Salton Sea State Recreation Area
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Mecca Beach Campground Memorial Day weekend. Not crowded! Not fully booked. Nice camp security came this morning to check us in. Hard to find info on but here is the scoop. Pulled in last night, mild temperature, slept well! Lovely campground. Ok for tents-flat, not too rocky, trees to hang a lantern on at most sites. Very long picnic table. Fire ring. Clean well maintained, bathrooms/showers nice and tidy! If hot, you should bring an easy up, but we do have some tree shade. Inflatable pool and bucket to add water is a nice idea for kids,, since you can't swim,, and you can put your feet in it. Water spigot near by. Train and traffic, not bad. Wind not bad. Party/radio noise moderate, bring ear plugs if those things bug you...also one side is along the water, we have a nice view. Other side is close to tracks.
Salton Sea is under the world sea level and pretty much a ghost town. We went on a Monday, Martin Luther King Day and it was literally empty. Plenty of birds and fish bones! It's a great place to visit, aside from the reviews about it smelling, we didn't smell anything unpleasant, maybe because it's winter, so I imagine it being stinky during the summer. I thought it was peaceful, framed by mountains on one side, and the colors before sunset are beautiful. There's not really much to see here, it's a good 30 minute stop to experience that once used to be what it was (California's largest man made lake with overflow from the Colorado River) now something abandoned and full of barnacles and broken fish bones. An accident spawned a lake without an outlet became very salty and caused the fish to die and the rest was history... in a course of less than a century. Interesting? Check it out!
Revisited We came back to visiting the Salton Sea from 3 years ago [7/12/14] and this time I was able to walk as close as I can to the shore. Surprising there were no flies and the smell was not as prevalent unlike our first adventure here. It was just horrible last time with flies everywhere. The Salton Sea has seen its glory days, this former resort region had its heyday during the early 1960's, but due to agricultural runoff and pollution, its salinity has increased and usability as a recreational resource decreased drastically. Salton Sea lies at an elevation of 228 feet below sea level, it was formed in 1905 when the flooding Colorado River diverted into the Salton Sink rather than be suppressed into a system of canals leading into the then-developing Imperial County. Although the flooding stopped by 1907, the sea remained, becoming the largest lake in California. With no outlets and very little inflow, the Salton Sea is just a giant evaporation pond. So basically, when the desert sun steals the pure water vapor it leaves behind the salt, which accumulates year over year. Many people, like me, now visit the Salton Sea and the surrounding settlements to explore the abandoned structures. I'm not sure if the state is doing something, if anything, about the many issues with the water quality and health of the sea that remain to this day. Also, unsure if there are any fishes left in the salty water but there sure was a lot of dead carcasses of fishes on the shore. Review #0212 updated
I saw this place on a re-run of California Gold with Hugh Houser. I always wanted to come check it out. It was fun. I didn't go everywhere but it was enough. There is a strange smell from the salary water but not over whelming. There was a nice ranger who gave me some brochures to help my travels. I did take his advice,, Checked out up towards Joshua tree from box canyon. It was very beautiful. I have a 4x4 so I was able to check out even better areas. Do recommend.
This place is... interesting... to say the least. The Salton Sea and surrounding areas are beautifully unique, albeit pretty bizarre. I left Joshua Tree National Park via the south entrance and realized I wasn't too far from the Salton Sea so I made the drive over. I passed by the most interesting rock formations, what appeared to be some palm tree farms, and tons of abandoned buildings before laying my eyes on the Salton Sea. You can pay $5 to enter the State Recreation Area where there is a pretty nice museum/informative building complete with history and exhibits. You can also drive down a little ways to one of the beaches or campgrounds and step foot on the "beach" free of charge. I would recommend paying the $5 though. The smell is pretty bad, even in November. The area is pretty desolate and it's just weird walking around what feels like an old abandoned movie set. I don't think I have ever been below sea level before so that was pretty cool. The surface of the Salton Sea is 234.0 feet (or 71 meters) before sea level. If you're in the area, stop by the Salton Sea. I believe there are hiking trails on the opposite side of the sea from the Recreation Area. Salvation Mountain is also in the area. Read up on the history and you'll be fascinated, despite the bizarre nature of this place. After all, the juxtaposition between the sea and mountains is totally worth seeing.
