A series of recent storms has dropped more than 3 inches of rain on Death Valley, causing millions of dollars' worth of damage to the normally parched 3.3-million-acre National Park.
Water rushed down the canyon on Oct. 18, snapping power poles and covering historic buildings in mud. Several of the park's attractions will close during a major cleanup effort.
Park spokeswoman Abby Wines says Scotty's Castle, a Spanish-style mansion that offers guided tours, may not reopen until well into 2016.
The flash flood deposited about two feet of mud and debris inside Scotty's Castle visitor center.
Wines said the park's total damage estimate is $20 million.
Death Valley National Park usually gets just 2 inches of rain a year and only 0.07 inch in October.
According to Wines, this is the worst flood to hit Death Valley since August 2004.
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While the storms were not attributed to El Niño weather patterns, park officials said they anticipate more storms than normal in the next few months due to El Niño.
