News Release

Death Valley National Park reopens South Badwater Road

The National Park Service removed thick piles of flood debris from South Badwater Road.

NPS

News Release Date: January 31, 2026

Contact: Abby Wines, 760-786-3221

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – The National Park Service has reopened South Badwater Road as of Jan. 31 following months of closures due to extensive flash flood damage.  

Park officials urge visitors to drive cautiously, as hazardous conditions remain in some areas. 

The southern 45-mile segment of Badwater Road had been closed since Aug. 25 after severe flooding damaged the road. Additional storms in September, November, December and early January caused additional damage. National Park Service crews cleared piles of rocks and sand up to five feet deep and reused the material to stabilize eroded road shoulders.   

“We are pleased to reopen South Badwater Road, but there is still work to be done,” said Superintendent Mike Reynolds. “Please stay alert and drive carefully when you visit the park.”  

Although the road is open, visitors may encounter missing pavement, loose gravel, soft or eroded shoulders, and short drop-offs at the pavement. The park will continue to address these safety hazards while keeping the road accessible. 

-www.nps.gov/deva- 

Death Valley National Park is the homeland of the Timbisha Shoshone and preserves natural resources, cultural resources, exceptional wilderness, scenery, and learning experiences within the nation’s largest conserved desert landscape and some of the most extreme climate and topographic conditions on the planet. Learn more at www.nps.gov/deva.