DEATH VALLEY, California — October 23, 2026. Death Valley National Park is warning visitors about road closures and debris following flooding from an October 22 storm. In its road-status update dated October 23 at 8:16 a.m. Pacific time, the National Park Service (NPS) listed North Highway and Beatty Cut-off as closed because of flooding and debris.
The park also listed Badwater Road under caution because of debris from the October 22 flooding. The designation is a caution, not a statement that the entire road is closed.
Which roads were listed as closed?
The NPS October 23 status page reported two newly affected paved routes: North Highway and Beatty Cut-off. It separately continued to list Bonnie Clare Road and access to Scotty’s Castle as closed for flood-recovery work. Among backcountry roads, Westside Road was listed as closed from October 22 flood damage; other routes also have restrictions unrelated to this storm.
Those statuses are a snapshot of the published NPS update, not a real-time guarantee of passability. The agency operates an official alerts and road-conditions page with an interactive status map. Travelers should check it immediately before departure and again when travel conditions allow.
What visitors should know
Flash-flood debris can remain on roads after rainfall ends. The park also warns that conditions change quickly. Drivers should obey closures, avoid crossing flooded or debris-covered sections and avoid entering backcountry routes without current road information and suitable equipment.
Park road closures do not mean that every approach highway outside the park is closed. For state highways, verify conditions independently with Caltrans QuickMap and highway road information; for county roads, consult the relevant county transportation agency.
Coverage for desert communities
The storm update is relevant to residents and travelers following Death Valley Junction News, Shoshone News and Searles Valley News. Those communities have different routes and jurisdictions, so travelers should not assume a closure at one location applies to every nearby road.
Source and verification: National Park Service, Death Valley National Park Alerts & Conditions, road update dated October 23, 2026. This article describes conditions as reported at that time; check the official page for later changes.
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