and nature trips.”

That’s a wrap!!

Cycling Daylight Pass Death Valley - bike leaning against state border nevada sign 

Finish is at the California-Nevada border

DEATH VALLEY WEATHER

National Park Service Death Valley Weather Chart

Dangerously hot during the day from June through September with average monthly highs during that time ranging from 106 to 116.5.  Cycling is not recommended during the summer and certainly never without good SAG support.  The heat can be stifling (if not truly dangerous) and supplies are few and far between.  

The hottest temperature ever recorded on earth was in Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913 (134℉/56.7℃) and, while that record has been challenged, the “alternate” record is also held by Death Valley (2013 in a tie with Mitribah, Kuwait in 2016 at 129.2℉/54.0℃).

  Traffic and Roadway report:  As of October, 2019, the roadway surface was good condition throughout this ride but the shoulder is fairly narrow.  There is minimal (similar to Daylight Pass the 2 times we have climbed this route) but the occasional vehicles can move whiz by at 60-65 mph.