Death Valley National Park Is Partially Reopened After Historic Flooding

It was reported in early August 2022, that devastating and historic flooding had forced Death Valley National Park to close. Now, the park in California has partially reopened, with many popular sites available to visitors. However, some roads do remain off-limits as repair work continues.

Death Valley National Park flooding

In early August, devastating flooding hit Death Valley National Park, causing millions of dollars in damage to park infrastructure. Meanwhile, some of the most popular attractions have since been reopened to the public.

So far, according to the National Park Service, reopened locations include the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Zabriskie Point, the Twenty Mule Canyon, Harmony Borax Works and the Mesquite Sand Dunes.

Advice to visitors to the park

So far, access to the park has reopened via State Route 190 and Panamint Valley Road. However, park officials do warn that visitors could experience delays over the coming weeks with road closures. In fact, the NPS advises visitors to not rely on their GPS, as traffic is being rerouted in certain areas. Mike Reynolds, the Park Superintendent said in a statement:

We’re eager to welcome summer visitors back to Death Valley’s most popular sites, but at the same time, we want to caution folks that many roads in the park will remain closed for months during repair work.

According to the park service, backcountry roads are still being assessed. Due to this, visitors should be aware of hazardous conditions in the park. These include steep drop-offs, missing shoulders, and some impassable areas on the backcountry roads.

Which sites are open?

Among the reopened sites, Badwater Basin, Golden Canyon, Dantes View and Devils Golf Course were reopened. However, officials did warn visitors at the time that the first 17 miles of Badwater Road were still closed due to two storms on the road recently.

Meanwhile, the historic Inn at Death Valley is still closed until further notice, while staff continues to repair flood damage to the building. According to Reynolds, August really showed Death Valley as a place of extremes, as they had experienced record-setting rain and monsoons.

About the flooding in Death Valley National Park

It was on August 5 that Death Valley National Park was forced to close after record-setting rainfall and historic flash-flooding left wreckage behind it. Cars were buried under mud and debris, leaving hundreds of visitors and staff temporarily stranded after roads were closed.

Death Valley holds the record for the highest temperature on Earth, but in August recorded 1.7 inches (4.3 cm) of rainfall in the Furnace Creek area. According to the NPS, the park’s average annual rainfall is 1.9 inches (4.8 cm).

Videos posted on social media revealed water rushing through the park, with roadways and cars quickly buried under mud and debris. In fact, images of upturned palm trees and broken asphalt on the roads were also widely shared. Moreover, many facilities were flooded, including business offices and hotel rooms.

Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries from the flooding. Meanwhile, everyone managed to safely travel out of the park on the damaged roads that same weekend.

Meanwhile, potential visitors are urged to check the travel conditions on the NPS website before heading to Death Valley. Current alerts and conditions on the website note that while CA Hwy 190 through the park has reopened, many other roads within the park remain closed. The NPS urges people to stay out of closed areas so that they can work safely.