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All the United States California Inyo County Badwater Basin

Badwater Basin

The lowest point in North America is home to an undrinkable pool surrounded by fields of geometric salt flats.

Inyo County, California

Added By
Sebastiano Pagani
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Badwater Basin   Andrew Mace on Flickr
Badwater Basin   Larry Boreson on Flickr
Badwater Basin   sebastianopagani / Atlas Obscura User
  CoolCrab / Atlas Obscura User
  Avoiding Regret
  AdamVanBavel / Atlas Obscura User
Badwater Basin Seen from Above at Dante’s View   Moun10Bike / Atlas Obscura User
Badwater Basin   Moun10Bike / Atlas Obscura User
The Path Out March 2019   Wookiee Monster / Atlas Obscura User
Standing In Badwater Basin March 2019   Wookiee Monster / Atlas Obscura User
Badwater Basin on a rare rainy day.   thenoblewoman / Atlas Obscura User
  Findingbalance18 / Atlas Obscura User
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Gorgeous sun at Badwater   lionofjudah738 / Atlas Obscura User
  darabrown3237 / Atlas Obscura User
  darabrown3237 / Atlas Obscura User
Badwater Basin during the wet season   Justin V / Atlas Obscura User
Badwater Basin   Stacey Karacia / Atlas Obscura User
Tiny fragile salt formations left from the evaporating water.   Justin V / Atlas Obscura User
  briang1975 / Atlas Obscura User
  jyackabonis / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Less than a hundred miles from the highest point in the contiguous United States, Badwater Basin in Death Valley holds the record as the lowest point in all of North America and is generally desolate save for the titular pool of salt water which is constantly evaporating. 

Smack in the middle of miles of treacherous salt flats, Badwater Basin is actually a fairly nondescript point a fair distance from the pool that gives it its name. The actual point sits at 282 feet below sea level at the end of a wooden pier that lets visitors come to the location without the danger of falling through the this layer of solid seeming ground into the mud beneath. A sign denotes the actual spot. 

The pool that gives the spot its name is a small body of water that sometimes seems as though it is not there when the level evaporates beneath the salty crust above. The salt content of the water makes it nearly toxic and gives the location its name. The cycle of evaporation in the low, hot site actually sees the fastest rate of evaporation in the nation. 

Low points aren't usually popular tourist sites, but when you get to claim to be the lowest point in in the great US of A, it doesn't matter if you are depressed or just a geography nut, its a site to see.

 

 

 

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Geographic Markers Nature Deserts

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It's also interesting to note that Mt. Whitney is the highest point in the continental US and is only 130-ish miles from Badwater.  

Community Contributors

Added By

sebastianopagani

Edited By

baileymichael, EdnaDurango, EricGrundhauser, Avoiding Regret...

  • baileymichael
  • EdnaDurango
  • EricGrundhauser
  • Avoiding Regret
  • CoolCrab
  • Moun10Bike
  • darabrown3237
  • Findingbalance18
  • thenoblewoman
  • Wookiee Monster
  • AdamVanBavel
  • Justin V
  • lionofjudah738
  • jyackabonis
  • briang1975
  • Stacey Karacia

Published

December 26, 2014

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Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badwater_Basin
  • http://www.nps.gov/deva/photosmultimedia/Badwater-Basin.htm
  • http://www.americansouthwest.net/california/death_valley/badwater.html
Badwater Basin
Inyo County, California
United States
36.250278, -116.825833

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