Fall Canyon
verified
ACA 2A
High flood risk
Beatty, NV
Long Grapevine Mountains canyon with sustained narrows above the standard turnaround, gained from the Titus Canyon Road trailhead via an unflashy pea-gravel wash hike.
The bypass at the dry fall is a class 4 move on loose conglomerate; treat it as expert-only. The mileage logged on most trip reports stops at the dry fall, which is why "3 mi each way" and "4.3 mi descent" both appear in the literature; they describe different turnarounds.
Logistics
| Manager | NPS Death Valley NP |
|---|---|
| Permit | No permit required. Park entrance fee applies. |
| Distance | 6 RT to the 25 ft dry fall; 9 total for full canyon |
| Elevation | ~2460 ft gain to dry fall; ~3068 ft for full descent |
| Time | 3-4 hr standard; full day for upper canyon |
| Technical | Non-technical hike up the wash from Titus Canyon Road trailhead to a 25 ft dry fall that blocks further passage to most parties. Expert scramblers can bypass via a class 4 ledge on canyon-right. Upper canyon is graded 2A III with a single optional rappel and is a long day from the road. |
| Season | Nov-Mar. Dangerous heat May-Sep. |
| Flood risk | High. Grapevine Mountains drainage, sustained narrows above the dry fall. |
| Vehicle access | Passenger car. 2.7 mi unpaved Titus Canyon Road off Scotty's Castle Rd, normally fine for sedans. |
| Crowd | Moderate. Most parties turn around at the dry fall. |
| Coordinates | 36.8434, -117.1565 |