Death Valley reopening popular sites to public after massive floods
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK — Death Valley National Park's most popular sites will reopen to the public on Saturday, two weeks after massive flash-flooding, but the National Park Service cautioned visitors to expect delays and continuing road closures.
Locations that will reopen include the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point, and Mesquite Sand Dunes, according to the park's Facebook page.
Access to the park will be limited to State Route 190 and Panamint Valley Road.
Visitors were warned to plan ahead and not rely on GPS because all other paved roads will remain closed for repairs, and backcountry roads are still being assessed.
On Aug. 5, Death Valley was hit by historic downpours from monsoonal thunderstorms that caused millions of dollars in damage to roads and facilities.
This summer's very active monsoon has also damaged roads elsewhere in California's deserts, including Mojave National Preserve and the south side of Joshua Tree National Park.
Joshua Tree urged visitors to drive carefully and keep an eye out for desert tortoises because the water encourages them to emerge, and they can be mistaken for rocks on roadways.
The National Weather Service's San Diego office said another surge of monsoonal moisture will increase the chance for mountain and desert thunderstorms through the weekend. Another surge is expected in the middle of next week.