"Lake Manly," the temporary shallow lake at Badwater Basin (formed after storms in August 2023 and February 2024) is evaporating. Due to damage caused by people dragging watercraft across the salt flats, the lake is now closed to all boating (kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, pool floats etc.).
We do not know how long the lake will be present, but as of mid April, visitors can still see beautiful reflections of the mountains in the water. When visiting the lake, we ask you to protect the fragile salt flats by please staying on the established trail at Badwater Basin and not walking on the edge (preventing widening) of the trail.
Wildflowers
There are wildflowers blooming in the park. Currently the best places to view wildflowers are Panamint Valley and east of Furnace Creek on CA-190.
Death Valley Road Status
— Open Roads — Closed Roads --- Hiking Trails
Roads & Locations
On August 20, 2023, rain from the remnants of Hurricane Hilary triggered flash floods that damaged all park roads. Although many roads remain closed, many popular points of interest and hiking trails have reopened.
An atmospheric river Feb. 4-7, 2024 moved debris onto roads and eroded road shoulders. Caution is advised on all park roads. Some roads are closed until they have been cleared.
PAVED ROADS
OPEN:
CA HWY 190-Access to Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Mosaic Canyon Trail, Harmony Borax Works, Zabriskie Point
North Highway - Access to: Fall Canyon Trail, Old Stovepipe Wells, Lower Titus Canyon, Ubehebe Crater, Racetrack Road
Dantes View
Wildrose Road / Emigrant Canyon Road- Access to Aguereberry Point, Skidoo, Telephone Canyon, Wildrose Campground. Road closed past Wildrose Campground. No access to: Wildrose Charcoal Kilns, Wildrose Peak Trail, Telescope Peak Trail.
CLOSED:
Note that road closures listed below apply to ALL motorized vehicles (including motorcycles) and bicycles.
Bonnie Clare Road and Scotty’s Castle due to flood recovery work . Unlikely to open beforelate 2025. No access permitted. No foot, bicycle, motorcycle, vehicle, etc. use allowed.
UNPAVED/BACKCOUNTRY ROADS
OPEN:
Mustard Canyon
Twenty Mule Team Canyon
Grotto Canyon - the road now ends where it used to drop into the wash.
Echo Canyon Road
Hole in the Wall Road
Greenwater Valley (aka Furnace Creek Wash Road) - access to Deadman Pass and Gold Valley.
Warm Springs / Butte Valley / Goler Wash
Harry Wade Road
Saline Valley North Pass - only to Palm Springs, but recommend checking Inyo County's road conditions. North Pass is often impassable due to snow in winter. South Pass and Steel Pass remain closed.
Big Pine Road- NPS maintains the 8 miles closest to Ubehebe Crater Road. The rest is mantained by Inyo County, who call it "Death Valley Road". Access to: Eureka Dunes
Racetrack Road
Lippincott Road
Hidden Valley Road- Access to: White Top Mountain Road and Lost Burro Mine
Lemoigne Canyon Road
Owlhole Spring Road
Lower Westside Road. Access to Trail, Hanaupah, Johnson, Galena and Warm Springs Canyons.Upper entrance of West Side Road is CLOSED.
CLOSED:
Note that road closures listed below apply to ALL motorized vehicles, including motorcycles.The roads were completely washed out in places and entry will cause tire tracks and braided roads in wilderness as users try to locate what was once the road. Thank you for your patience as we work to reopen these locations. Bicycles are permitted except on Titus Canyon Rd.
Only major roads are listed for reference below, but MANY backcountry roads are closed.
Northern entrance of West Side Road
Lower Wildrose Road (aka Trona - Wildrose Road, connects Wildrose to Panamint Valley)- completely impassable due to a 9-foot deep cut across the road. Likely to remain closed until fall 2025.
Upper Wildrose Road (above the Wildrose Campground)
Saline Valley Road - Due to snow and washouts. No estimated time of reopening. This road is maintained by Inyo County.
Hunter Mountain - Due to snow. No estimated time of reopening. This road is maintained by Inyo County.
Darwin Falls - Road is completely gone in many places. It will need either extensive import of road fill (expensive) or "mining" of gravel from the nearby wash (this would require thorough environmental review). Will not be open until fall 2024 at the earliest. Hikers can park on the shoulder of CA-190 and walk in.
Salt Creek - Flooding destroyed the boardwalk, restroom and parking area. Will not open before fall 2024.
Titus Canyon Road - closed due to flood damage. Bicycle use is prohibited in Titus Canyon for safety reasons. Impassable. Not likely to open before January 2025. Lower Titus Canyon to the Fall Canyon Trailhead is open.
Steel Pass - closed due to extensive flood damage. From an airplane, it appears the road is completely erased from Eureka Dunes through Dedeckera Canyon. Steel Pass itself looks okay. From Steel Pass to Upper Warm Springs, there's no sign of a road at all. Designated wilderness begins 50 feet on either side of the legal road (which is erased). Anyone trying to drive that would likely be illegally driving in wilderness. The park hopes to be able to work on this road in April 2024.