Salton Sea State Recreations Area is 14-mile coast line with camping and fishing area in the Imperial county. There is an entrance fee that cost seven ($7) bucks. A female park ranger, staff, was friendly and welcoming. The visitors center is temporarily closed due to pandemic. However, you can still tour the coastline-park. The Salton Sea is situated at 233 feet below sea level, this is one of the unique landscapes of California. Due to the high salinity, very few fish species can tolerate living in the Salton Sea. The place give you an eerie feeling with all the dead fish, dead towns, and desert, it's a unique post-apocalyptic landscape unlike any other. One can only stay here for a couple of minutes due to its malodorous toxic odor emitting from the dead and toxic water. Truly something unique to see and explore at least once, especially if you like photography. Parking lot is hella huge. Overall, its a good place to take photos of the lake, mountain and dead or alive wild-life.
See the sea of salt hear bones crunching underfoot puzzle missing piece. The ground makes a strange crunching as I walk towards the shoreline. My kid grabs a handful of the ground and points out we are walking on the bones and shells of sea creatures. As I get closer to the water I notice the dead fish. It's December 27 and luckily I don't notice the smell I was warned about. There is a stark beauty to the area. There are a few people wandering the shoreline and checking out the visitor's center. They show a video that documents how the Salton Sea was created and how it had it's heyday in the 1950's. Now it has the feel of a ghost town. There are cool exhibits inside the visitor's center showing the local wildlife and area. I found that Salvation Mountain is nearby and the creator has died. My kid finds a puzzle and races the clock to finish before closing time. My gf's kid finds an example of a local indian home and works on building a replica from palm fronds. I sensed the history of this place on the drive over seeing the farms and old abandoned buildings. Puzzle girl was hard at work while I admired where the water ended and the mountains began. The sky is big here without any buildings to obstruct the view. It's peaceful here and the experience is well worth the $5 parking fee. With some last minute assistance puzzle girl finished her puzzle as they were getting ready to close up. As we drove off the sun sunk behind the mountains and a lovely dusk provided our light. :-)
For years and years I drove back and forth between Phoenix and Los Angeles, passing the Exit on Interstate 10 for the Salton Sea. But never attempted it. I didn't believe it--that there was a "Sea" in the middle of the Desert! Must be dried up--was probably a Sea 10,000 years ago I was thinking. Maybe it's a pond now? Finally, yesterday while on a visit to Palm Desert with 4 hours to kill on a Sunday afternoon, my partner came up with a genius idea: Why don't we drive over to the Salton Sea--it's only 35 miles from Palm Desert. We took the local roads--the 111 over there. After driving through Indio, then Coachella, and Mecca--the neighborhoods were so dilapidated--we were getting depressed. Tons of abandoned businesses--boarded up homes, graffiti. As we got closer, my partner looked out and said I think I can see the Sea. I responded--You can't see the Sea--there is no water there--there is no Sea--it's must be a reflection of the mountains and landscape. But we get to within an 1/8 of a mile and OMG! There is a giant Sea here--looks like the Ocean and a beach--many beaches. She was right! She saw the sea. I could not believe what I was seeing at first look. How did all this water get here? It's gigantic. Why are there no boats on the Sea? Something is not right. The area around the Salton Sea is filled with many abandoned closed businesses--signs of what used to be a better time. It was depressing. You almost don't want to get out of the car. The nicest building in the area was the Visitor's Center. We enter the gate, (5.00 a day to park), and drive to the first beach and get out of the car. Whewwwww! The smell of fish--heavy and thick. Whewww! Cancel my Salmon Dinner--I just lost it! Now we just figured out why the Ritz has not put up a Resort on this Sea yet. But when you look out and admire the sheer beauty of the mountains, beaches, large 35 mile long Sea, and how deserted it is--you wonder why more investment has not taken place here. What's wrong? Is it off the Map? Something is fishy here. The Visitor Center is really nice--and they put up some new paths and tables recently. They are investing! They also offer Kayaking. I really enjoyed the visit. It was really memorable. Maybe Kayak the next time? Sign says salt content in the Sea is 25% more than the Ocean--that's a lot of salt. They invited some fish from the salty Pacific Ocean to migrate over and make a new home--but they all said, "No Thanks!" Even the Tuna turned down the opportunity after consulting with it's cardiologist---the Dr. told the Tuna: "That amount of salt could kill you! Stay at home in the Ocean." Supposedly the Sea is filled with one fish that can barely survive all that salt: Tilapia--and tons of it. I would say, give it a visit if nearby--would not make a long journey just to come here--but it's really a unique place. Don't go before a reservation at a fish restaurant.
