Fall Canyon hike in Death Valley National Park is a doozy. It’s pretty remote, located in the far northern section of the park. While the parking lot can be busy because it shares with the Titus Canyon parking area, the hike is quiet.
The hike is almost entirely on gravel and rocks. I don’t think my feet hit any actual dirt past the first 100 yards. It’s a slog at times, but the views and solitude make it worth it. If uneven terrain is tough for you then this isn’t the hike you want to do. Even my feet were a bit sore afterwards.
The geology and wildness of Death Valley is on full display here. You can see alluvial fan deposits along the base of the towering Grapevine Mountains. Once in the canyon, the banded Bonanza King Formation composed of beautiful stripes of orange and black dolomite and limestone line the towering walls. You may have heard or seen there is a super bloom in Death Valley and indeed, there are yellow and purple flowers everywhere. It’s not the spectacular wildflowers we’ve seen in Oregon, Colorado or even Washington. That said, it’s novel for this desolate desert environment.
The hike eventually ends at a dryish waterfall. There was a small trickle of water when we where there. I was able to lean up against it to soak my shirt to cool me off. I sure wish this was a loop.
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