I have been to Death Valley several times in my life starting when I was 6 years old. That visit when I lived in El Cajon was the strangest because a sand storm hit and luckily the car my father and I were traveling in belonged to someone else because the sand storm took all the paint off that new car down to the metal. So, if we had all been out in that sand storm it would have sand blasted the actual skin off our bodies then. This would have been 1954 if I was 6.
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The absolute lowest point in North America is in Death Valley at a location called Badwater Basin, which sits at exactly 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level.
Here are a few quick facts about this extreme landscape:
- The Environment: Despite being the lowest and one of the hottest, driest places on the planet, the basin features an active, crusty salt flat that sustains its own tiny ecosystem of fish, insects, and salt-tolerant plants.
- Extreme Geography: The below-sea-level salt flats rest in the direct shadow of the surrounding steep mountain ranges, with nearby Telescope Peak reaching over 11,000 feet above sea level.
- Planning a Visit: You can easily visit Badwater Basin's boardwalk and take a walk out onto the salt crust. To learn more about exploring the lowest point in the US, check out the National Park Service Badwater Basin Guide.
If you are planning a trip to the area, let me know:
- What time of year you are looking to travel (to check on seasonal heat and conditions)
- What other attractions you are hoping to see in the park
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