Trail Review: Fall Canyon, Death Valley National Park
Parking: Free parking in gravel parking lot. Death Valley National Park does have a $30 entrance fee. More about the park fees HERE.
Distance: 6.6 miles out & back
The hike for Fall Canyon starts at the parking lot for Titus Canyon. Google Maps may try to send you around to the Eastern side of the mountain range because Titus Canyon can be viewed by driving a one-way road from East to West, and I think the one-way road confuses Google a bit. However, the quickest way to the parking lot (if you are already in the main part of the park) is to come up the 2.7 mile two-way section of Titus Canyon Road from Scotty's Castle Road. The two-way section ends at the parking lot. It's a loose gravel road so driving slowly is important, especially if you don't have a high clearance vehicle.
At the parking lot, there are two options for hikes, Titus Canyon Narrows or Fall Canyon. For Fall Canyon, you'll want to look for the smaller path that starts just behind the single stall bathroom. There is also a sign with instructions for the two canyons if you get confused.
The first section of the trail brings you around the outer edge of the hills to the actual canyon. It has some uphill and downhill sections, including a short, very steep downhill section right before you get to the mouth of the canyon. If you turn around, or just wait for the return journey, you'll get some really awesome views of the valley from here.
The trail overall isn't that difficult in terms of steepness. The vast majority of the trail has a very gradual incline. The thing that actually makes it difficult is all the loose gravel. The rocks really make your legs work to move forward and just about the whole trail is like this, so be prepared for quite a leg workout!
Much of the canyon is shady from the tall rocky walls, although we did go in and out of some sunny spots along the way. The path remains generally wide for much of the trek as well. It isn't until you get toward the end when you'll notice the path narrowing significantly. The rock formations and canyon walls are certainly interesting and cool to look at.
The end of the 3.3 mile journey is marked by a 25 foot dryfall. It's crazy to think about but, approximately 50,000 years ago, Death Valley was filled with water, creating these massive canyons over time. The water is long gone but we can still enjoy the wonders of nature that were left behind.
Once you feel like you've taken in the dryfall, turn around and head back the way you came. Remember, as you exit the canyon, you'll get some pretty sweet views of the valley!
Bottom Line: A moderately difficult hike due to the loose gravel throughout. The trail winds up through a deep canyon to a 25 foot dry fall. The rock formations and deep canyon walls are a highlight of the trek.
Comments