News Release

Shoshone entrance and Badwater Road reopened

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Three photos of a dip on Badwater Road. The photo on the left was taken on September 4 and shows just the top of a speed limit sign. The middle photo shows parital debris cleared. The right photo shows the road cleared of flood debris.

National Park Service & Federal Highway Administration

News Release Date: November 20, 2023
Contact: Abby Wines
Contact: Jennette Jurado

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – The southeast entrance to Death Valley National Park is now open. Badwater Road provides direct access from Shoshone, CA to the temporary lake at Badwater Basin.

Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads program (ERFO) funded emergency repairs of Badwater Road. National Park Service (NPS) employees cleared debris off the northern end of Badwater Road and contractors cleared the southern end.

Only emergency repairs have been completed. Drivers should use extra caution park-wide due to loose gravel. The park’s primary viewpoints, hikes, campgrounds, and lodging are open via CA-190, Badwater Road, Dantes View Road, and Daylight Pass.

Many of the park’s secondary roads and backcountry areas remain closed. NPS, FHWA, Caltrans, and Inyo County continue to repair flood damage.

During the remnants of Hurricane Hilary on August 20, the park received over 2 inches of rain in one day, which is more than the park typically sees in an entire year. Extensive flooding caused catastrophic damage to roads and trails throughout the park.

Check the park’s website for current conditions and closures: nps.gov/deva.

Tags: hurricane hilary, federal highway administration

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Debris filling a dip on Badwater Road. Notice the top of the speed limit sign on the right side.

NPS photo taken on 9/4/2023 by AJ Becraft

Debris has been partially removed from this dip on Badwater Road.

Federal Highway Administration

The same dip on Badwater Road after flood debris was fully removed.

Federal Highway Administration