The Salton Sea is really unbelievable. Haven't really ever heard of it before my mom moved to La Quinta 14 years ago. But after hearing the stories, I had to go. Recently, it finally came true. When you finally get your sights on it, it's more unreal. The lake is about 15 by 35 miles at its widest and longest. So, it's HUGE, and there's a hell of a lot of water. Sure, it's getting smaller, but still. If you go, you should decide to go on the West or East side...because it's very far to go all around. My mom and I went east, but I think there's more to see on the west side (which has Salton City, Desert Shores, Salton Sea Beach). What we did see was a few "campgrounds", former structures, and the highlight -- Bombay Beach, an little town with some artistic endeavors, but mostly low income and off-grid living. It's just not healthy to live nearby this. It has a little market and an old motel, the Ski Inn, that is now a coffee shop and dive bar. It wasn't very smelly on a 75 degree day, but I'm sure it is in the heat of summer. It's both marvelous and a engineering disaster. I asked Siri a million things while driving, but I'm left with more questions than answers. read more

It's my second time to visit this desolate place in two years because of its art installations. The art is amazing and quirky that makes Salton Sea Beach a nice getaway spot and admiration. Unfortunately, the sea is receding fast, nevertheless its environment is breathtaking! As long as interesting and quirky art installation continues, Salton Sea Beach will never be a desolate place. read more

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Hello? Does anybody live here? Where is everyone? Were they all abducted? I was on a mission to find a cool place to take pictures of my car. The Salton Sea has been on my radar for a while. I mentioned it to a few people and they never said anything. It was not until I got here and started posting on IG that people decided to warn me. Telling me things about the people here, warning me about safety. A little late I think. You should of told me before. It's like a freaking Zombie Apocalypse here. Such a ghost town packed with abandoned buildings and buildings people call home. I know people live here but I only saw a handful of people outside. Lots of streets named after a variety of California beaches like Zuma, Newport, Pismo. Pretty neat. I just drove up and down these lost back streets hoping my exhaust was not going to pull people out of hiding. I guess this used to be a tourist attraction back in the day. But now it's just tons of dead fish, plants, trees here and things that make you go hmmmmmm. Since I am your friend I am going to warn you. Don't come here alone. If you were to get hurt nobody would hear you scream. If they did hear you scream I doubt they would help you. Nobody would find your car either. You would just disappear into the nothing that is here. I had my dog with me and some other accessories just in case. I got out of my car in 30 second increments and kept my doors locked. However that wouldn't stop anyone from jumping out of nowhere and barricading my car. The roads here are dirty. I had just washed my car and once I got home I had to wash it again. The roads messed up my tire pressure too. I wasn't happy. Anyways don't come alone and don't talk to anyone or look at anyone and you will be good. It's a fun place and mission accomplished taking car pictures. read more

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The Salton Sea smells like blue cheese! After watching the provocative documentary "Breaking Point" I made it a point to visit this shrinking sea before it disappears. While camping in Anza Borrego we took a day trip to visit both the west side and the south end of the Salton Sea. It was about a 45 minute drive to Salton City from our campsite. There really isn't much to look at here but you'll see miles of white salty dirt/sand. On the bright side this place is a huge bird sanctuary and if you're lucky you can see large flocks of birds like cormorants and maybe a pelican. The smell can be off putting but it's only because the state government hasn't taken care of this bird habitat and they've effectively blocked all new water from entering it. Unfortunately because this sea is basically stinky, the surrounding homes and businesses are either dilapidated or abandoned. It's practically a ghost town. In summation - The Salton Sea is only worth a visit if you're a bird watcher.. Tip - There are other fun things to do around this sea including: - Salvation Mountain - Sonny Bono wildlife preserve - Calcite Mine Slot Canyon off the S22 - The popular "The Slot" hike off the 78 read more

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It is something you need to see and experience ONCE in your life. The forgotten lake that once was here as a resort for probably the people that did not want to travel farther west. It must have been a very nice place during the summer time or even year round. There is a hint of eggs in the wind, so do not mind that while there. read more

