Badwater Basin at Sunrise, Sunset & Night - Death Valley National Park
This week we’re adventuring out onto the barren landscape of the lowest spot in North America at different times of day and night. Check out this complete Death Valley Badwater Basin visitors guide as we discover what this Death Valley attraction looks like at sunrise, at sunset, and under the starry night sky.
FAST FACTS
Distance: 1-2 miles RT
Elevation: 10 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Badwater Basin at sunrise in Death Valley National Park
Location
Surrounded by the Panamint Range and the Black Mountains in Death Valley, Badwater Basin can be reached 30 minutes south of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center. It has a parking lot along Badwater Road that can fill up quickly during day, so I highly recommend visiting early. There is also available parking roadside...just make sure to park your vehicle safely according the Leave No Trace Principles, not blocking traffic and not harming the environment. At the parking area, you’ll find several interpretive panels, a small body of “bad”water, and a sign marking the low elevation. Just note that the actual lowest point is unmarked and is much further out in the middle of the valley. While you’re here, make sure to look back up on the hillside and try to find the “Sea Level” sign found half way up the mountains.
Badwater pool near the parking lot
“Sea Level” sign found half way up the Black Mountains
Sunrise at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park
History
The history of these salt formations goes back thousands and thousands of years when Lake Manly once covered this area, stretching nearly 100 miles long and 600 feet deep. However, the lake completely evaporated long before the arrival of the pioneering 1849ers. The lake had no outlet, so when it evaporated, it left behind the concentrated salt deposits we see today.
According to old stories, this spot received its current name when a mule belonging to an early explorer refused to drink from the “bad” water here. However, this spot doesn’t have bad water...it’s just incredibly salty, composed mostly of sodium chloride (or table salt), along with calcite and borax. Despite the high salinity, many organisms thrive here, including a specific snail found only at this location along with unique salt tolerant plants, like pickleweed.
Badwater Basin path looking back towards the parking area
Badwater Basin salt flats in Death Valley National Park
Hiking & Topography
Badwater Basin is home to the lowest elevation in North America, sitting at 282 feet below sea level. The incredible salt flat formations here stretch for nearly 200 square miles. Just passed the old wooden boardwalk at the parking area, a one mile hike will bring you up-close to the famous salt polygons, and many visitors make the flat trek out here. It’s important to note that there is no designated trail and the NPS encourages hikers to choose a path where others have already walked to minimize damage to this natural wonder.
Astrophotography at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park
Stargazing at Badwater Basin
I love Badwater Basin at sunrise and sunset (and it’s popular any time of day), but during the Summer of 2022, Nate and I started exploring astrophotography. We’ve spent the last year chasing the Milky Way and the starry hosts above Yosemite, Sequoia, Red Rock Canyon, and the Eastern Sierra...so this week we’ve decided to venture out to these salt flats hours before dawn to experience some of the darkest night skies on the continent. We hiked out around 3am, laid down a blanket, and set up our tripods while trying to count the shooting stars in the vast sparkling sky above.
Death Valley is known for offering some of the best stargazing in America. In fact, the International Dark-Sky Association has designated Death Valley National Park as a Gold Tier Dark Sky Park, which is the highest rating of darkness. If you’re planning a visit to the park in February, I’d encourage you to check out the annual Death Valley Dark Sky Festival. Every year the National Park Service partners with Death Valley Natural History Association, NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and other organizations for this fun weekend event. Over the course of a few days, visitors can participate in astrophotography meetups, astronomy programs, and all kinds of family friendly events throughout the park.
Pre-dawn pink skies at Badwater Basin with Telescope Peak & the Panamint Mountains
Pre-dawn sunrise skies over the Badwater Basin salt formations
Sunrise at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park
Sunrise at Badwater Basin
If you’d like to experience sunrise at Badwater Basin (or anywhere else for that matter), I highly recommend arriving well before the sun actually reveals itself. The hour or so prior to sunrise is when the magic really happens as the pre-dawn sky lights up with bright pinks and oranges, and the aspenglow lighting on the surrounding mountain ranges is truly unique and ideal for photography.
Once the sun peeks up behind the Black Mountains near Dante’s View, the whole basin completely transforms into a bright and surreal landscape unlike any other desert scene.
Sunset over the Badwater Basin temporary lake in Death Valley
Sunset at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park
Sunset at Badwater Basin
Years ago on one of our first trips to Death Valley, we were able to witness Badwater Basin’s temporary lake, a natural phenomenon that occurs as a result from large amounts of precipitation (which can be quite rare in this region). The magnificent sunset skies were amplified by the reflections in this body of water, which was only a couple inches deep and moved with the breeze. The low lighting of sunset also creates beautiful shadows on the hexagonal salt formations, providing detail in photography that isn’t present when the sun is high during mid-day.
For more details and pictures from this sunset visit, check out my full Badwater Basin at Sunset blog post here.
Hiking at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park
Know Before You Go
• Hiking in Death Valley is not recommended after 10am in the brutal heat of Summer months. Always bring extra water and sun protection for any Death Valley adventure.
• If you’re heading out for sunset, make sure to bring a high-powered flashlight for hiking back in the dark.
• Anytime you visit Death Valley, I highly recommend bringing a GPS device or smartphone equipped with a GPS app and pre-loaded maps (I recommend and use Gaia). Cell service is minimal throughout the park, and it is very easy to get turned around in this vast desert when trails are not clearly clearly marked.
• Although the hike to Badwater Basin has almost no elevation, the terrain is very uneven in areas due to the salt formations. Make sure to wear quality footwear...here is a post with my top hiking boots & shoes.
• Please remember the Leave No Trace Principles so this spot’s natural beauty can be enjoyed for years to come.
• Always check the official Death Valley NPS website for current weather and road conditions prior to visiting.
Top 10 Things to Do in Death Valley
Badwater Basin seen from Dante’s View in Death Valley National Park
In Summary
Thanks so much for joining me this week in Death Valley National Park. For a virtual visit of Badwater Basin, make sure to watch my Behind the Blog video at the top of this post, or watch it on YouTube here. Until next week, I hope you find adventure and encouragement where you go!
Badwater Basin tourists seen from Dante’s View through a telephoto lens
Death Valley Products on our Etsy Shop
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About Me
I’m Dawn Marie, a travel and lifestyle blogger based out of Southern California. With in-depth articles, travel guides, and reviews on hotels & products, I seek to share my journeys to help you plan for your own. My adventures take me all over California, the western United States, and around the globe...and every Monday I post new content here, including a comprehensive blog post and YouTube video.
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Can you kayak in Death Valley? Yes! Currently the National Park Service is allowing park visitors to take kayaks and stand up paddle boards onto the historic Lake Manly, the ancient lake that has reappeared at Badwater Basin. Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide for all the info you need to plan your kayaking adventure to Death Valley National Park, a perfect road trip from Los Angeles.