Badwater Basin
Badwater Basin is the lowest point in Death Valley and, as such, the lowest point in North America at 279 feet below sea level.
Plan Around Badwater Basin
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Badwater Basin Details
Badwater Basin is the lowest point in Death Valley and, as such, the lowest point in North America at 279 feet below sea level. It is known as an endorheic basin -- a closed valley that drains the surrounding mountains but has no outflow points. Most of the basin consists of 200 square miles of delicate salt flats, although there is a small, spring-fed pool of undrinkable water that gives the area it's name. Rainfall will occasionally fill portions of the basin with a shallow lake, but this quickly evaporates in the arid valley. The basin is located 18 miles south of Death Valley National Park's Furnace Creek Visitor Center and be reached via Badwater Road. The parking lot is near the salty spring. Despite what the sign says, the low point in Death Valley is actually a few miles west amid the salt flats. Visitors can walk a short distance onto the salt flats, but vehicles are prohibited and the high temperatures (up to 120 degrees F) discourage wandering too far.
Difficulty
Low
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Nearby Parks Around Badwater Basin
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Nearby Points of Interest Around Badwater Basin
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1.1 mi away
Lake Manly
Lake Manly was the ancient lake that once filled Death Valley.
1.8 mi away
Badwater Basin
Sitting 282-feet below sea level, this natural basin is the lower point in the United States and all of North America.
2.6 mi away
Badwater Salt Flats Trail
The Badwater salt flats seem to stretch endlessly toward the horizon.
2.8 mi away
Badwater Basin
The Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America, sitting 279 feet below sea level.
3.7 mi away
Eagle Borax Works
The first borax processing operation in Death Valley, the Eagle Borax Works was established in 1882.
