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| Darwin Falls with the reeds on the left. What a beauty! |
I found myself passing Darwin Falls trailhead this past summer en route to the Sierra Mountains. As cool as they would be, Death Valley was roasting at 118° F. Though I'm no stranger to triple-digit temperature, this was a new record for hiking conditions. I was literally passing through in the middle of the day, with the sun directly overhead. One step out of the air-conditioned Subaru and I was uncomfortably hot. I felt like I was standing too close to a roaring campfire the whole time.
2 miles and I could see no sign of shade. Taking only my hat, water bottle, camera and tripod, I marched off as efficiently as I could. Marching in place in a sauna would be the best training for this hike. After 20 minutes of hiking up the wash, water and trees appeared in the canyon. Grateful for the shade, I hopped over a few puddles and then water flowed slowly down the shallow, muddy ponds. Before long I recognized the canyon's terminus and the split waterfall named after the scientist.
What appeals so much about this waterfall is the symmetrical inverted wishbone shape. Unique because of its' symmetry and clean lines, this waterfall is a dream. From a technical standpoint, I found it challenging to photograph as reeds and other vegetation block a direct view unless you are wading in the water . . . but that water is 6 feet deep: too deep for tripods. So I used telephoto lenses to take slightly off-center photographs. Sun hits the waterfall in the mid morning and early afternoon. It was turning to shade while I was there.
Darwin Falls miraculously runs year round, even in the hottest part of the summer. Enjoy at your own risk.
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| Darwin Falls direct view taken in 6 feet of water. Cameras beware! |
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