Salt flat adjacent to the Black Mountains that descends to the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below sea level
General Information
Length:
2 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain:
~10 feet
Difficulty
Easy
Hours:
Open daily, 24 hours a day
Best visited early morning or late afternoon to avoid extreme heat
Best visited early morning or late afternoon to avoid extreme heat
Fees:
Private Vehicle (7-day pass): $30
Motorcycle (7-day pass): $25
Individual (on foot or bicycle, 7-day pass): $15
Annual Death Valley Pass: $55
America the Beautiful Pass: $80
Motorcycle (7-day pass): $25
Individual (on foot or bicycle, 7-day pass): $15
Annual Death Valley Pass: $55
America the Beautiful Pass: $80
Pet Policy:
Pets are not allowed on the boardwalk or salt flats
May be walked on nearby roads and parking areas, must be leashed (max 6 feet)
May be walked on nearby roads and parking areas, must be leashed (max 6 feet)
Closest cities with hotels:
Furnace Creek (17 mi)
Beatty, NV (~1 hr)
Pahrump, NV (~1.5 hrs)
Beatty, NV (~1 hr)
Pahrump, NV (~1.5 hrs)
Seasons:
Winter, Spring, and Fall: Ideal for mild temperatures and scenic views
Summer: Not recommended due to extreme heat; limit outdoor exposure to under 15 minutes
Summer: Not recommended due to extreme heat; limit outdoor exposure to under 15 minutes
Location:
Website:
How to Get There
From Furnace Creek (17 mi): Drive south on Badwater Road for approximately 17 miles until you reach the paved parking area at Badwater Basin.
Overview
Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America, 282 feet below sea level, a vast salt flat in Death Valley National Park just 85 miles from Mount Whitney. A boardwalk leads to a spring-fed pool of “bad water” and out onto hexagonal salt crystal formations. It is extremely hot in summer, so visit early or in the cooler months.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Badwater Basin", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0