Salton Sea - So Lonely - Beaches Near Me - Desert Shores, California

oh my son and I had drove by here and was so excited went home and told my husband about it and we came back the next weekend absolutely beautiful. We were a bit paranoid after we got home and watched the documentary on it, so my son started getting in his head about it, but everything is okay obviously. read more

I've always wanted to see this huge lake, the largest lake in Cali, made by accident in 1905. Now, it's toxic, unsafe for swimming, boating, and living. O'my, how beautiful the lake is off the freeway as you're traveling through; but, when you stop, park, and venture to the beach, you'll be overcome by the smell of sulfur and death. It's an unbearable smell! How can that be? The mountains look like they're hand painted oil on canvas; so, so beautiful. But, the crunch of the white sand, well, we thought it was sand, but, as we soon figured out, it was crushed fish bones and the like, just makes that painted picture fall apart. I'm so glad I went to see it and the remnants of the past. I would've given it 5 stars but, every breath you take, really is toxic. read more

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Great place and great people and plenty of activities to do. However one must pay attention when traveling around here. read more

Sad area. It's beautiful to see the water but there is literally nothing to do here and it's unhealthy. Good for a drive by if you're near the area but don't make a trip out just for this and making a day of it in my opinion. read more

Salton Sea - Salton Sea - Beaches Near Me - Desert Shores, California

The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake on the San Andreas Fault at the southern end of the U.S. state of California. It lies between, and within, the Imperial and Coachella valleys. It was accidentally created water from the Colorado river spilled out of a poorly-constructed California Development Company irrigation system. The lake grew over the next two years, until workers were able to staunch the massive flow. By this time, a 400-square-mile body of water had formed on the Salton basin in southern California. Once the Tiffany's of the beach-lake world in the 1950's, was now like a malodorous whale carcass washed up on Malibu Beach. However, it still offers a spectacular view of the mountain. The extreme salinity caused the fishes to die and their bones now become part of the beach sand. Overall, this man made lake is now a barren toxic wasteland with a great eerie post-apocalyptic view. read more

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Something worth seeing before it disappears... What draws people to places like this? I'm not sure but I think it's eerie and that's what attracts me to it. Back in the day this used to be a hot spot for people escaping the city. Nowadays you won't find anyone around other than a few photographers and some birds. There are several marinas, beaches and other abandoned structures along the edges and you'll most likely also see some old furniture and dead fish. There's also a strong aroma of rotten eggs in the air. Have I inspired you to visit this place yet? On a very serious note, sunrises and sunsets here are surreal. One of those moments in time that you might never forget. Why did I knock off a star? Simply said because I couldn't go swimming or even dip my feet into the lake. I hope that'll change one day... read more

Salton Sea - Creepy yet I was drawn to it - Beaches Near Me - Desert Shores, California

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The Salton Sea! Where the Pacific and North American Plates meet in the heart of the desert...a paradox is created. One of the most unique places in California that abounds in both beauty and death. Surrounded by the dessert and heat and situated right above the San Andreas Fault, this is a place right out of the Twilight Zone. It is a place Alfred Hitchcock couldn't have concocted. The imaginative creators of the X-Files could not have created a place like this. As a child, we would visit this sea sometimes. Back then there were boats and people hanging out on the sand. I don't remember much else. As I got older, we would see dead fish and trash. There would be a smell similar to passing refineries and similar to passing gas after eating a big fat hot bowl of chili. There is a history here just as fascinating as the views. The basin itself is on some type of fill - empty cycle with runoff from natural sources. The last fill cycle was a few hundred years ago. However, decades ago there was a man made catastrophe that resulted from manipulating the Colorado River that caused a massive fill. Agricultural run-offs and the dumping of pollutants, along with evaporation and increase in salinity, has resulted in death of fish and life. The 1980 ' s through today, has been a period of legislative debate initiated by Sonny Bono and continued with his wife. At one point billions were allocated to save this body of water from certain extinction. Regardless, this is a strangely fascinating place. Perhaps, this is a premonition of what our world is destined to be if we don't take care of it. Delapitaded roads, dead trees, remnants of a town and absolute beauty, this is a place that was once destined to be a resort town filled with laughter and fun. Amazing Beauty and death..this is a must see. read more

