Death Valley National Park, California Nov. 2, 2023

Stretching for kilometres 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, 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 1,700 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

Beautiful from all angles
Nov. 2, 2024American bison
Nov. 2, 2025Maple and bamboo forests in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Go fly a kite!
Jan. 9, 2026Muir Woods National Monument, California, United States
Jan. 14, 2025Village of Zahara de la Sierra, Cadiz, Spain
Sep. 25, 2025Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India
An archaelogical treasure
Apr. 13, 2025Songkran—Thai New Year
Festive foliage in the garden
Jan. 13, 2024Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii, United States
Nov. 10, 2025Badlands National Park, South Dakota, United States
Nov. 13, 2024Sea lion in a kelp forest, Baja California, Mexico
Nov. 28, 2023Giving Tuesday
Feb. 6, 2025Waitangi Day in New Zealand
Mar. 17, 2024St. Patricks Day
Dec. 4, 2023Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Dec. 15, 2025Spiegelgracht canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Oct. 7, 2025Fall colours below Mount Sneffels near Ridgway, Colorado, United States
Aug. 7, 2024St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights, Michigan, USA
Sep. 22, 2024Autumn equinox
Dec. 15, 2024Lake Misurina, Dolomites, Italy
Aug. 8, 2025The Three Musketeers Falls at Iguazú Falls, Argentina
Aug. 30, 2025International Whale Shark Day
Where is this scenic view?
Jun. 1, 2025World Reef Awareness Day
Oct. 29, 2023Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Sep. 18, 2024Gujō Hachiman Castle, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
Apr. 20, 2024Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Jan. 2, 2025Ardez village, Graubunden, Switzerland
Apr. 7, 2024International Beaver Day
Hangin around
Oct. 4, 2023World Space Week