Salton Sea is the weirdest little spot. It's covered with fish, not live fish in the water, but the remains of dead fish all over the shore. Move away from the shore and you see a layer of salt covering the dirt. Well, go figure. Salton Sea got quite the past. To read more about it, check out saltonseamuseum.org/salton_sea_history.html or just Google Salton Sea. If you're into birdwatching, this place is ideal. Its got loads of birds. They've got a variety of fish to choose from, why not? If you're sensitive to smell though, this place is stinky. If you're sensitive to flies buzzing about, well, there are carcasses all over, so it's a given. I personally think it's a great place to go, with or without kids, to explore a different ecological setting. To witness, firsthand, what happens when the salinity level of a body of water becomes very salty. It's also on the way to Slab City/Salvation Mountain.
It only took 14 years after moving to California to venture this far south. Finally opportunity arose to meet my folks here on their RV tour of the region and we were able to stay with them for a night. I think the Salton Sea is a special place and for a very long time, I've wanted to visit here. I'm a nerd for history and all things "weird" so I knew this place would be right up my alley. Thankfully, it didn't disappoint. A few tips: If you want to walk down to the water line, you will need to wear boots. As you walk closer to the water, you will find yourself sinking deeper and deeper into the old fish bones. They are sharp and you will cut yourself. Don't let your dogs walk too far down. They cannot protect their little paws and will also get cut. You may not even notice the cut until it becomes a problem. Visit in the Winter. Though we were only there 24 hours, I didn't smell dead fish once. Pack your camera and a good lens - there are loads of interesting migrating birds and the colors at sunset are beautiful. RV-ers are very friendly people. Don't be afraid to say hello to your neighbors. Lastly, I was a little surprised by how close the Salton Sea is to places like La Quinta and Indio. Next time I'm in the area, I will take the opportunity to do a little more exploring.
It is a little bizarre to come across the Salton Sea after you've been driving across the desert. Because of the pandemic, there were only two other cars in the parking lot and we never saw the people they belong to.
Very fascinating and educational. $7 entry fee/ all day pass. Warning: when there is wind be prepared for the unpleasant odor. The view of the sea is quite captivating. Make a donation to help preserve this once thriving and flourishing spot. Spend a few minutes watching the presentation video inside the visitors center for an in-depth 411 about how the Salton Sea accidentally came about, its glorious past and the potential harm to humans and the ecosystem if it were to be gone. My teenager highly enjoyed it, more than his visit up to Joshua Tree.
Very interesting. Made the trek to check it out and glad we did. Nice little visitors center and little camp store. The ranger and volunteers were friendly & knowledge about the area and history of the Salton Sea. There is camping available with and without hook ups.
