Ancient lake manly returns to death valley after record-breaking rainfall creates rare desert oasis

A spectacular natural phenomenon has unfolded in one of Earth’s most inhospitable places, as the ancient Lake Manly has temporarily returned to Death Valley National Park following unprecedented autumn storms. The ephemeral lake has reformed at the bottom of Badwater Basin, a stark salt flat that sits 282 feet below sea level—making it the lowest point in North America.

Lake Manly, named after William Lewis Manly who helped guide pioneers through Death Valley in 1849, is a rare visitor to this desert landscape. The temporary lake appears only when exceptional rainfall overwhelms the basin’s ability to quickly evaporate the water—a phenomenon that occurs perhaps once or twice per decade. The recent series of powerful fall storms delivered enough precipitation to transform the typically bone-dry salt flats into a shimmering mirror reflecting the surrounding mountains.

This remarkable transformation offers a glimpse into Death Valley’s ancient past, when a much larger permanent lake covered the basin thousands of years ago during cooler, wetter climatic periods. The National Park Service reports that these temporary lake formations typically last only weeks to months before the desert’s extreme heat and aridity reclaim the landscape.

The appearance of Lake Manly serves as a vivid reminder of how dramatically weather patterns can reshape even the most arid environments. For visitors and researchers alike, the lake’s return provides a rare opportunity to witness the dynamic forces that continue to sculpt this iconic desert landscape.