Death Valley’s Titus Canyon drive faces another long closure
Repairs scheduled through May 2027 will focus on drainage, unstable slopes and flood-damaged sections.
Titus Canyon Road, one of Death Valley National Park's best-known backcountry drives, was scheduled to close October 2 for work expected to continue through May 2027.
The National Park Service announced the project September 28, setting out a repair program after flash floods severely damaged the road in 2022 and again in 2023. Crews had carried out preliminary work that allowed a temporary reopening during the summer, including moving boulders and grading the surface.
The new phase is intended to address vulnerabilities that basic reopening work did not resolve. Planned improvements include drainage features to steer stormwater away from the road and rock reinforcement at wash crossings where flowing water can erode the route.
Near Red Pass, crews are to remove loose rock and stabilize an eroding stretch with steep drop-offs. The work also includes excavating parts of the slope above the road to improve stability and widen the usable roadway.
A temporary opening between repair phases
An earlier Park Service announcement had warned that the summer access window would be limited. It described a full closure beginning in the autumn and continuing into 2027. The September 28 notice gives the newer schedule: an October 2 start and work through May.
That sequence is important for visitors who saw summer reopening announcements. The reopening did not mean all long-term repairs were complete, and an older itinerary or saved route may no longer reflect access during the project.
Local reporting by KOLO and the Pahrump Valley Times also described the closure and its link to the earlier flooding. The Park Service says the work is intended to improve resilience to future storms while preserving the road's character.
The published schedule extends well beyond a short maintenance interruption. Visitors planning the drive during the repair period will need to use the park's current road information and choose a different itinerary while the route remains closed.
