Death Valley National Park, California, USA 2 Nov 2023

Death Valley National Park, California, USA

Stretching for miles below the desert sun, the salt flats of Badwater Basin shine in Death Valley National Park, California. This sweltering spot is the lowest point of elevation of North America, 282 feet 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 515 feet. 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

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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Beauty by the bay
Green shoots
14 Dec 2023Boreal owl
17 Jan 2024Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany
31 Jan 2025Happy International Zebra Day!
6 Aug 2024Molokini crater, Maui, Hawaii, USA
13 Jan 2024Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii, USA
13 Jun 2025Vila Franca Islet, São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal
7 Aug 2025Sweetheart Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
29 May 20261953 Mount Everest Expedition
A beacon in the golden light
Germanys green heart
10 Nov 2024Remembrance Sunday
Swedish wilderness
When life imitates art
27 Jun 2024Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy
4 May 2026Star Wars Day
16 Dec 2024Salzburg, Austria
14 May 2026Pitigliano, Tuscany, Italy
28 Sep 2024Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
8 Apr 2024Llansteffan Castle, Carmarthenshire, Wales
25 Jun 2026Buildings on Grand-Place Square in Brussels, Belgium
5 Jan 2025Plum-headed parakeet
19 Sep 2024International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Go with the flow
20 Apr 2024Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
9 Dec 2025Guanaco, Punta Norte, Valdés Peninsula, Argentina
6 Oct 2025Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
The grass looks greener on this side
World Population Day