Badwater Basin, Death Valley National Park

Badwater Basin at 282 feet below sea level is the lowest point in North America — a vast expanse of white salt flat stretching across the floor of Death Valley surrounded by the Amargosa and Panamint mountain ranges. The salt flat forms hexagonal polygon patterns as the salt crystallizes and buckles under the extreme heat and evaporation cycles.

The short boardwalk from the parking area leads to the salt flat where you can walk out as far as you want into this surreal landscape. The water that appears at the surface is a highly saline brine — completely inhospitable to most life. The contrast between the brilliant white salt and the dark mountain backdrop makes Badwater one of the most photogenic places in the American Southwest.