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Road to the Needles...

Original Post
Mark Evans · · Cottonwood Heights, UT · Joined Sep 2007 · Points: 505

I'm headed out to So Cal next week and I'm wondering if anyone knows the condition of the road out to the Needles? Hoping to climb there and maybe J-Tree (if its open....)

Any info on the road / climbing conditions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

vincent L. · · Redwood City · Joined Jan 2005 · Points: 560

Lots of road info in this thread...

supertopo.com/climbing/thre…

What kind of car you taking?

Mark Evans · · Cottonwood Heights, UT · Joined Sep 2007 · Points: 505

Sweet, thanks for the link Vincent. We are taking a newer VW Jetta. Not the greatest clearance... I'd bring my truck, but it gets half the MPG. Sounds like the first half of the road is in good shape as of the 7th, i wonder if there is a chance that the rest of it will be fixed by the end of the week? (not likely I'm guessing) We might just have to risk it and see for ourselves how bad it really is.

As for Joshua Tree, does anyone have any info on if/when it might be opening back up? I know a handful of parks here in UT (as well as a few in other states) have re-opened with state funding. Any chance of that happening in J-Tree?

Ryan Nevius · · Perchtoldsdorf, AT · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 1,837
Mark D Evans wrote:We are taking a newer VW Jetta...i wonder if there is a chance that the rest of it will be fixed by the end of the week
Good luck...sounds like something I'd do (4-wheeling in a family car).
Luke W Brigham · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 5

Just returned from the Needles last night. Depending on how much you care about the bottom of your car, I would casually suggest a high clearance vehicle. There is a relatively short, but rocky and rutted section, towards the middle of the 2.5 mile FS road. After you get past that you should be fine, we saw all manners of vehicle down there.

I would also casually suggest that the benefit of making it to the Needles far outweighs any possible damage to your car.

Mark Evans · · Cottonwood Heights, UT · Joined Sep 2007 · Points: 505

2 years later and I'm bumping my own post with the same question...

We never made it out that year, but we're headed back with a vengeance here in a couple weeks.

I'm wondering if anyone has been out there yet this year, and if you have any road condition reports. Still in the same lower clearance VW, or my gas guzzling truck if reports say the road is Gnar..

Thanks in advance for any info! Psyched to finally make it out there!!!

Dhayan Roark · · Crowley Lake, CA · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 10

Anyone know how the road is this year? Barely made it with my Prius last year and swore I'd never try with my car again...but now headed back out there with optimism. Any info?? Thanks!

Fat Dad · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60

Last time I was there was November and it was fine. With the relatively light snow year it may not have gotten too ripped up. Unfortunately it was foggy and wet over Memorial Day weekend (I was up near there hiking with the kids) so probably not that many folks got out there to check it out.

Dhayan Roark · · Crowley Lake, CA · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 10

Thanks, the road was in pretty good shape, I was able to make it in my Prius without trouble.

Limpingcrab DJ · · Middle of CA · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 1,055

Ya it's fine this year according to several friends. If you know the basics of how to drive on a dirt road you can make it with just about anything.

Eric D · · Gnarnia · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 235

Any more recent beta on the road? I have a Nissan Altima and am hearing some bad news from friends that have been to the needles.

Kyle Edmondson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 250

I was out there around 6/12, and it was fine, drove it in a station wagon.

Mark Evans · · Cottonwood Heights, UT · Joined Sep 2007 · Points: 505

I was out there early in June and the road was more than just fine for a newer, low clearance Jetta. Thanks to everyone for the beta, we had a blast!! And the road was definitely not a problem at all!! What an amazing place!!!

John Ericson · · A Toyota Prius Luxury Mobil… · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 61

I was there a couple weeks back. It was not challenging in a prius, which means it should be fine for most cars.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Southern California
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