Darwin Falls facts for kids
Darwin Falls is a beautiful waterfall found on the western side of Death Valley National Park in California. It's close to a small place called Panamint Springs. Even though there's a place nearby called the Darwin Falls Wilderness, the waterfall itself is inside Death Valley National Park. The park is managed by the National Park Service.
Darwin Falls isn't just one big waterfall. It's actually a series of falls, usually split into an upper part and a lower part, with a small cave-like area (called a grotto) in between. When you add up all its parts, Darwin Falls is about 80 feet (24 m) tall. This makes it the tallest waterfall in Death Valley National Park! The canyon around the falls has amazing walls made of a type of rock called plutonic rock. This rock forms deep underground from melted rock.
Darwin Creek is one of only four streams in Death Valley National Park that flow all year long. This is pretty special because Death Valley is a huge desert! The water for Darwin Falls and Creek comes from an area called Darwin Wash. This wash gets its water from a high, flat area of volcanic rock called the Darwin Bench.
The small, narrow valley where the creek and falls are found is a rare green spot in the middle of the desert. It has lots of riparian greenery, which means plants that love to grow near water. This green area is home to different animals, like quail. The waterfalls themselves also help many small ferns grow in the damp, shady spots.
Darwin Falls, the nearby Darwin Falls Wilderness, and the town of Darwin, California, are all named after a person. They are named after Dr. Darwin French (1822–1902). He was a local rancher, miner, and explorer who lived in the area a long time ago.
How to Visit Darwin Falls
Darwin Falls is open for everyone to visit. The falls are in a small, narrow valley near Panamint Valley. To get to the trail for Darwin Falls, you'll need to find a dirt road. This road is on the south side of State Route 190, about .25 miles (400 m) west of Panamint Springs.
The hike to the lower falls is about 1 mile (1.6 km) long each way. It starts out easy but gets a bit harder near the end. The lower falls are about 20 feet (10 m) tall. You can usually drive to the trailhead with a regular 2WD car. But if you have a 4WD vehicle, you can drive even farther along the path. This will make your hike a bit shorter. If you want to see the upper falls, you'll need to do some moderate climbing. There are also some spots where you might feel a bit high up (this is called exposure).
Your Hike to Darwin Falls
- Pictures from the trail to Darwin Falls
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Parking at the main trail head for the canyon.
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The view of Darwin Canyon from the trail head.
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As you walk, the dry path turns into moist mud, showing water is nearby.
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The growing creek starts to have reeds and other water-loving plants.
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The creek and the rock walls make the trail narrow; the mud can be slippery.
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Tall rock walls surround Darwin Canyon and the trail. Trees start to appear.
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Darwin Creek and its green plants are a surprise in Death Valley National Park.
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The first look at the lower falls from the trail. Notice the ferns growing here.