I mean it's pretty? Self register: $7 for one vehicle access. $2 discount for seniors above 62 years old. Campsites range in the $30. POSITIVES: - it's flat land so easy to walk/hike - "clean" air... in the middle of no where (so it gives these vibes) - you see live animals like rabbits! - not many people - multiple options regarding parking and campsites - places to launch - it's well kept / clean - the presence of a cactus garden! - easy to navigate - great place to release some stress NEGATIVES: - it's salty - there are portions that are dried to the tee - it's in the middle of no where so you do have to drive a bit - there's not much to see or to do - not many activities OVERALL: it's a unique experience that one should experience at least once. read more
5 months ago
2 years ago
Mecca Beach Campground Memorial Day weekend. Not crowded! Not fully booked. Nice camp security came this morning to check us in. Hard to find info on but here is the scoop. Pulled in last night, mild temperature, slept well! Lovely campground. Ok for tents-flat, not too rocky, trees to hang a lantern on at most sites. Very long picnic table. Fire ring. Clean well maintained, bathrooms/showers nice and tidy! If hot, you should bring an easy up, but we do have some tree shade. Inflatable pool and bucket to add water is a nice idea for kids,, since you can't swim,, and you can put your feet in it. Water spigot near by. Train and traffic, not bad. Wind not bad. Party/radio noise moderate, bring ear plugs if those things bug you...also one side is along the water, we have a nice view. Other side is close to tracks. read more
Salton Sea is under the world sea level and pretty much a ghost town. We went on a Monday, Martin Luther King Day and it was literally empty. Plenty of birds and fish bones! It's a great place to visit, aside from the reviews about it smelling, we didn't smell anything unpleasant, maybe because it's winter, so I imagine it being stinky during the summer. I thought it was peaceful, framed by mountains on one side, and the colors before sunset are beautiful. There's not really much to see here, it's a good 30 minute stop to experience that once used to be what it was (California's largest man made lake with overflow from the Colorado River) now something abandoned and full of barnacles and broken fish bones. An accident spawned a lake without an outlet became very salty and caused the fish to die and the rest was history... in a course of less than a century. Interesting? Check it out! read more
Revisited We came back to visiting the Salton Sea from 3 years ago [7/12/14] and this time I was able to walk as close as I can to the shore. Surprising there were no flies and the smell was not as prevalent unlike our first adventure here. It was just horrible last time with flies everywhere. The Salton Sea has seen its glory days, this former resort region had its heyday during the early 1960's, but due to agricultural runoff and pollution, its salinity has increased and usability as a recreational resource decreased drastically. Salton Sea lies at an elevation of 228 feet below sea level, it was formed in 1905 when the flooding Colorado River diverted into the Salton Sink rather than be suppressed into a system of canals leading into the then-developing Imperial County. Although the flooding stopped by 1907, the sea remained, becoming the largest lake in California. With no outlets and very little inflow, the Salton Sea is just a giant evaporation pond. So basically, when the desert sun steals the pure water vapor it leaves behind the salt, which accumulates year over year. Many people, like me, now visit the Salton Sea and the surrounding settlements to explore the abandoned structures. I'm not sure if the state is doing something, if anything, about the many issues with the water quality and health of the sea that remain to this day. Also, unsure if there are any fishes left in the salty water but there sure was a lot of dead carcasses of fishes on the shore. Review #0212 updated read more
6 years ago
I saw this place on a re-run of California Gold with Hugh Houser. I always wanted to come check it out. It was fun. I didn't go everywhere but it was enough. There is a strange smell from the salary water but not over whelming. There was a nice ranger who gave me some brochures to help my travels. I did take his advice,, Checked out up towards Joshua tree from box canyon. It was very beautiful. I have a 4x4 so I was able to check out even better areas. Do recommend. read more
6 years ago
This place is... interesting... to say the least. The Salton Sea and surrounding areas are beautifully unique, albeit pretty bizarre. I left Joshua Tree National Park via the south entrance and realized I wasn't too far from the Salton Sea so I made the drive over. I passed by the most interesting rock formations, what appeared to be some palm tree farms, and tons of abandoned buildings before laying my eyes on the Salton Sea. You can pay $5 to enter the State Recreation Area where there is a pretty nice museum/informative building complete with history and exhibits. You can also drive down a little ways to one of the beaches or campgrounds and step foot on the "beach" free of charge. I would recommend paying the $5 though. The smell is pretty bad, even in November. The area is pretty desolate and it's just weird walking around what feels like an old abandoned movie set. I don't think I have ever been below sea level before so that was pretty cool. The surface of the Salton Sea is 234.0 feet (or 71 meters) before sea level. If you're in the area, stop by the Salton Sea. I believe there are hiking trails on the opposite side of the sea from the Recreation Area. Salvation Mountain is also in the area. Read up on the history and you'll be fascinated, despite the bizarre nature of this place. After all, the juxtaposition between the sea and mountains is totally worth seeing. read more