Salton Sea - Dead Trees and Blue Water - Beaches Near Me - Desert Shores, California

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A place like no other! Thats what I was thinking as I explored The city of Salton Sea and the Salton Sea California State recreation area Park located in Southern California. Salton Sea is a huge blue salt lake, beautiful to look at and almost a ghost town with less than 400 residents and the abandoned buildings from days gone by-yet theres an odd attraction to explore this huge salt lake. There are birds that fly around the lake that makes for nice pictures or grams! You can visit from the west side or on the east side by the city of Mecca. During the summer months the Salton Sea has an "interesting" fragrance from the salt and agricultural water runoff in the salt lake. Its an interesting place! . . . . #saltonsea #saltlakes #greatsaltlakes #birding #seetheusa #waynesalvatti #salt #californiastateparks #meccacalifornia #mecca #explorecalifornia #visitcalifornia #ilovesaltonsea #besttravel #quirkyplaces #bombaybeach #interestingplaces #scenic #dontswimhere #ghosttowns #filmsnotdead #bringyourcamera #swa #southwestairlines read more

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When I was young 60 years ago, my Father would take us to the Salton Sea and float on the surface. Today 60 years later I drove around it again on Hwy 111 and 86. What struck me today is how beautiful this area could be if we cleaned up the water and stopped the toxic chemicals coming from Mexico. Let me also say the US is responsible for a good amount of pollution as well. Let's encourage out politicians both US and Mexican to do the right thing and restore what we screwed up. We've ignored the warnings of the scientists...let's fix this before we get a dust bowl. read more

Salton Sea is a desert lake that is off Highway 86 from Indio to Brawley-El Centro. It was formed when a overflow of a canal diverted in a low area that was prehistoric Lake Cahuilla. We went there the first time about 5 years ago and pass by it often now, stopping to just see the water level, on our trips out of El Centro. The smell from the dying fish and drying salty sand blowing toxic dust made our visit memorable-and not in a good way. In the 1950's, the Salton Sea was a big recreation area for LA area residents. They came for water sports- boating, bird (such as the endangered white pelicans) nesting, and fishing, and formed resorts and, even, a North Shore Yacht Club. Unfortunately, the water level is decreasing causing the resorts and beaches to be deserted and fish and birds to have large die-offs. It is sad since it is such a beautiful area and the only large wetlands in the area. Water flows into and out of the valley alternately, creating a freshwater then a saltwater lake then a dry desert basin as water levels decrease. The natural cycle of filling has been about every 400-500 years but the sea is expected to decrease even more between 2013 and 2021. Hope floats, though-and I hope even higher in this salt lake. In January 2018, Riverside legislators just came up with a plan to save the Salton Sea by trying to dam up one end- if they find funding and if the sediment will hold up a dam. Let's hope their plan works to bring the sea back to the beauty and to serve as a wetland for fish, birds and a nature area for all. read more

My friend and I have been dying to see the art installations (the swing in the water and the door on the beach)! The water is very dirty and we didn't dare enter! We went on a hot July day, the sun was blazing! Disappointed because we couldn't get to the swing without going into the water and sinking into the sand. It's pretty amazing though because it preserves the art. The neighborhood around is filled with insane art, since we were here during covid we just observed the neighborhood from our car! read more

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We drove here in November 2020 before Thanksgiving and had some fun checking out the art work at Bombay Beach. Got to see what this salty sea was all about. Prolly won't be coming back in the future but glad to visit at least once. read more

I've stayed in my motorhome at the camp area across the highway from the lake a few times, which gives easy access to a huge and varied part of the desert. From camp it's easy to find anything from high speed washes to rock crawling to sand dunes. There's even a man-made offroad park to test your vehicle and driving in a safe environment. Great place to just hang out and enjoy the outdoors too. read more

