Water Clock

The slow dripping of water in this vertical cave shaft resembles the sound of a ticking clock.

NPS Photo/ Thomas DiGiovannangelo

Quick Facts

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Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present, Scenic View/Photo Spot

If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of water dripping. On the surface, water has found a weak spot in the sandstone caprock and over time has dripped down creating a vertical shaft. It was here that early guides would stop with their groups and spin a tale about being able to tell what time it was by the steady dripping of the water. The story has been passed down through generations of guides. Earning this location the name, “The Water Clock”. Is it possible to tell the correct time by the dripping? … This is simply a tall tale. The drip rate is never constant due to the rainfall from the surface.