Salton Sea State Recreations Area is 14-mile coast line with camping and fishing area in the Imperial county. There is an entrance fee that cost seven ($7) bucks. A female park ranger, staff, was friendly and welcoming. The visitors center is temporarily closed due to pandemic. However, you can still tour the coastline-park. The Salton Sea is situated at 233 feet below sea level, this is one of the unique landscapes of California. Due to the high salinity, very few fish species can tolerate living in the Salton Sea. The place give you an eerie feeling with all the dead fish, dead towns, and desert, it's a unique post-apocalyptic landscape unlike any other. One can only stay here for a couple of minutes due to its malodorous toxic odor emitting from the dead and toxic water. Truly something unique to see and explore at least once, especially if you like photography. Parking lot is hella huge. Overall, its a good place to take photos of the lake, mountain and dead or alive wild-life. read more
See the sea of salt hear bones crunching underfoot puzzle missing piece. The ground makes a strange crunching as I walk towards the shoreline. My kid grabs a handful of the ground and points out we are walking on the bones and shells of sea creatures. As I get closer to the water I notice the dead fish. It's December 27 and luckily I don't notice the smell I was warned about. There is a stark beauty to the area. There are a few people wandering the shoreline and checking out the visitor's center. They show a video that documents how the Salton Sea was created and how it had it's heyday in the 1950's. Now it has the feel of a ghost town. There are cool exhibits inside the visitor's center showing the local wildlife and area. I found that Salvation Mountain is nearby and the creator has died. My kid finds a puzzle and races the clock to finish before closing time. My gf's kid finds an example of a local indian home and works on building a replica from palm fronds. I sensed the history of this place on the drive over seeing the farms and old abandoned buildings. Puzzle girl was hard at work while I admired where the water ended and the mountains began. The sky is big here without any buildings to obstruct the view. It's peaceful here and the experience is well worth the $5 parking fee. With some last minute assistance puzzle girl finished her puzzle as they were getting ready to close up. As we drove off the sun sunk behind the mountains and a lovely dusk provided our light. :-) read more
For years and years I drove back and forth between Phoenix and Los Angeles, passing the Exit on Interstate 10 for the Salton Sea. But never attempted it. I didn't believe it--that there was a "Sea" in the middle of the Desert! Must be dried up--was probably a Sea 10,000 years ago I was thinking. Maybe it's a pond now? Finally, yesterday while on a visit to Palm Desert with 4 hours to kill on a Sunday afternoon, my partner came up with a genius idea: Why don't we drive over to the Salton Sea--it's only 35 miles from Palm Desert. We took the local roads--the 111 over there. After driving through Indio, then Coachella, and Mecca--the neighborhoods were so dilapidated--we were getting depressed. Tons of abandoned businesses--boarded up homes, graffiti. As we got closer, my partner looked out and said I think I can see the Sea. I responded--You can't see the Sea--there is no water there--there is no Sea--it's must be a reflection of the mountains and landscape. But we get to within an 1/8 of a mile and OMG! There is a giant Sea here--looks like the Ocean and a beach--many beaches. She was right! She saw the sea. I could not believe what I was seeing at first look. How did all this water get here? It's gigantic. Why are there no boats on the Sea? Something is not right. The area around the Salton Sea is filled with many abandoned closed businesses--signs of what used to be a better time. It was depressing. You almost don't want to get out of the car. The nicest building in the area was the Visitor's Center. We enter the gate, (5.00 a day to park), and drive to the first beach and get out of the car. Whewwwww! The smell of fish--heavy and thick. Whewww! Cancel my Salmon Dinner--I just lost it! Now we just figured out why the Ritz has not put up a Resort on this Sea yet. But when you look out and admire the sheer beauty of the mountains, beaches, large 35 mile long Sea, and how deserted it is--you wonder why more investment has not taken place here. What's wrong? Is it off the Map? Something is fishy here. The Visitor Center is really nice--and they put up some new paths and tables recently. They are investing! They also offer Kayaking. I really enjoyed the visit. It was really memorable. Maybe Kayak the next time? Sign says salt content in the Sea is 25% more than the Ocean--that's a lot of salt. They invited some fish from the salty Pacific Ocean to migrate over and make a new home--but they all said, "No Thanks!" Even the Tuna turned down the opportunity after consulting with it's cardiologist---the Dr. told the Tuna: "That amount of salt could kill you! Stay at home in the Ocean." Supposedly the Sea is filled with one fish that can barely survive all that salt: Tilapia--and tons of it. I would say, give it a visit if nearby--would not make a long journey just to come here--but it's really a unique place. Don't go before a reservation at a fish restaurant. read more