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This was not my first visit to the marina at Salton Sea. If you like decay, urban exploration and photography, this is a go to spot....if you can handle the smell. Saying it's "pretty bad" would be an understatement. It actually left me feeling not quite right and headach-y for hours on my last visit. But there aren't any other places like this around and it won't be here forever and if you could just stop breathing, it's actually a beautiful view. read more

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The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in California's Imperial and Coachella Valleys.  Location: Colorado Desert; Imperial and Riverside Counties, California, U.S Cool place to just get lost for a day or two,also you will Find campground near the lake read more

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Visited the Salton Sea today. The silence of this town is ominous! Have never been to this side of the sea and we were speechless, people live here...daily! Boarded up and broken down, beaches of fish bones and bird carcasses. One fire truck for the town chained up to prevent vandalism. Unfortunately we didn't take pictures of all the wild and crazy things but it was definitely an adventure. Now to research how people survive here and what keeps them here. read more

Salton Sea - Hazy day at the sea! - Beaches Near Me - Desert Shores, California

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Come tomorrow, the dream might blow away Guilt and sorrow, the price you have to pay Snobbery and decay ~ Act I've always wanted to come here after seeing the 2002 film with Val Kilmer, The Salton Sea. I had also read it was the largest body of water in California. The smell is the first thing that attacks your senses when you arrive. My experience was that it looked post-apocalyptic. The remnants of its faded glory are scattered about. The beauty and tragedy of the the area has this push-pull type experience that's hard to describe. The white sand was actually ground up bones from the fish that couldn't survive in the environment. The sadness gives way to hope, when you see that birds of all types that have taken it over as a sanctuary. I was worried about their outcome as they drank water from the sea ... read more

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I don't know but this place depresses me..... I don't know how or why people would even consider camping here.. The algae stinks up the air.. and its hot as you know what... I will def not be back.. but hey... at least I had donated to keep this place open... and reserved. It is only mystical on tv - beleive me... read more

The Desert Shores area of Salton Sea is definitely an interesting area. This place was one of the three big spots during the lake's hey days. It seems like the closer you get to the water, the worse off the community becomes. The homes become abandon, then destroyed, then just decimated. it's a really sad thing to witness. The water levels were so low when I came that even the boat ramps were useless. Even so, the place was beautiful and I highly respect the desert. No matter what, the desert will prevail and it is- slowly. read more

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My husband and I were staying the weekend in nearby Borrego Springs. We both love to geocache so we came out to Salton Sea to get the caches that were there. It was my 2nd time to Salton Sea. I don't even know how to describe it. On one hand, it is a bit depressing because it's almost like a beat down ghost town with a few residents. The smell of the rot from the dead fish and birds is pungent. It has a ghostly, eerie feeling to it. On the positive side, there is really no place like it. You are definitely free to roam without a lot of rules or enforcement. It is really cool to see the sea against the backdrop of the rugged mountains nearby. I was happy to see some newer, nicer homes built up since the last time I was there. It's also kinda cool to see the history and how it was built up to be a resort town that wasn't after the tragedy with the water there. Interesting to say the least. read more

I loved it. Yes it has a smell but it wasn't bad at all! It may be 'cause of the weather. I dropped by during the 'winter weather.' The sun was out but pretty windy. I was so excited. Felt like a little girl running around and dragging my husband everywhere. Fish, and bird bones everywhere!! Very interesting that people still camp there. But it's because it's pretty awesome!! To enter, I definitely suggest you pay the fee. No one is really there to monitor if you do or don't. At least the entrance I went through. But you would have to be heartless not to.The way I see it, is it won't be there forever. So try to maintain it as much as possible. You can slightly see how the sea is disappearing little by little. Very saddening. But I enjoyed my whole experience. The view was just jaw dropping. It's something I won't forget. Yeah the smell and some stuff may push people away but you get past it. And I promise the more you explore and stuff, the better it gets read more

