Saline Valley scenic byway is located in east-central California, near the Nevada border. Southern access is southeast of Keeler off CA 190. The byway travels north to the junction of Owens Valley to Death Valley scenic byway. Saline Valley is 82 miles long and follows Saline Valley Road, which is mostly a county-maintained graded dirt road. Ten miles of the byway are paved. The road is subject to temporary closure after periods of heavy rain, otherwise it is generally open year-round. A two-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicle is required to safely travel the route.
Saline Valley Back Country Byway offers sweeping vistas of the Panamint and Saline valleys as it crosses the remote desert. Views of the Inyo Mountains dominate the landscape, as they reach heights of 10,000 feet above the valley floor.
Remnants of the Saline Valley Salt Works and tram are visible from the byway. Operating between 1911 and 1913, it was once the steepest tramway in the United States. It rises from 1,100 feet to 8,500 feet at Inyo Crest and then drops 3,600 feet at Swansea in Owens Valley. The area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Saline Valley Warm Springs is a BLM special management area that provides warm spring bathing and camping. The area is located six miles east of Saline Valley Road.
Death Valley National Park is east of the byway. Side roads provide access to the park where the lowest point in the western hemisphere resides. The national park also offers camping facilities and interesting sights to visit.