Salton Sea is the weirdest little spot. It's covered with fish, not live fish in the water, but the remains of dead fish all over the shore. Move away from the shore and you see a layer of salt covering the dirt. Well, go figure. Salton Sea got quite the past. To read more about it, check out saltonseamuseum.org/salton_sea_history.html or just Google Salton Sea. If you're into birdwatching, this place is ideal. Its got loads of birds. They've got a variety of fish to choose from, why not? If you're sensitive to smell though, this place is stinky. If you're sensitive to flies buzzing about, well, there are carcasses all over, so it's a given. I personally think it's a great place to go, with or without kids, to explore a different ecological setting. To witness, firsthand, what happens when the salinity level of a body of water becomes very salty. It's also on the way to Slab City/Salvation Mountain. read more
It only took 14 years after moving to California to venture this far south. Finally opportunity arose to meet my folks here on their RV tour of the region and we were able to stay with them for a night. I think the Salton Sea is a special place and for a very long time, I've wanted to visit here. I'm a nerd for history and all things "weird" so I knew this place would be right up my alley. Thankfully, it didn't disappoint. A few tips: If you want to walk down to the water line, you will need to wear boots. As you walk closer to the water, you will find yourself sinking deeper and deeper into the old fish bones. They are sharp and you will cut yourself. Don't let your dogs walk too far down. They cannot protect their little paws and will also get cut. You may not even notice the cut until it becomes a problem. Visit in the Winter. Though we were only there 24 hours, I didn't smell dead fish once. Pack your camera and a good lens - there are loads of interesting migrating birds and the colors at sunset are beautiful. RV-ers are very friendly people. Don't be afraid to say hello to your neighbors. Lastly, I was a little surprised by how close the Salton Sea is to places like La Quinta and Indio. Next time I'm in the area, I will take the opportunity to do a little more exploring. read more
5 years ago
It is a little bizarre to come across the Salton Sea after you've been driving across the desert. Because of the pandemic, there were only two other cars in the parking lot and we never saw the people they belong to. read more
7 years ago
Very fascinating and educational. $7 entry fee/ all day pass. Warning: when there is wind be prepared for the unpleasant odor. The view of the sea is quite captivating. Make a donation to help preserve this once thriving and flourishing spot. Spend a few minutes watching the presentation video inside the visitors center for an in-depth 411 about how the Salton Sea accidentally came about, its glorious past and the potential harm to humans and the ecosystem if it were to be gone. My teenager highly enjoyed it, more than his visit up to Joshua Tree. read more
8 years ago
Very interesting. Made the trek to check it out and glad we did. Nice little visitors center and little camp store. The ranger and volunteers were friendly & knowledge about the area and history of the Salton Sea. There is camping available with and without hook ups. read more
12 years ago
ONE FISH, TWO FISH, WHITE FISH, DEAD FISH!!! BACKGROUND: The modern sea was accidentally created by the engineers of the California Development Company in 1905. In an effort to increase waterflow into the area for farming, irrigation canals were dug from the Colorado River into the valley. Due to fears of silt buildup, a cut was made in the bank of the Colorado River to further increase the water flow. The resulting outflow overwhelmed the engineered canal, and the river flowed into the Salton Basin for two years, filling the historic dry lake bed and creating the modern sea, before repairs were completed. STATS: Free on-site parking Breezy Smells fishy Calm water EXPERIENCE: BroTha, SisTa and I were on schedule to take a hike in Mecca one Sunday morning. Quite a drive from the LA area, we decided to make a weekend out of it. Saturday was spent mostly driving, but we were lucky enough to be able to make some pit stops. Our first was here at the Salton Sea. None of us had never been, so when we got out of the car, we were in Ahhhhh!!! Then we realized, YIKES!!! It smells fishy, mouths quickly shut. Gettin' onour glute workout, we walked through what we thought was course sand toward a vast body of still water, to the Salton Sea. Wow! So amazing, with mountains on the opposite side of us and huge puffy clouds in the setting sun was spectacular. When we looked down at our feet, we noticed we weren't walking on course sand, but crustacean shells, and closer to the water, we saw why he air was filled with the smell of fish. Not just one fish, two fish, but tons o' dead fish all over the place, hence the fishy smell. Lovers of all things nature, we got a bit emotional at all the death around us. We carefully stepped over and around the fish to look at all the other offerings this sea has. There's really not much to see here, however, there is a visitors center, which, unfortunately was closed at the time of our visit, so we decided that we will come back another time. In my quest for background information, I found myself in awe, so interesting how the Salton Sea came about and its future. I'm so looking forward to visiting again and checking out the information that is available. Now off to stop number two. You coming? read more
