Kayaking in Death Valley? Now’s the time for adventure

Greg Haas
·3 min read

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The rare opportunity to take your kayak on a Death Valley adventure won’t last forever, but National Park Service officials say it might last for a couple of weeks.

“You might think with no drain to the sea, that Death Valley would always have a lake,” park ranger Abby Wines said. “But this is an extremely rare event. Normally the amount of water flowing in is much less than the evaporation rate.”

Kayaking at Badwater Basin on Feb. 9, 2024. (Photo: Michael Kohler/NPS)
Kayaking at Badwater Basin on Feb. 9, 2024. (Photo: Michael Kohler/NPS)

Badwater Basin is normally where you go to see the sign for the lowest point in North America — 282 feet below sea level. But the basin has seen a transformation, collecting floodwaters from Hurricane Hilary in August and rain from an atmospheric river last week — two very different events. They brought a combined 4.9 inches of rain.

Scenic Lake Manly grows in Death Valley’s Badwater Basin; ‘good bloom’ from rains anticipated

Lake Manly — a temporary resurrection of the historic lake that filled Death Valley twice during the past 186,000 years — offers a place to dip your oars. Don’t expect to find a dock or rentals available. It’s still Death Valley National Park, and officials warn visitors to minimize their impact: “Footprints in the lakeshore can last for years. People should walk on established pathways,” according to a news release.

False-color satellite images of Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park. The light blue areas are damp, and dark blue is standing water. From left to right, they are July 5, 2023 (before Hurricane Hilary), Aug. 30, 2023 (10 days after Hurricane Hilary), and Feb. 14, 2024 (one week after atmospheric river). (NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey)

“The lake was deep enough to kayak for a few weeks after Hurricane Hilary, but unfortunately people couldn’t come enjoy it then,” Wines said. “Every road in the park was damaged by flash floods, and it took two months to open the first road into the park. Now most of the main roads are open, so it’s a great time to come visit!”

Lake Manly is currently about six miles long, 3 miles wide and 1 foot deep.

“It may only be deep enough to kayak for a couple weeks. However, park rangers believe the shallow lake will still create beautiful reflections through April,” the news release said.

Telescope Peak reflected in “Lake Manly,” the temporary lake in Badwater Basin on Feb. 12, 2024. (Photo: Kristina Skilling/NPS)
Telescope Peak reflected in “Lake Manly,” the temporary lake in Badwater Basin on Feb. 12, 2024. (Photo: Kristina Skilling/NPS)

Park rangers urge visitors to stay safe and follow a few rules. Parking lots may be full. If parking on a road shoulder, drivers should be cautious of soft shoulders and ensure they are fully out of the driving lane.

All hotels and most campgrounds in the park are open. Paved roads are open to most of the park’s primary features, including the temporary lake in Badwater Basin. The National Park Service is continuing to work on secondary roads, many of which are still closed due to flood damage. Full information is at nps.gov/deva.

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