Recent rainstorms have “rejuvenated” a temporary lake in the Badwater Basin at Death Valley National Park, allowing visitors for a limited time to kayak in the driest place in the United States, according to an announcement last week by the National Park Service.
“You might think with no drain to the sea, that Death Valley would always have a lake,” Park Ranger Abby Wines said in the announcement. “But this is an extremely rare event. Normally the amount of water flowing in is much less than the evaporation rate.”
Located 282 feet below sea level at the bottom of Death Valley, the Badwater Basin is the lowest elevation in North America and is normally a dry salt flat, officials said.
On average, the valley receives about 2 inches of rain annually but in the last six months, the valley floor received about 4.9 inches, which the park service said was the “magic ingredient” that formed the temporary lake.
Most of the rain came from the remnants of Hurricane Hilary on Aug. 20, when 2.2 inches fell, and the atmospheric river in early February that dumped about 1.5 inches.
According to Ms. Wines, when the lake formed, the park’s entrance roads were too damaged to allow visitors. They have since become accessible.
“The lake was deep enough to kayak for a few weeks after Hurricane Hilary, but unfortunately people couldn’t come enjoy it then,” she said. “Every road in the park was damaged by flash floods, and it took two months to open the first road into the park. Now most of the main roads are open, so it’s a great time to come visit!”
As of mid-February, the temporary lake, “informally known as Lake Manly,” stretches 6 miles long and 3 miles wide with 1 foot of water, enough for kayakers to enjoy for only about two weeks, the park service said.
As the lake dries up it should leave a nice reflection for visitors to enjoy through April, park officials said.
The announcement advised visitors who encounter full parking lots that when parking on road shoulders, they must avoid soft areas. Also, footprints can last for years on the lakeshore, so visitors should walk on established pathways.
Most campgrounds and main roads are currently open, as the National Park Service continues to repair secondary roads for visitors, they said. All hotels are open, they added.
