Lake Manly is a rare and ephemeral lake that occasionally forms in Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level, located in Death Valley National Park, California. This temporary body of water revives an ancient Pleistocene lake that existed during the Ice Age, when it reached depths of up to 700 feet and stretched nearly 100 miles long.
In recent years, including dramatic appearances after Hurricane Hilary in 2023, atmospheric rivers in 2024, and record-breaking fall rains in late 2025 (with more precipitation than an entire typical year), the basin has flooded to create a shallow lake — sometimes just inches deep, other times up to a few feet — allowing rare reflections and even temporary kayaking opportunities.
Badwater Basin itself is a surreal, otherworldly landscape dominated by expansive salt flats covering nearly 200 square miles. The surface is primarily sodium chloride (table salt), along with minerals like calcite, gypsum, and borax. The name “Badwater” comes from a small spring-fed pool near the road that’s extremely salty and undrinkable.
History of the lake
Lake Manly, gets its name from William Lewis Manly, a pioneer and hero of the 1849 California Gold Rush era.
In late 1849, a group of emigrants (known as the “Lost ’49ers”) took a risky shortcut to reach the gold fields and became stranded in the brutal heat and dryness of what would later be called Death Valley. William Lewis Manly, along with John Rogers, volunteered to walk out of the valley on foot to seek help. They trekked hundreds of miles across harsh desert terrain, eventually reaching safety, obtaining supplies, and returning to rescue the remaining group (including families like the Bennetts and Arcans) — saving their lives.
In honor of his bravery and lifesaving efforts, geologists named the prehistoric pluvial lake that once filled much of Death Valley after him. The name “Lake Manly” was formally coined in 1932 (sometimes misspelled as “Manley” in older sources, but Manly is correct). There’s even a proposed alternate name “Lake Rogers” for a potential northern section, after his companion, but “Manly” became the standard term used in scientific literature and by the National Park Service.
The lake itself is a remnant of wetter Ice Age periods (especially around 185,000–128,000 and 35,000–10,000 years ago), when glacial meltwater fed massive inland waters. Today, it only reappears briefly after extreme rainfall events — like the record storms in recent years that turned Badwater Basin into a shallow, reflective lake again.
It’s a fitting tribute: the name connects one of the valley’s most famous human survival stories to its deep geological past of water in a place infamous for being bone-dry!
Conditions That Cause Lake Manly’s Formation
Death Valley is one of the driest and hottest places on Earth, averaging only about 2 inches of rain per year with evaporation rates exceeding 150 inches annually. This extreme aridity normally keeps Badwater Basin as a dry salt pan.
The lake forms only during rare, extreme rainfall events — such as remnants of tropical storms (e.g., Hurricane Hilary in 2023), powerful atmospheric rivers, or record-setting seasonal storms — that deliver several inches of rain in a short time. Runoff from surrounding mountains floods the endorheic (closed) basin, which has no outlet, creating a temporary lake. The water eventually evaporates rapidly under the intense heat and low humidity, returning the area to its characteristic salt flats — often within months.
This fleeting phenomenon highlights how even the harshest deserts can dramatically change with unusual weather patterns!
Winter 2026
Lake Manly is formed following several days of rain, so we opted to drive out to the park for a visit. Our first visit is cut short from a rain storm and flash floods which caused the road to be covered with flood levels. We made the drive from Vegas the next weekend, and were floored by the views of Lake Manly covering the salt flats of Badwater Basin. The walk out to the lake shore is about 1/4 of a mile from the Badwater parking lot.
On our visit, the lake surface is deathly still and the other visitors were silent giving us the feeling of isolation despite their being other travelers. This is my first visit to Lake Manly, and will certainly not be my last, if I am able to arrange the trip.