On the surface, the sea appears to be little more than a lifeless, greenish-brown pond lined with dead barnacles and the bones of other creatures-- a misleading impression, as the sea actually supports a great deal of life. Its vastness is impressive, and the stark beauty of the surrounding mountains makes it a picturesque locale. For birds, however, the sea is a mecca, a wonderland of microorganisms that feed not only insects but over four hundred bird species migrating along the Pacific Flyway. It is a critical spot, whose future is instrumental in the survival of many avian creatures. Day pass is $5. Worth every dollar! We walked the length of the "beach" as much as we can. The rest is not passable by foot. Each time you step you're carried by millions of pieces of broken fish bones shattered in tiny pieces. Looking down I thought it was odd looking/feeling sands. It not. It's bones, bones, bones! Eerie but not surprising as the salinity here is 25 times more than the Pacific Ocean! Birds fly thru here and sometimes they come to die too. I've seen a couple of sea gull bones perfectly formed. A lone tree can be found on the beach. Devoid of leaves and covered with salt. Difficult walking this "beach". I suggest tall boots to avoid getting those bone fragments in your shoes. Best to visit between Oct-May. Expect the wind and chills in the air. A steady comfortable 70 degrees. Better than 115 degrees during off season! Prepare to meet the stench that comes from the sea. Probably one of the reasons why no one was was using the BBQ pits or the cabanas. We were the sole walkers on the beach too. ***One of the world's largest inland seas and lowest spots on earth at -227 below sea level, Salton Sea was re-created in 1905 when high spring flooding on the Colorado River crashed the canal gates leading into the developing Imperial Valley. For the next 18 months the entire volume of the Colorado River rushed downward into the Salton Trough. By the time engineers were finally able to stop the breaching water in 1907, the Salton Sea had been born at 45 miles long and 20 miles wide - equaling about 130 miles of shoreline. Salton Sea State Recreation Area covers 14 miles of the northeastern shore and has long been a popular site for campers, boaters and anglers. Increasing salinity in the Salton Sea basin has limited the number of types of fish that can be found there, and most fish currently caught are Tilapia. Varner Harbor within the SRA provides easy access to the sea for boating and water skiing. Kayakers, campers, birdwatchers, photographers and hikers can enjoy the site's many recreation ***the last paragraph information copied from the State Park website. read more
12 years ago
- Make sure your car is gassed up prior; nearest gas station is at least 20 miles away. - Have plenty of water / snacks. - Wear hiking / rain boots or shoes you don't mind getting fish skeleton dust on. We heard of this great geological gem from some crazy-adventurous friends, and decided to take a look-see... Very scenic drive:-) Great 4G connection @ the lake. Yay!!!!! Came in January and fortunately there were NO foul odor! I was forewarned about the 'nasty stank'. The lake is eerily quiet. So quiet that one could hear other's conversation from a distance. ...and the reverse is a definite possibility! Walking on crunchy sand mixed with barnacles & broken fish bones was freaky. Frequent sighting of whole fish skeletal remains. O_o This is the result of the high salinity of the Salton Sea (saltier than sea water and rising every year ~~~ most fish can no longer survive here) The mostly abandoned / salt-encrusted structures nearby poignantly capture loss and fragile lives. Proposed plans to save the Salton Sea are underway. Overall, we enjoyed our exploration of this unique and accidentally created modern sea. I recommend you visit soon before it all disappear. read more
I have been camping at the Salton Sea over the Thanksgiving holiday and have always had a terrific time; this year was no exception. As the other reviews will attest, this is a very unique, quirky, and unusual place in the California desert. Really enjoy going during this time of the year as the bugs are very minimal (an occasional fly, no mosquitos) and the temperatures make for very pleasant weather. The horrible smell that people equate with the Salton Sea is imperceptible while staying at the campground on the eastern shore of the Sea. It's only when you journey down to the water can you actually smell the unmistakable odor. I have been consistently surprised, in a good way with the camping facilities that are present on the east shore. The bathrooms and showers are routinely maintained in good working order and the rest of the grounds are kept tidy by the vigilant staff. My only real gripe is your 50 cents for a shower only gets you 2 minutes which is wasted waiting for the water to get hot, oh well. This is a truly unique destination that I highly recommend for people to explore. It's really is like no other place you have ever been. If you have the time, check out the Salton Sea State Recreation area, it's a destination you will always remember. read more
