Lake Manly, former lake in Death Valley, California, United States
Lake Manly was a large body of water that once covered much of Death Valley during ancient times and has since completely dried up. The basin now shows salt flats, dried sediments, and the geological remnants of where water once stood.
This ancient lake existed roughly 10,000 years ago during the last ice age, fed by glacial meltwater from surrounding mountains. As climate conditions became drier, evaporation eventually exceeded water input, causing the lake to shrink and vanish over time.
The lake no longer exists, but its ancient basin near Badwater Basin remains accessible to visitors exploring Death Valley by foot or vehicle. Most people view the dried bed and salt formations from overlooks and established trails throughout the valley.
The lake is named after William Lewis Manly, a pioneer who played a role in early exploration of Death Valley in the 1800s. Today temporary water sources that occasionally appear seasonally in parts of the basin carry echoes of that historical connection to the landscape.
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