Badwater

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Badwater
Badwater Basin elevation sign
Elevation:	−282 feet (−85.5 metres)[1]
Location:	Death Valley, California, USA
Province:	Basin and Range
Coordinates:	36°13.961′N 116°46.700′W
Topo map:	USGS
Type:	Graben

Badwater is a basin in California's Death Valley, noted as the lowest point in North America, with an elevation of 282 feet (86 m) below sea level.

The site itself consists of a small spring-fed pool of water next to the road; however, the accumulated salts of the surrounding basin make it undrinkable, thus the name "Badwater". The pool does have animal and plant life, including pickleweed, aquatic insects, and the Badwater Snail.

The pool is not actually the lowest point of the basin, which is several miles to the west and varies in position. However, the salt flats are hazardous to traverse (in many cases being only a thin white crust over mud), and so the sign is at the pool.

Badwater is the starting point of the Badwater Ultramarathon, which ends high on Mount Whitney, 85 miles to the west.

[edit] Image gallery

The pool at Badwater basin.

The pathway leading to the salt flats next to the pool at Badwater Basin.

The salt flats at Badwater Basin.

The Badwater Salt Flats, as seen from Dante's View in 1984.

Badwater Panorama. The salt flat is the white road in the middle left, and the pool is on the right.

[edit] References

Coordinates: 36°13′51″N, 116°46′09″W