About Darwin Falls
When we first heard there was a year-round waterfall in Death Valley National Park we thought it was too good to be true as well. The trailhead to Darwin Falls starts just down the road from the Panamint Springs area of the park.
I highly recommend this hike to everyone visiting the park as a great way to refresh, cool off, and witness a desert miracle firsthand.
Darwin Falls Trail
Hiking down the trail keeps the suspense alive as to whether there is actually any water to be seen in the hottest place on earth
Shortly down the trail however, a creek appears and the suspense builds. Seemingly out of nowhere song birds start singing, crickets start chirping, dragonflies begin buzzing, and even frogs start to croak!
Distance: 1.9 miles roundtrip
Time: 1-2 hours
Looking down at what started as a tiny sliver of water one realizes that they are looking at a full blown creek now. And then it’s there – Darwin Falls in all her beauty.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Darwin Falls is in the morning before it gets too hot. Although if you do wait until it gets to hot there’s water all along the trail to cool you down!
Things to Note When Visiting Darwin Falls
Entrance Fees: The fee to enter Death Valley is $30 per vehicle. If you plan on visiting more than 1 national park this year we suggest you go ahead and purchase the America the Beautiful Pass (which can be found at the entrance gates to most national parks or online here). This pass gets you into all National Parks, Forests, Monuments, and more including 2,000 sites for free after a one time $79 fee.
Guide: I highly recommend this one.
Map: I use this one.
Provisions: Make sure to pack plenty of food & water – there are no services anywhere remotely close to Eureka Dunes.
Sunscreen: For many of us visiting national parks in the summer means lots of sun. Seriously, some of these parks can zap you if you don’t wear sunscreen. We happen to like this one because it works AND it’s not full of a bunch of chemicals.
Leave No Trace: We’re big fans of Leave No Trace, here at MTJP. Want to learn more? Read about the seven principals of Leave No Trace here.
4WD: You don’t need 4WD to access Darwin Falls.
About Death Valley
Situated on California’s southeastern border with Nevada, Death Valley National Park spans over 5,000 square miles of otherworldly vistas. The largest national park in the continental United States, Death Valley is a park for superlatives.
Death Valley is the hottest place on earth, the lowest place in North America, and the driest place in the United States. Death Valley is also the largest National Park outside of Alaska.
The Death Valley Video
In the remote far reaches of the Mojave Desert lies the largest national park in the continental United States. Hidden here in the hottest place on earth is another world full of diverse life and colorful landscapes.
Join us as we take life to the extreme and explore Death Valley. Filmed primarily in 8K.
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