Badwater Basin, Salt depression in Death Valley, United States
Badwater Basin sits 86 meters below sea level, making it the lowest point in North America. The white salt deposits cover a surface that extends for kilometers in all directions, surrounded by dark mountains.
European settlers gave this area its name when a mule refused water from the small spring. Mining companies later extracted borax here, a mineral used in detergents and other products.
The name comes from the water quality in the shallow pool, which is not drinkable for humans or animals. Visitors today can walk across the dried salt floor and see the polygonal crystal patterns under their feet.
The basin is accessible via a short walk from the parking area and allows walking on the salt floor. The best time to visit is between November and March, when the heat is more bearable.
A sign on the cliff wall marks sea level, showing how far you have descended below the ocean. Rainfall occasionally transforms the dry salt crust into shallow mirroring water surfaces that reflect the sky.
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