Badwater Basin is an endorheic basin in Death Valley National Park, Death Valley, Inyo County, California, noted as the lowest point in North America and the United States, with a depth of 282 ft (86 m) below sea level.

The lowest point in the United States is Badwater Basin, located within Death Valley National Park in Inyo County, California. This endorheic basin sits at an elevation of 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level. The site is famous for its vast salt flats, which are composed of sodium chloride (table salt), gypsum, and calcite. Interestingly, Badwater Basin is situated only about 84.6 miles (136 km) east-southeast of Mount Whitney, which is the highest point in the contiguous United States. The "bad water" name comes from a legend of a traveler's mule refusing to drink from the spring-fed pool there due to its high salinity. Despite the extreme heat and salt, the basin is home to unique flora and fauna, such as the Badwater snail, which exists nowhere else on Earth.