Route: The California Desert Four

This adventure challenge is successfully completed by doing a comprehensive, terminus-to-terminus crossing of the four largest and most renowned desert recreational areas in California, along the longest "axis" of each park, about a 450 mile ordeal in total. The four parks are listed below in order from the northernmost park to the southernmost park. The featured GPS tracks are the ones pulled from each respective FKT route page, linked below in the list. 

Death Valley National Park (North to South - Approximately 152.9 miles)

Mojave National Preserve (West to East - Approximately 129 miles)

Joshua Tree National Park (West to East- Approximately 79.5 miles)

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (North to South - Approximately 89.7 miles)

Instructions for successful completion of each traverse can be found on each respective FKT page. 

This website contains more information on the rationale of the challenge, as well as trip reports, videos and pictures for each traverse. 

Any illegal actions will disqualify an FKT. To ensure legal movement, please see specific guidance on the Anza-Borrego S/N Crossing (CA) page. 

Sam Kottoor’s provided website is to be used only as an informational resource, but should not be followed as an exact guide because it describes some actions that would disqualify an FKT. 

Considerations: 

1. The four traverses can be done in any order, but each traverse should NOT be broken up into segments.

2. Any time of year is allowed. 

3. Park termini change over time. For example, the Southern Terminus of Death Valley is different from when the route was first done. Alessandro Tassinari has completed the Death Valley route with the new Southern Terminus. Do your own research and reach out to the FKT team with your findings before an attempt. Please share your findings with me (Sam Kottoor) as well to keep the website updated!

4. Trip variations (different than style) include "driving between", "cycling between", and "walking between" for getting from the end of one traverse to the beginning of the other.