Badwater Basin

Badwater Basin is one of the most iconic places in Death Valley and the most visited. It is well signposted as you travel along Badwater Road.

With the increased amount of visitors, especially on holiday weekends, the large carpark is unable to cope with the volume of vehicles. Cars were parked all along the road when we arrived. We did, however, manage to snag a space, and proceeded to walk to the steps leading down, reading the information plaques as we went.

The first area to view is the Badwater Pool.

How Did Badwater Basin Get Its Name?

It is said, that many years ago, a prospector saw a pool of water and led his mule to drink. Because of the high salt concentration, the animal refused. The prospector, seeing this proclaimed that it must be “bad water”.

The Badwater Pool, a natural spring, is very salty, yet hosts a variety of insects and the rare Badwater Snail. The boardwalk was created so people could enjoy the beauty of what this water has to offer and protect the delicate environment.

Yet still ignorant people choose to trample and destroy this fragile habitat. Even while we were there, we saw a man with his three kids running and jumping in the pools! People are also throwing their rubbish into the waters!

Ranting aside, Badwater has an extraordinary beauty. The sheer size of the salt flats with the Black Mountains looming on one side and the Panamint Range along the other is truly amazing.

The Salt Flats

We strolled out onto the salt and followed the (now) very wide trail into the extensive flats which cover 200 square miles.

The valley is created by the movement of the earth’s crust and not erosion. The average rainfall is less than two inches a year, making Death Valley the driest place in North America. 

During heavy rainstorms and flash floods, a lake occasionally forms across the valley. It doesn’t last long. With the desert heat, it soon evaporates or sinks below ground. Although Badwater Basin never dries out completely.

Death Valley is one of the hottest places on earth with summer temperatures of 120ºF during the day with cooler nights of 100ºF. The hottest day on record was 134ºF in July 1913. But in July 2018 the temperature soared to 127⁰F for four consecutive days.

Fun Fact

Did you know that with the next big earthquake, Badwater Basin could, in fact, drop a few more feet below sea level? It is already the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere at 282 feet.

Our Takeaway on Badwater Basin

Badwater Basin is another one of those extremely crowded locations. It would be advisable to come early morning or mid-week, especially avoiding holiday weekends.

The views are quite stunning and worth the walk to the centre. The white salts look like an ocean stretching up to meet the sky in the distance.

It’s fun to see if you can locate the “Sea Level” sign which is placed high on the mountain.

badwater basin in a nutshell

• 18 miles south of Furnace Creek off of Badwater Road
• Carpark with toilets 
• Steps and a ramp leading to the boardwalk
• Small boardwalk viewing area of Badwater Pool
• A flat surface trail across the salt flats
• Take plenty of water with you – more than what you think you need
• Keep to the boardwalk around Badwater Pool – this is a delicate eco-system
• Leave no trace. Pack it in – pack it out

location map

• For more exciting places to visit in Death Valley, click the link below.