Death Valley National Park, California, USA Nov 2, 2023

Stretching for kilometres below the desert sun, the salt flats of Badwater Basin shine in Death Valley National Park, California, USA. This sweltering spot is the lowest point of elevation of North America, 86 metres below sea level. In this otherworldly landscape, the hardened, mineral surface glistens like a mirror as the scorching heat dances upon it, creating rippling waves in the air. Composed of sodium chloride, borax and other minerals, the flats" brittle crust conceals a treacherous mud layer beneath. For those who venture beyond the flats and up a mountainside, Dante"s View reveals a panoramic view of Badwater Basin from a height of nearly 1,676 metres. With its surreal landscapes, Death Valley National Park offers a truly unique experience where an odd beauty thrives despite the harshest of conditions.

© Jim Patterson/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Nov 2, 2024American bison in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Nov 2, 2025Maple and bamboo forests in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 10, 2025Black-tailed prairie dogs
May 18, 2025Pont St-Pierre across the Garonne River, Toulouse, France
Feb 4, 2024Devetashka Cave, Devetaki, Bulgaria
Dec 23, 2023Chinstrap penguins
Aug 4, 2024Impala and red-billed oxpecker, South Africa
Apr 24, 2024White trilliums in Ontario, Canada
Feb 3, 2026Emerald Bay and Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe, California, United States
Oct 4, 2023Tarantula Nebula
Apr 12, 2024Arches National Park, Utah, USA
Jan 30, 2024Ayna, Albacete, Spain
Mar 9, 2025St Marks Clock Tower, Venice, Italy
Sep 28, 2024Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida, USA
Nov 21, 2024Lion cubs, South Africa
May 12, 2026Atlantic puffins, Wales
Apr 26, 2026Pink apple blossoms, Avila Beach, California, USA
Aug 23, 2024Prasat Phanom Rung temple ruins, Thailand
May 15, 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Oct 14, 2024Coco Beach, Goa, India
Dec 24, 2024Half-timbered Houses of Freudenberg, Germany
Dec 17, 2023Bohemian waxwings
Jan 14, 2026Fortress of Palamidi, Nafplio, Greece
Aug 19, 2025Flysch in Zumaia, Basque Country, Spain
Oct 24, 2023Füzér Castle in the Zemplén Mountains, Hungary
Aug 25, 2025Calcite Springs Overlook and Yellowstone River, Wyoming, United States
Jun 15, 2025Lesser rheas, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile
Sept 11, 2026Villefranche-sur-Mer, Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur, France
Sep 27, 2025Tank Lakes, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington, United States
June 17, 2026Tremola Road on the Saint Gotthard Pass in Airolo, Switzerland
Aug 21, 2026Winding road of Julier Pass, Switzerland
Aug 6, 2025Ring-tailed lemur