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How hot is Devils Hole?

The cavern is over 500 feet (152 m) deep and the bottom has never been mapped. Devils Hole provides its resident pupfish with conditions of constant temperature (92°F, 33°C) and salinity, unlike the fluctuating environments of many other pupfish.



Devils Hole, a detached unit of Death Valley National Park in Nevada, maintains a remarkably constant water temperature of approximately 93°F (34°C) year-round. This extreme temperature is not caused by sunlight, as the water is located at the bottom of a deep limestone cavern, but rather by geothermal heating from the Earth's crust. This "hot" environment is one of the most stressful habitats on Earth for fish, yet it is the only natural home of the critically endangered Devils Hole Pupfish. The water is not just hot; it is also very low in dissolved oxygen, making it a "biological island" where life exists at the very edge of its physiological limits. The temperature is so stable because the pool is part of a massive underground aquifer system that spans hundreds of miles; the sheer volume of water acts as a thermal buffer. For a human, 93°F feels like a lukewarm bath, but for the pupfish, it is a constant struggle for survival, especially during the summer when the shallow "spawning shelf" can heat up even further, occasionally reaching temperatures that can be lethal to their eggs.

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Devil's Hole was a moniker the area earned for its difficult terrain making it tough to navigate. The battle in 1763 only reinforced the nickname among locals, and it stuck.

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According to geologists, the caves were formed over 500,000 years ago. The pool has frequently experienced activity due to far away earthquakes in Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, and Chile, which have been likened to extremely small scale tsunamis.

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Description. Explore the depths of Devils Hole, an underwater cave nestled in the vast desert of Death Valley National Park. Aside from its peculiar location, this complex cave system is home to the rarest fish in the world, the Devils Hole Pupfish. Get ready to dive a world unlike any other.

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Devils Hole State Park is a good place to start your sightseeing in Niagara County. This recreation and green space won't cost you a cent. Niagara Falls State Park, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls are close by and also worth visiting.

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Life in Death Valley Coyotes, ravens, roadrunners, ground squirrels and lizards are the most commonly seen wildlife of the region, but there are many species who thrive here, hidden or unnoticed by visitors.

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