Work on Death Valley overlook delayed

Gilbert Gonzales, 7, wipes his face at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park on Sunday.

A popular overlook at Death Valley National Park won’t be closing next week after all.

The National Park Service had planned to close Zabriskie Point for major repairs starting Oct. 1, but the work has been delayed.

Park officials still hope to get the six-month project underway this year, but the exact date has not been set. The Park Service announced Friday that the site in California, 120 miles west of Las Vegas, will remain open until further notice.

When the work does begin, contractors plan to restore or rebuild unstable support walls and improve the overall safety conditions at the overlook.

California Route 190 will remain open during the work, but Zabriskie Point and the surrounding area will be off limits.

The Pacific Coast Borax Company built the vista in the 1920s as a waystop for early visitors in automobiles. It was named after the company’s vice president and general manager, Christian Zabriskie, according to the Park Service.

Contact Henry Brean at hbrean@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0350. Find him on Twitter: @RefriedBrean.