This is the best time of year -- well, probably the only time of year -- to camp at the Salton Sea because the cooler temps keep the bugs away. It was so beautifully still last night with the occasional bird call echoing off the surface of the water and a train rumbling every so often in the background. Bliss. read more
If you are doing the Salton Sea - this is a must visit. The docents are so nice and friendly and full of great information. Be sure to watch the video! We went in February and it was just perfect! It was such a beautiful spot - no odor - just beauty. Seems like this would have been a great time of year to camp - there were only a few folks! read more
13 years ago
I camped out here for three days and it was beautiful. Despite short staff, the camp area was very well kept and maintained. Clean bathrooms and even (pay) showers. Our camp site was great, a lot of shade... quiet except from the sound of the lake and birds. There was no smell from the lake, aside from the normal salt water smells of an bay. I am sure it is different in the 120f summer days, but I am not stupid enough to venture here in the Summer heat. I can only imagine the horror. The sunset from this area is also stunning... the orange-red hues, while the birds dive into the water for fish is breath taking. Walking on the beach is another thing- a lot of fish bones and shoes are a must. I would also not recommend swimming at all, but for camping it was perfect. I had a great experience and I recommend it highly. read more
7 years ago
11 years ago
The Salton Sea is fascinating! I found it beautiful in its bleached austerity. Practically empty of humans, framed by mountains on one side, lemon groves on the other. Everything is coated in salt, the "sand" is crushed fish bones. A wide variety of birds - large and small - pepper the water and beach. It's a peaceful, surreal experience. Most definitely worth a visit if you're in Southern California. Note: I read many comments about the smell, but frankly I found it a not entirely unpleasant briny aroma. It reminded me of the shore on the East Coast. There are kayaks to rent and a super friendly and informative park ranger in the visitors' center. Watch the free 7 minute movie - it will answer all your salty, I mean Salton, questions! read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
6 years ago
7 years ago
So way back in the day, some guys tunneled a great big furrow from the Colorado river over to California to irrigate some crops. The Colorado River overflooded, followed the furrows and created a massive inland sea. The inhabitants of the area loved their new massive inland sea. They used it to water their crops, stocked it with fish, and before they knew it, they had a huge tourist spot. California loved it, and it became a huge hot-spot for the rich and famous of the hollywood folks of the time. People loved the inland sea. However, the sea had a bit of a problem. Huge amounts of silt and dirt over the years had built up, and it didn't have anywhere to go, and the Colorado River flooding thing seemed to happen only once every couple of hundred years or so. The lake began to dry up from evaporation. As the lake evaporated, the giant freshwater lake became more saline. Eventually it was a somewhat giant saltwater lake. It couldn't support the fish that had been stocked earlier, and many of them died. Currently, there's just one species of fish that can live in the water. Tilapia. The Tilapia are doing great now. There's a few hundred thousand of them in the lake. The lake is home to birds and is still a tourist spot. But there's a funk to the area. When we arrived it was actually really pretty. Seabirds flew over the water chasing their reflections. The mountains on the other side of the lake reflected beautifully in the calm water. There were some dead fish though. I'm still not sure why they're there. Maybe they get picked up by the seabirds and thrown onto the beach? Maybe they just get salt in their eyes and swim ashore? I dunno. My mother had been talking of swimming in the lake for hours before we arrived. According to a docent, there are cleaner bits you can swim in around the lake. This wasn't one of them though. She decided not to swim at this location. In addition to the grungy ultra salty water, there were tiny rock like deposits from some kinda barnacle life that made up the 'sand' of the area. It'd be pretty painful on bare feet. We walked around, talked with the docents inside the learning center, watched the video about the lake, and meandered about the beach exploring and photographing until we decided we had to push on for the next item on my list. It was fascinating, interesting and very curious to learn about. I'm glad I picked this area for a road trip! For More Reading: https://www.damninteresting.com/sordid-history-of-the-salton-sea/ read more
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