To reach the ghost town of Leadfield inside Death Valley National Park, take Daylight Pass Road northeast towards Nevada. In Nevada, it’s renamed 374. Just outside park boundaries, go west on Titus Canyon Road, which is a one-way, unpaved road, which goes all the way through to Scotty’s Castle Road.

Be advised, the distance from the entrance to the exit on the paved roads is about 35 miles. Titus Canyon Road — the ONLY access to Leadfield — is less than 35 miles, but again: ONE WAY the entire length, unpaved, over winding, elevated roads with no guardrails, and through a narrow canyon. Once you start, there’s no turning back. Take water! Take food! Use the restroom first!

In 1925, false advertising intended to sell stock exaggerated the lead mining potential at Leadfield, creating a mini boom town that lasted less than two years before the 300 residents gave up.

I almost called this post: Yarns, Mines, and Ores.

A few feet into this mine entrance, the hole is blocked for safety. I put my camera up to the hole. I love that the resulting image is representative of the whole town, a dry and dusty spiral leading to a dead end.

(More on the shady advertiser in an upcoming post.)