Which basin is the lowest land point in North America?

Badwater Basin is the lowest land point in North America.

The basin lies in Death Valley National Park, California, at roughly 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level. It is an endorheic basin, meaning water flows into it but does not escape to the ocean. In the normally dry environment, occasional water collects briefly before evaporating and leaving behind the brilliant salt crust that makes the site famous.

The basin formed within Death Valley’s fault-bounded Basin and Range landscape. The valley floor dropped between mountain ranges, while ancient Lake Manly repeatedly filled and evaporated during wetter periods. Those cycles helped build the thick salt deposits visible today.

A frequent confusion involves the Salton Sea and Lake Enriquillo, which are also below sea level. Their water surfaces can be lower than surrounding land, but Badwater Basin is the standard answer for North America’s lowest exposed land surface. The lowest point is not necessarily the lowest lake bottom or deepest underwater location.