After a few months off, I am back with the next post in my series of posts from our trip to Death Valley National Park last April. Prior posts include Ubehebe Crater, Zabriske Point, Dante’s View, and the Father Crowley Overlook. This post covers our visit to Badwater Basin.

Sitting 282 ft (86m) below sea level, Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America. Just 84 miles (136 km) to the northwest, Mt. Whitney rises 14,505 feet (4,421 m) as the highest point in the contiguous US states. Eastern California is a place of amazing geography.

Wikipedia tells us that Badwater Basin is an endorheic basin — a basin that has no drainage to other bodies of water. Over the centuries it has accumulated salt from the evaporating water. Normally very dry, this past year two rainstorms created Lake Manly, a rare ephemeral lake in Badwater Basin. For a while it was deep enough for kayaking. Sadly, I was unable to get there to see it and I believe it is mostly gone now. All of the accumulated salt makes what little water there is undrinkable, hence the name “Badwater.”

Badwater Basin is almost directly below Dante’s View. The Badwater Basin parking area is just out of sight in the lower right hand side of this picture. Click on any picture to get a full-sized view.

From the parking area, you can walk out onto the salt flats. The white line in the picture above is the white walkway in the picture below. Snow-covered Telescope Peak is in the background.

On the hillside right above the parking area, the Park Service has helpfully marked sea level. It is a ways up the hill.

Most of the ground is covered by a salty, dry, and crusty mud.

The salt grains are visible when you look up close.

The view of the salt flats at the end of this walk is supposed to be good. We didn’t take the time to walk the mile or so out.

This small pool is home to the Badwater snail, a tiny snail found only in this location.

The views across Death Valley are always stunning.

Upcoming posts will feature The Devil’s Golf Course, Artist’s Palate, and the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.