Saline Valley lies in classic ‘basin and range’ country, to the adjacent to Death Valley, and largely within the expanded reach of the National Park. Like neighboring Death Valley and Panamint valleys it stretches almost due North-South, and contains a large dry lake bed (playa). Unusually, however, there is often at least some water in the lake. Saline Valley is infrequently visited, as no paved roads lead to it; but a 70 mile dirt road traverses the length of the valley, and is braved by some coming to bathe in the (clothing optional) hot springs. Even rougher 4WD trails lead into the valley from the East, crossing over Steele pass from Eureka Valley, and descending from Racetrack Valley.

A fascinating feature is the Saline Salt Tram, a cable tramway constructed in 1911 to transport the extremely pure salt found in the lakebed across the Inyo mountains and down to the railroad in Owens valley. The tramway was a remarkable engineering feat, and functioned intermittently (losing money all the time) until 1936. It was the steepest tramway in the United States, rising from 1100 feet in the Saline Valley floor to 8500 feet at the Inyo Crest, then dropping to 3600 feet at Swansea. Despite its National Register status, the Salt Works and tramway have been severely damaged by vandals. Virtually all of the structures within easy access of roads, including both terminals, have been dismantled and carted off by wood gatherers and junk collectors. However, the summit structure on the crest of the Inyos is extremely difficult of access, and remains largely intact, together with the adjacent living quarters for the machinery operators. To visit it requires an exhilarating climb in low-ratio 4WD up the Swansea Grade from highway 190, or an equally scary traverse below the Inyo ridge along a shelf road from Cerro Gordo.

A further curiosity of the area is the marble bath at Steele Pass, which is generally reckoned to be the most remote place in California. Many maps bear the marking ‘Marble Bath’ adjacent to the pass. However, extensive searches by myself, and by others who report their experiences on the web, have never turned up any natural feature that could be described as a marble bath – for example, a rock depression that might collect rainwater. Indeed, there seems to be no marble, or limestone outcrops anywhere near. But, if you look into the shallow canyon leading east immediately after dropping down from the pass toward Saline Valley, you will find an actual cast-iron bathtub filled with blue marbles! Click HERE to learn more about the story of the 'Marble Bath'.