Rainbow Canyon, Canyon in Death Valley National Park, United States.

Rainbow Canyon is a canyon within Death Valley National Park featuring steep walls that rise roughly 1,000 feet (300 m), displaying multicolored rock layers in shades of red, grey, and pink. The varied mineral formations create a striking pattern along the rock faces, with a narrow passage accessible from California State Route 190.

Rainbow Canyon was cut through basalt lava flows and lapilli beds of the Darwin Hills volcanoes, which last erupted two to four million years ago in the Pliocene. Granite and marble, including calc-silicate hornfels, lie exposed beneath the lava in its deepest parts. Erosion later opened the gorge, whose walls reach about 1,000 feet.

Photographers and aircraft enthusiasts gather at Father Crowley Overlook to watch fighter jets perform training maneuvers through the narrow passage. This activity has made the location a meeting point for people interested in aviation and military operations.

The best viewing location is Father Crowley Overlook, accessible from California State Route 190, though mobile service and facilities are limited in this remote area. Bring adequate water and supplies, as services are sparse nearby.

Hundreds of petroglyphs carved by the Coso people, who once inhabited the area, are found in the canyon. The rock walls also expose granite and marble, metamorphosed Paleozoic limestone, beneath the lava in the deepest sections.