Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the western hemisphere. It is 282 feet below sea level. At the end of the boardwalk we continue walking out to the middle of the field where it is the most interesting.

Badwater Basin

We are walking out there on salt. It’s the same as your table salt and very white. The salt that looks brown is just covered in dirt and dust and if it would rain it would wash away the dirt and exposing its whiteness.

Badwater Basin

Salt crystals expand and that causes the crust to form these crazy shapes.

Badwater Basin

On the way back from Badwater Basin we drove through Artist’s Drive. This is a two-mile one-way loop through some very colorful formations.

Artist Drive

A stop by the visitor center tells us the temperature is 84.

It’s 84 degrees today.

Our next stop is to visit the Harmony Borax Works. Borax was mined here and processed here (by Chinese laborers), put it wagons and hauled out of the valley. It was so heavy that it took 20 mules to pull the wagons.

Borax Wagons

Harmony Borax Works

• Gasoline:  none
• Lodging:   $6