Darwin Falls is a 25-foot spring-fed waterfall in Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California. The spring that feeds it also supplies drinking water to nearby Panamint Springs Resort. Its perennial flow and the green strip of riparian plants around it stand out in the Mojave desert, and the falls are reached by a moderate hike from CA 190.
The falls
Spring water on Darwin Creek runs between canyon walls of plutonic rock and drops over the lower falls, the one most visitors reach. Published directories list the drop at 25 feet, while the Park Service records about 18 feet for the same fall. Combined with an upper drop separated by a grotto, the total cascade reaches about 80 feet.
Getting there
The 2.5-mile access road was destroyed by flooding in 2023, and as of September 2026 Darwin Falls Road remains closed to vehicles, likely until summer 2027. Hikers park on the shoulder of CA 190 and walk in. The route covers 7 miles round trip with about 450 feet of gain and is rated moderate.
Death Valley admission in 2026 is $30 per private vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, and $15 on foot or by bicycle, valid for seven days; visitors under 16 enter free and interagency passes are accepted. Payment is cashless, and no entry reservation is needed. There is no restroom at the trailhead.
When to go
The spring keeps the falls running all year. In summer hikers are advised against starting this trek after 10 am.
On site
Swimming and wading are not allowed because the pool is the resort's drinking-water source. Pets are prohibited on the route. In May 1991 a climber fell 15 feet here and suffered a broken leg, requiring an evacuation by helicopter.
History and name
The falls take their name from Erasmus Darwin French, an Army physician who came west in 1846 and prospected for silver in the area.
Nearby
Fossil Falls is about 32.4 miles away across the desert, and Portal Falls on Lone Pine Creek lies about 43.9 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.