Salt Creek returned with a boardwalk designed for both access and flood recovery

Death Valley National Park announced Salt Creek Boardwalk's reopening on February 11, 2026, after roughly three and a half years of flood recovery. The wheelchair-accessible route also protects habitat: NPS says keeping visitors on the boardwalk prevents damage from walking on the streambank. ^[1]

An August 2022 flash flood destroyed the boardwalk, signs and toilet; Hurricane Hilary's remnants damaged the road and parking in August 2023. Reconstruction included the approach, parking, trailhead and toilets, rather than the boardwalk alone. ^[1]

NPS and the Federal Highway Administration designed the replacement for flood resistance, including some footings as much as 20 feet deep and protection around the parking facility. These are design measures, rather than proof the facilities will withstand every future flood. ^[1]

The fish supply the ecological reason for keeping visitors on a defined route. NPS's separate nature reference distinguishes Salt Creek pupfish from the park's Devils Hole, Cottonball Marsh, Saratoga Springs and Amargosa River pupfishes. Salt Creek's population descends from fish in ancient Lake Manly, isolated as the lake receded into a saline creek. The park describes fish usually shorter than three inches, with population peaks in spring and early summer and territorial courtship by males. Seeing a pupfish at Salt Creek does not mean seeing the separately named Devils Hole species. ^[2]

The historical reopening is better established than present-day access. The park's accessibility reference retrieved for this report still labels Salt Creek Interpretive Trail closed, while the dated release says the boardwalk reopened. These pages do not explain the discrepancy, so this retrospective cannot establish whether the closure label is stale or reflects a later restriction. The February release also treated installation of interpretive signs as future work. It should not be read as proof of that installation or as a current all-clear for a visit. ^{[1] [3]}

About this item: Retrospective report. No first-hand reporting or independent testing is claimed. Corrections policy.