Infos zum Death Valley NP

North Highway, Artists Drive and other roads reopen in Death Valley National Park

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Upcoming storm may cause new road closures

The National Park Service reopened several flood-damaged roads in Death Valley National Park in recent days. An upcoming storm may cause new road closures.

These roads reopened within the past two weeks:

North Highway

Ubehebe Crater Road

Cottonwood Canyon Road

Marble Canyon Road

Artists Drive

Twenty Mule Team Canyon Road

Flash floods in August, September, and November deposited piles of rocks on roads and scoured away shoulders. National Park Service employees from several other parks assisted Death Valley National Park’s road crew.

Several Death Valley National Park roads remain closed. Significant rainfall is predicted on December 24 and 25, which could cause new flood damage. Road status is available at nps.gov/deva.

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Death Valley National Park reopens South Badwater Road

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The National Park Service has reopened South Badwater Road as of Jan. 31 following months of closures due to extensive flash flood damage.

Park officials urge visitors to drive cautiously, as hazardous conditions remain in some areas.

The southern 45-mile segment of Badwater Road had been closed since Aug. 25 after severe flooding damaged the road. Additional storms in September, November, December and early January caused additional damage. National Park Service crews cleared piles of rocks and sand up to five feet deep and reused the material to stabilize eroded road shoulders.

“We are pleased to reopen South Badwater Road, but there is still work to be done,” said Superintendent Mike Reynolds. “Please stay alert and drive carefully when you visit the park.”

Although the road is open, visitors may encounter missing pavement, loose gravel, soft or eroded shoulders, and short drop-offs at the pavement. The park will continue to address these safety hazards while keeping the road accessible.

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Salt Creek Boardwalk Reopens

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Death Valley National Park is pleased to announce the reopening of Salt Creek Boardwalk, three and a half years after it was destroyed by flooding. This wheelchair-accessible trail provides easy access to view Salt Creek Pupfish.

A flash flood in August 2022 destroyed the boardwalk, interpretive signs, and vault toilet. The parking lot and road were further damaged during the remnants of Hurricane Hilary in August 2023. The Salt Creek recovery project included reconstruction of the boardwalk, improved parking area and trailhead, new vault toilets, flood cleanup and debris removal, and signage.

The National Park Service and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) designed the replacement facilities to be flood-resistant. For example, some of the boardwalk footings are up 20 feet deep. The parking area facility is armored to protect the facility during future high water events. Multiagency coordination and environmental review ensured that the design, materials, and construction methods would minimize damage to the sensitive ecosystem and endemic fish while supporting disaster recovery.

Five pupfish species or subspecies live in Death Valley National Park. These fishes’ ancestors lived in large freshwater lakes. As Lake Manly dried up at the end of the last Ice Age, the Salt Creek Pupfish found themselves in a short creek that is sometimes saltier than the ocean. Male pupfish are known for their spirited courtship displays, defending their territories to attract females.

Interpretive signs describing the fish’s ecology and history will be installed in a few months.

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