Fall Canyon

Our last part of the Death Valley trip featured a half-day hike up Fall Canyon starting from the Titus Canyon Trailhead.  It was advertised as 3 miles each way; my pedometer recorded about 8.5 miles worth of walking, almost all on the gravel floor of the desert wash.  The canyon walls rose hundreds of feet overhead.  Rock textures were remarkably varied.  After hiking through badlands the previous morning, the subtle desert vegetation seemed riotous by comparison.  We even caught sight of a large lizard, biggest I can remember ever seeing in the California desert.  We left the parking area at 1:15 PM, drove back to Las Vegas, flew to Oakland, and arrived home about 10:45 PM.  We debated and did not resolve whether the smarter way to get to Death Valley would have been to drive the full distance -- about the same elapsed time, with more "wear and tear" (maybe) but much more flexible.  Overall, it was a spectacular 4 days, giving us a new appreciation for the stark beauty of the desert, amplified by the extremes of Death Valley.  The weather was almost delightful — March was the perfect time for a visit!