Description

The Chicken Strip, formally known as the Saline Valley Warm Springs Airfield, is a non-towered dirt airstrip located within Death Valley National Park. It provides general aviation fly-in access to the Saline Valley hot springs and sits at an elevation of 1,360 feet above mean sea level.

The strip measures approximately 1,400 feet long and 35 feet wide, includes a tie-down area for up to five small planes, and features a windsock and painted rocks lining the runway. Visitors who fly in often camp next to their aircraft.

History and Purpose
The airstrip was built in the 1960s to provide quicker access to the nearby hot springs. Without it, the only alternative access is an arduous 40-mile dirt road that can take three to four hours to complete.

Historically, the land was managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which did not restrict use of the airstrip. When roughly one million acres were transferred to Death Valley National Park under the California Desert Protection Act in 1994, the Chicken Strip technically became closed by default, since NPS lands require specific authorization for aircraft operations — though the closure was never enforced.

Legal Authorization
On August 19, 2019, the NPS issued an official authorization, legally sanctioning the long-established use of the backcountry airstrip.

Maintenance and Use
Volunteers with the Recreational Aviation Foundation (RAF) maintain the airstrip at no cost to taxpayers.

Challenges
The Chicken Strip is famous among recreational pilots for its dramatic desert scenery and the challenges it poses to small plane pilots. It has faced periodic closures due to storm damage — most notably after a rare flooding event brought nearly two inches of rain in just three hours, cutting deep ruts into the gravel runway — but volunteer crews have consistently worked to restore it to operation.