What is the real Devils Hole?

Devils Hole is a tectonic cave developed in the discharge zone of a regional aquifer in south-central Nevada. The walls of this predominantly subaqueous (underwater) cavern are coated with dense vein calcite that precipitated from groundwater moving through the cavern.



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The Devil's Hole area was the site of a massacre of a British wagon train by the Senecas on Sept. 14, 1763. The Senecas felt they were being deceived in trade deals they had with the British for portaging goods around the falls. It is believed that 81 British soldiers were killed.

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Start at the gorge overlook at Devil's Hole, and head down the stone stairway. There are an estimated 410 steps heading down.

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At Badwater, significant rainstorms flood the valley bottom periodically, covering the salt pan with a thin sheet of standing water. Each newly-formed lake does not last long though, because the 1.9 inches of average rainfall is overwhelmed by a 150-inch annual evaporation rate.

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The salt pan of Death Valley is the dried-up bed of Lake Manly, a 600' deep lake that existed about 150,000 years ago.

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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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With a maximum depth of 54 feet, Devil's Den Spring offers ancient rock formations that date back 33 million years. Divers and snorkelers can enjoy fantastic views inside crystal clear water that remains a cool 72 degrees year-round. Also, don't worry about dangerous wildlife in the water.

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The Devils Hole pupfish have been isolated 10,000 to 20,000 years, longer than any other in the Death Valley system. Devils Hole itself is a water-filled cavern cut into the side of a hill. The cavern is over 500 feet (152 m) deep and the bottom has never been mapped.

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At 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level, Death Valley might be expected to be filled with water. But the desert is subject to a rain shadow effect, as humid air masses traveling east from the Pacific Ocean must cross four mountain ranges before they reach the desert valley.

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Death Valley's landscape has been changing for millions of years. It is changing now, and will continue to change long after we have departed. Erosion slowly carves away at the ancient rock formations, reshaping the surface of the land. The basin continues to subside and the mountains rise ever higher.

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