A bit underwhelming. If you visit be sure to stop at the short trail area as you drive out, which takes you to a pond which has the fish swimming and visible
VISIT POINT OF ROCK VERY CLOSE TO THIS. Very very little parking here, a small walk up to the viewing platform. Definitely bring binoculars or something to see down into the area that has water because I couldn't see a dang thing without them.
I noticed people complaining about the road to the hole but I found it flat and nicely graded. Dirt road, able to drive about 40mph comfortably and my car is not an off road vehicle of any kind.
On your way out visit POINT OF ROCK. Parking lot with toilets available. You'll be able to see another variety of the pup fish on the boardwalk trail very easily. I highly recommend stopping there to actually see some wildlife.
A place long on the bucket-list, now checked. Long dusty road, very interesting, unexpected hole. Saw no fish, just bugs and scum. Over 100 degrees, as expected
It’s cool… but there isn’t really anything to see or do. Walk 100 feet to look down at a small thing of water, and then think about the ancient fish in there.
Iconic that it exists, I just don’t think it’s worth going too far out of your way for except to say you went.
Although the uniqueness of the geological feature is pretty incredible, there isn’t much to see (no wow factor) but very interesting. I would recommend this if you were in the area but would just read about it rather than go out of the way to make it a destination place.
the fact multiple divers dive this multiple times a day to count fish, but its closed to the public, is honesty hilarious to think about. Hows the irony not immediately evident to everyone involved? ?
Interesting place to walk, but the fencing covers up a lot of the area. Be sure to check out the right side hole too. I didn't get to see any fish, but took a bunch of 360 photos on google maps
There are two holes protected by fence. You can’t see much except that you could see water in the first hole deep down. The walk isn’t easy. Totally waste my time.
The only part of Death Valley NP that’s open in early Sept 2023 following Hurricane Hillary. Devil’s Hole is tucked away in Ash Meadows NWR. Small parking area and then you walk up a gravel path to the viewing platform. The path has some dips from water run off. Very cool to see. We couldn’t really see any pup fish here, but at the AMNWR visitor’s center, they recommended visiting first thing in the morning. Maybe not worth a special visit on its own, but was fun to check out along with the rest of what was open at Ash Meadows (two areas still undergoing post-hurricane repairs).
The history behind this place is pretty interesting although you can’t see much of anything by getting there. You can go down and see a similar species of fish down in the ash meadows pond, but you are in a gate at this one. If you’re in the area it’s definitely Worth checking out for the experience. I think it’s helpful to stop at the information centre before you go up to anywhere. Bring some water, the cage that you view it from is not too far from the road but you do have to walk a little bit up, you can also go to the right and check out another gated off cavern but you can’t see much
Definitely worth the stop if you are going to Death Valley from Las Vegas. Gravel roads to get there but well graded. Super cool and unique geology and science.
Hello fellow intelligent crustations. No washing bears here, only pupfish. Is this fence compatible with Marxism? Maybe. Devil's Hole isn't the Devil's, nor a good hole.
Sure is a hole, as advertised. I was content to know the cyprinodon diabolis is there, but it's probably not very exciting for people to see. Make sure to go to the Point of Rocks boardwalk to actually see some amargosa pupfish, they're also cute, very visible and there's good birding.
An area of great natural beauty and a testament to endangered species conservation. Definitely not the most exciting place for most people, but NV has plenty else to do if a nature walk isn't your style.
To be very frank I felt this is a over hyped place.
First you need to drive a long way to reach and on top of it the last 6 miles is a very rusty road and your car will take a toll for sure . After reaching with such a great difficulty all you get to see is a small hole with very less water from a very far distance .
If you are visiting death valley for 2-3 days please don’t waste your time on this , there are plenty of other options ??
This was an awesome little gem ? in the middle the desert ?… in fact the entire Ash Meadows Area is actually quite stunning ?. I can’t believe how deep the two holes are ? ? ? ?
Cute pupfish. Imagine living in isolation so long you just transcend into something new. The level of unbotheredness while so many wish for your death and yet others fiercely protect your right to live. Truly iconic little fish ?Thanks askamortician ?
To see the Devil’s Hole, you must park outside the gate and walk up 0.15 miles. There is then another Devil’s Hole (#2) that is another 0.15 miles beyond that. You cannot get close enough to see the fish but the info graphics are interesting to read.
There is (now) fencing and and enclosure around it to ensure people can’t go into it or get too close.
Save the Pupfish, what could be more exciting than Pupfish, dead divers and a hole named for the Devil himself? Seriously Rolf, what could be more deserving of a 5 star review than that? Thanks Caitlin!!!!!
Three cheers for Caitlin! Incredibly interesting place. Who wouldn't like a random hole in the desert that mysteriously houses the rarest fish in the world? Efforts to preserve their habitat are a testament to how empathetic and caring human beings can be!
While it may seem just like an average hole, its history is worth the visit. With the rarest fish in the world (save the pupfish!!), 2 (maybe more, who knows) dead bodies, and background in Helter Skelter, it has become one of my favorite sites. While to your average onlooker it may seem as "nothing spectacular," it truly is a place of beauty.
Good morning, Starshine! The Earth says "Hello!"
What a fascinating tale the history of Devils Hole is. I knew of the Manson connection many years ago, but had absolutely no idea about the Pupfish or the legal wrangle surrounding them.
Very interesting place with the world's rarest fish (gooooo pupfish!!) and 2 dead divers (RIP) plus plays a part in Charles Manson's crazy idea of Helter Skelter.
How else came here after Caitlin's (Ask a mortician) video?
Devils Hole is an off-site extension of Death Valley National Park. It is not located in California but rather east of Death Valley, across the CA/NV border in the Mojave Desert. This small square of detached Death Valley/NPS protected land sits next to the boundaries of Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.
Devils Hole is a deep water-filled cave that seemingly sits beneath a small volcanic/basalt mountain. The Devils Hole pupfish, a threatened species that became isolated here after the Ice Age, has since adapted to 92 degree water living along the cave’s shallow shelf. It became one of the first species protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1967 as threatened. The rare pupfish were given further protections by the US Supreme Court in 1976 when it established minimum water levels. It is estimated that between 100 to 500 pupfish live within Devils Hole, dependent on conditions.
When you enter this NPS site, protective fences keep you away from viewing the Devils Hole pupfish. The observation walkway does allow viewing of the narrow cave opening and the water far below. But that’s OK, given this desolate location of Devils Hole and the necessary protective requirements in order to keep these rare pupfish from extinction. Rather, a visit here gives you the sense of extreme location of this unusual isolated survivor of the Ice Age thousands of years ago.
I entered Devils Hole from US 95 to Hwy 160 through the small town of Crystal. I wouldn’t recommend this route. Paved for only a short distance, it leaves you with some 15 miles of a bumpy washboard road. Crossing the dry lake bed of Amargosa Flat wasn’t so flat. This simply is the case of a shortcut not being worthwhile.
I exited the Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge heading south towards Death Valley, connecting onto Bell Vista Road towards Pahrump. This dirt road was better maintained (no washboard) and less than 5 miles long. If coming from the direction of Las Vegas, using Highway 160 is a significantly better route.
Again, visiting Devils Hole doesn’t allow one great access to view the threatened pupfish. It does, though, allow one to experience the extreme isolation of location of the home of this rare pupfish in its water-filled cave. If you’re OK with that, a visit here is certainly worthwhile.
