Ancient lake returns to California's Death Valley after vanishing thousands of years ago

The basin, widely known as Lake Manly, was once a vast Ice Age lake that stretched 100 miles and plunged 600 feet deep more than 100,000 years ago. 

But after months of unusually heavy storms, water has once again filled the ancient lake bed.

Lake Manly last resurfaced in 2023, when Hurricane Hilary dropped 2.2 inches of rain on Death Valley. Then, in February 2024, an atmospheric river delivered another 1½ inches, deepening the basin enough for people to kayak, the LA Times reported.

The current lake "is much smaller and shallower than the one that formed after the remnants of Hurricane Hilary passed through the park," the National Park Service noted.

"It's more like a very, very large riverbed without the flow, a wading pool maybe," the employee told the LA Times.