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The Salton Sea is by no means five stars for summer water sports and activities, but it is definitely five stars for scenic beauty and wildlife. The sea is one of the great mistakes of the 20th century when a farming canal in 1905 was broken and diverted the entire Colorado River into the Salton Sea basin for a period of two years before it could be controlled again. Now there is the large shallow water sea that is home to numerous species of wildlife today. Why is it so salty if it was filled from a fresh water river you ask? Well, that's because it has nowhere to drain to and, due to evaporation, salts and minerals in the sea continue to increase. People may think that the sea is dead, but actually the opposite is true, it is very much alive, too much alive in fact with an over production of algae from the nutrient rich water. There can be times when the sea can produce an unpleasant odor but it is not often, normally in the hotter months when you don't really want to be there anyway. However in the cooler months it is worth it to watch a sunset from the north side of the sea. The reflection of the setting sun and the multitude of colors in the sky reflecting off the water as a flock of birds fly by is simple awe inspiring. read more

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Wonderful place for photographers.... Over the years the cool decaying stuff is getting less and less. Bombay Beach still has some cool destroyed areas but they are getting large dumpsters and starting to clean them up. Very cool place to shoot some pics, just plug your nose. read more

Salton Sea - Beaches Near Me - Desert Shores, California

Love it here. Yes it smells terrible when it's hot. But winter time ... it's the best. So pretty to see and there's so much around it to take a look at. read more

One of the most majestic places I've ever adventured to. There's silence in the beauty of the disaster. read more

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A tranquil, serene and very Zen salt water lake in the Coachella Valley, well worth visiting. It's got a very interesting history and is a vanishing act, so go before it's gone for good. Enjoy the calm beaches, boating and camping of this California State Park. Go outside of the very hot summers, when algae blooms can transform this lake into a very odoriferous location. read more

Historically very interesting and the blue sea against the desert hills is beautiful. Some campgrounds are old but clean and peaceful, especially the north side. What is so very sad are all the small towns around the sea are very, very poorly maintained. They look like the land forgotten. Except to say "I've been there" there is absolutely no reason to visit any of the towns. Sad. read more

Really cool place to come visit, there is just something peaceful and solitary about this place. Really nice place to stop to catch up with your thoughts. Even in death there is life. read more

Salton Sea is the place to see for an interesting,amazing, beautiful and sad experience. If you like the outdoors and take pictures,you will go: aaaaaaww in this place. Be aware of the smell of dead fish though lol try to ignore it and take pictures to show your friends,it's so beautiful but sad. read more

Salton Sea - Beautiful scenery but smells dead fish. - Beaches Near Me - Desert Shores, California

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I grew up here and I'm still discovering so much about and around it. It has a certain appeal that's only for certain people. If you like peace and quiet, desert views that go on forever, art, the outdoors and freedom, this is the place for you. read more

Really weird place but the drive from Julian makes the trek worth it. Beautiful drive

Not sure why the high reviews from previous visitors unless something crazy has happened with water lately. Water was brown. Like filthy brown. Algea is floating all over the surface and it stinks like a sewer. Unless the fishing is phenominal not sure of the attraction. Definately not somewhere you would do surging, SUP, skiing or anything else where you would get into filthy water. read more

If you have an open mind and like to visit areas that have a history, this is a really cool spot. If you're more like the "OMG, THIS IS WHERE THEY FILMED MTV'S "THE REAL WORLD " type of person, then you probably just need to stay home and watch reruns of The Kardashians. There is so much history here, it's crazy. As you walk around, you can begin to imagine what was here and how it was during its heyday . If you stop to research how it was formed, it's climax, and it's fall, then it's completely fascinating. Do yourself a favor and visit this area before it disappears. read more

The Views are amazing however too many dead fish and the buildings are mostly abandoned the scary part you see homes, but looks like a ghost town. The way our environment is changing most likely the Salton sea will be affected and unfortunately our sea creatures will be gone! read more

Scenic drive through the Salton Sea~