Around 18 miles from Furnace Creek Ranch, this is worth a visit but think about the time of the day you do it. Due to time constraints, we arrived at around midday not recommended! You should absolutely take a full bottle of water with you. You need to walk out beyond what looks like dirt on the lake to get the clean shapes and I reckon that would take around minutes to get out here and then of course you need to walk back! Drive from Furnace Creek passing other sights along the way.
Well worth a visit though, best go early morning. Vernon P Stockport, UK contributions. I am a 68 year old, male, solo traveller from the UK who always wanted to visit Death Valley. My base was Las Vegas and I decided to fit in whatever I could in one day. My visit was in mid-July therefore making it the hottest time of the year but also the least populated.
I had pre-hired a car from the UK recommended and rented a compact. A more powerful car would be useful as this was ostensibly a driving visit with a little hiking. Break up the ice and fill the box with as many ml bottles of water you can and take spares to replace used ones.
Fewer bigger bottles tend to be too big for the box. For someone who doesn't normally, I soon appreciated why! This day isn't about getting a tan. Again, I rarely wear them but the dry heat and oven-like winds tend to dry your eyes. I used my phone camera on many occasions but took my SLR for all the "big" photos. There are several toilets along the way but often miles apart. From Shoshone I took SR west for about 25 miles or so to the point where the road makes a right angled turn to the right.
This, effectively, is the start of my DV adventure; Badwater Road. This road is metalled and the only man-made imposition on this fabulous environment. This is a 2-way road with incredibly few other vehicles throughout the 45 mile run to Furnace Creek. After a couple of miles Ashford Mill is highlighted and I had a 10 minute walk around the remains of the mill experiencing the oF temperatures!
There are toilets here. Another 10 miles to Mormon Point which is effectively a viewing point and is where the valley starts to drop below sea-level. I can't remember how many times I stopped to get out and take photos as the area is a geologists dream. The imposing Black mountains to the right and sprawling valley floor are awe-inspiring.
About 30 miles in and I reached Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the western hemisphere - and sooooooo hot. There is a designated parking area and toilets. This was quite populated with tourists and we all made our way out over the boardwalk and out across the salt pan for about yards. A few miles further and a chip-stone road cuts off to the right towards Natural Bridge Canyon.
The road goes for a couple of miles before a further few miles hike to the bridge. Sadly, I realised the car was not quite up to the terrain and I did a U-turn after about a half mile.
The views on the way back down were stunning though. A further few miles and the sign for the Devils Golf Course took me off on a road to the left. Yet another couple of miles ahead brings one of the highlights of the trip; Artists Drive. A one-way road through some fabulous terrain and incorporating Artists Palate and Ventifract Ridge.
The loop brings you back to Badwater Road. Just a few miles before reaching Furnace Creek is a short road up to Golden Canyon trailhead where there are toilets and a parking area. There was an opportunity for me to walk about a half mile up this picturesque canyon before the heat told me to return. I believe the hike is about 3 miles.
I inadvertently missed a few key POIs but did not feel cheated. However, my adventure had not finished. A short way along the was Zabriskie Point where more stunning views overwhelm the senses. To top off my day's delights, I turned off on the right on a Disneyesque journey along the one-way 20 Mule Team Road.
Well, traveller, if you have bothered to read this far, you deserve to enjoy the delights of Death Valley. So go and do it!!! Showing results of 1, How long is the drive to Badwater basin from Vegas and what it the earliest time of day I can visit? Wilma F Naples, FL contributions. Read all replies. Jessica A 4 contributions. Heading out in April was wondering a easy location to shoot some astrophotography? I understand the park is open 24hrs? Stovepipe can see Milky Way too.
If the sky is clear, it will be gorgeous! At Badwater, significant rainstorms flood the valley bottom periodically, covering the salt pan with a thin sheet of standing water.
Each newly-formed lake does not last long though, because the 1. This means that even a foot-deep, mile-long lake would dry up in a single year. From the parking lot, you can see the sea level sign that is located feet above you on the adjacent mountain. It puts in perspective how low you are when you see it compared to the mountain.
You can make it out in the middle of the below photo. After checking out the sea level sign, you can start to head down to the boardwalk, which leads to the pool and the salt flats. As soon as you walk out on the platform, you are immediately greeted with a huge lake of what looks like snow. Since it is the desert, it is not snow but is the leftover salt from the evaporated water. These salt flats make for a truly unique experience, as you can see them for as far as the eye can see.
The Badwater pool was a small collection of water at this time of the year and often nonexistent during the hot summer months. Like in the story at the beginning of the post, this water is so high in salt content that almost nothing can live there.
After checking that out, you can walk out onto the salt flats. Sunscreen: Use it. Lots of it. You do not want to run out of gas in the desert. Cell Service is spotty in the park at best. There is no service at Lee Flat. The best time to visit Badwater Basin is in the evening to watch the sun sweep across the valley floor and up the mountain side. It is incredible how much cooler and more manageable the temperature becomes once the sun sweeps away.
Sunrise is a great time to see Badwater Basin as well. In the morning there are far less folks and the temperatures are much cooler which makes it a great time to visit. Yep, we created a beautiful, comprehensive guide to Death Valley National Park. Getting to Badwater Basin is relatively straight forward and does not require four wheel drive.
Badwater Basin is located 43miles 45min driving from the Death Valley Junction or east park entrance and 15 miles south of Furnace Creek 20mins driving. To get to Badwater Basin from Death Valley Junction simply drive toward the park west on highway for approximately 29 miles.
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