Salt Creek

Salt Creek provides water in a dry desert landscape and is home to the endemic Salt Creek Pupfish.

NPS/J. Jurado

Quick Facts

Location:

Death Valley National Park

Significance:

Interpretive Trail

Amenities

8 listed

Benches/Seating, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Toilet - Vault/Composting, Trailhead, Wheelchair Accessible

Rare water in the desert leads to an abundance of life.

Those who visit Salt Creek during the summer witness a dry landscape with brittle plant life, but a return visit in the winter is an entirely different experience. When the air temperature drops, flowing water returns to the dry bed of Salt Creek. Pickleweed plants growing along the banks thirstily suck up this life-bringing water, birds can be seen in the shallows, and macroinvertebrates crawl and swim under the surface. Perhaps most exciting of all is the return of the Salt Creek Pupfish- small blue fish which dart in and out of the underwater vegetation.  

Salt Creek pupfish are specifically adapted to the unique habitat of Salt Creek and can tolerate salt concentrations several times that of sea water. The fish take advantage of the cooler winter months to spawn, then as summer approaches, must retreat up the creek toward its spring-fed source to avoid perishing in the drying pools. Pupfish earned their name from the lively behavior they display during spawning, which some people liken to playful puppies.

Located approximately 15 minutes west of Furnace Creek Visitor Center, off CA 190, Salt Creek is a unique haven in an arid environment. Here, visitors can view the pupfish and other species which rely on the water of the creek from a wooden ADA-accessible boardwalk which crisscrosses the creek. The boardwalk is a 0.5 mile (0.8 km) trail with benches along the way. Please be respectful of this VERY FRAGILE environment; do not step off the boardwalk.  
 

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HIKING NOT ADVISED AFTER 10 AM IN THE SUMMER

Round Trip Length: 0.5 miles (0.8 km)
Round Trip Time: 30 minutes  
Difficulty: Easy 
Elevation Gain: none-flat
Trail Type: ADA accessible wooden boardwalk loop
Location: Unpaved Salt Creek Road located 13 miles (20km) west of Furnace Creek off CA-190.
Parking: Open gravel parking area large enough for RVs and buses  
Closest Restroom: Vault toilet located in the parking lot 
Route: Boardwalk loop paralleling and crossing Salt Creek, with benches and interpretive signs.