Devil's Hole was named for its treacherous terrain, but it was a terrain the Senecas knew well and cared deeply for. When a British convoy of wagons passed through Devil's Hole on September 14, 1763 it was met by hundreds of Senecas in ambush.
Formerly it was called 'Le Creux de Vis' or Spiral Cave. One possible derivation for its modern name is connected with the shipwreck of a French boat in 1851. Its figurehead was thrust by the tide straight into the hole and a local sculptor transformed the torso into a wooden devil, complete with horns.
Devils Hole Pupfish
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.
Devil's Hole, on the other hand, is a flooded earthquake fault, formed by one of the earthquake or faulting actions of the Mesozoic period. Extending into the earth from the base of an unnamed mountain in the Amargosa Desert, it filled with the water that permeated the rest of the underground area.
The path of the former waterfall created the 300 foot deep Devil's Hole Gorge and two cave systems the park is now known for.
Despite the relatively shallow depth, the force of the water rushing over the falls is incredibly powerful and can create dangerous currents and undertows, which is why swimming and other water activities are not allowed in the area.
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.
On its surface, a gap in the rock the size of a living room drops down 30 feet to a limestone shelf and hot water pool. Below, a series of tunnels lead to numerous caverns and the “infinity cave,” a giant underwater lake that has never been fully mapped. Several adventurers have tried to find its deepest contours.
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.
Located in southern Nevada, the “hole” itself is a fissure in the earth's surface that split open 60,000 years ago to reveal an astonishing underworld: a water-filled limestone cavern. Ironically, beneath the hottest, driest place in the Western Hemisphere stretches a vast aquifer system.
i. One that extends into solid coal beyond the part that can be broken by the maximum safe charge of explosive.
Start at the gorge overlook at Devil's Hole, and head down the stone stairway. There are an estimated 410 steps heading down. They are overgrown with weeds, crumbling and constant rock slides morph and cover the trail. Watch your step and be mindful of those making the climb up–their task is a bit more grueling.
The Devils Hole Pupfish is the Rarest Fish in the World
It's that cool. There is so much to write home about the Devils Hole pupfish and its crazy-alluring environment, so—please—read on! But if you take away one thing—and one thing only—let it be this: it's the rarest fish in the whole world.
Devils Hole is nestled within the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, an incredibly biodiverse, spring-fed oasis in southern Nevada.
The average water depth over most of the surrounding area is between 80m and 90m but reaches over 230m in the deepest part of the trench.
Devil's Bath is a large cenote located on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. With a depth of 44 metres (144 ft) and a circumference of 359 metres (1,178 ft), it is considered one of the largest cenotes in Canada.
Death Valley is home to the Timbisha tribe of Native Americans, formerly known as the Panamint Shoshone, who have inhabited the valley for at least the past millennium. Death Valley's Badwater Basin is the point of lowest elevation in North America, at 282 feet (86 m) below sea level.
This swimming spot features the park's big rocks with ledges rising up to 40 feet above the water. Do take note that while diving and swimming are allowed at the waterhole, there is no lifeguard, so you will swim at your own risk.
Devils Hole Pupfish: These iridescent blue inch-long endangered fish have provided to be an interesting and unusual permanent resident of Death Valley. Devils Hole pupfish is one of the rarest fishes in the world. The fish's only natural habitat is the 93-degree waters of Devils Hole, Death Valley National Park.
Devil's Hole is a large water-filled sinkhole about 80 feet deep, close to the southeastern corner of Harrington Sound.
Located in both California and Nevada, it's the largest national park in the lower 48 states and has nearly 1,000 miles of roads that provide access to both popular and remote locations in the park. In celebration of the park's anniversary, here are 12 things you might not have known about Death Valley!
While the recommended maximum depth for conventional scuba diving is 130 feet, technical divers may work in the range of 170 feet to 350 feet, sometimes even deeper.
The deepest blue hole in the world at 300.89 meters (987 feet) deep is in the South China Sea and is named the Dragon Hole, or Longdong. The second deepest blue hole in the world with underwater entrance at 202 metres (663 ft) is Dean's Blue Hole, located in a bay west of Clarence Town on Long Island, Bahamas.
A recreational diving limit of 130 feet can be traced back decades. The deepest your typical recreational scuba diver can go is 130 feet. In order to venture further and explore wrecks, caves and other sites beyond 130 feet, these agencies — such as PADI, NAUI and SSI — require “technical” certifications.
When the American Falls was temporarily diverted in 1969, two bodies were found; the identities were not disclosed. There have been no recorded cases of people surviving the trip over the American Falls.