I have always been somewhat fascinated by the Salton Sea and it's history. I am heading that way(not in the RV) and was thinking about cutting over and checking it out. In trying to find info online, it is hard to tell what is current and or accurate info. Is there anything currently there to see from a historical standpoint? I am going in my old car so I would love some good photo ops.Has anyone been by there lately? any info is certainly appreciated!

Was there a couple of weeks ago. Even from a mile away you can smell it. It isn't as desolate or downtrodden as pictures would lead you to believe - those are pre-2008 for the most part. In fact, the population is growing. There is also a lot of agriculture so it is 'greener' than one would expect. I was somewhat disappointed from a post-industrial wasteland photographic standpoint since, having traveled a lot over the last few years, I have seen quite a few places in the same condition. I think the Detroit area is the new 'mecca' (for wasteland photography. However, there are quite a few interesting places to check out and photograph, it just isn't the place it has been pictured as. Not bad, just change your expectations a little.

I don't know much about the area, but just drove down to El Centro from the Banning Pass area. Forget the hiway, but most of it is a mile or so from the western shoreline. On my return trip I took the road on the east side. What's amazing is, I never saw a boat on this huge lake. Until recently, I had thought that the Salton Sea had at one time been part of the Gulf of Baja. I recently saw a program that said it was the result of a flood from the Colorado River, I believe in the early 1900's. The few resorts I saw all looked to be in a somewhat rundown condition. I know when I was younger, my parents had friends that would spend winters at Salton Sea, evidently it was quite a resort area at one time.Brian

Parents had a lot/home in Bombay Beach in the 60's/70's. Most of the town is still there. Google it and you'll see some of the pictures. The big tourist infrastructure is pretty much gone (marinas, waterfront restaurants, etc. Couple of dive bars, and a market.If you decide on a tour around the "sea", do it counter-clockwise (north on 111, south on 86). The USBP checkpoint on NB 86 can get you into LONG waits, with people coming back from the desert. There is a checkpoint on NB 111, but there's hardly anyone waiting there.

Visit Slab city while your there......just outside of Niland.....

Michael, The Salton Sea has been around for several decades. It was established as result of an over-flow of the Colorado River quiet some time ago. Due to contaminates from farmers fields and, all the fertilizers, run-off and more, and, with no real way of re-plennishing or, re-freshing the total water content, it's labeled as one of the most salty water bodies in the world. Years and years ago, as in around 35-45 or more, when it was not nearly as polluted and contaminated, it was a widely used, recreational lake. Lots of fishing and water toy use. I had many neighbors and friends that would make the trip from San Diego, to the Salton Sea, in the morning to play, i.e. water ski and fish, in that lake all day and, head back in the evening. Talk about being hard on a trailer and other components. You could practically watch the rust happening and parts falling off due to it. I swam in it a few times. I've never been one of those that could "float" that well in a body of water like some could. You know, laying on your back with arms and legs stretched out. But, in that body of water, I could float ultra easy, with or without arms and legs stretched out. That was then....Now, the closer you get to that lake, the more you can smell ROT! There's so much contaminates, salt, chemicles etc., that very frequently there are tons the remaing species of fish, found dead along the shores. It's really too bad. Many, including the late (sort of) Sony Bono (remember Sony and Cher) who've had dreams of turning that lake around and doing a major cleanup on it to make it habitable for all to use, including fish etc. There's quite a few die-hard folks still living in the immediate area but, they are slowly dwindling. There was an effort, about 10 years ago, that was made by a developing company to basically surround that lake with new homes, and, they were seriously cheap. They started off at around $69,000 or $79,000 or so. They were incredibly plain but, if you wanted a sort of "get-a-way" place and, it was near all the play area of Truck Haven and Ocotillo Wells, both serious Off road enthusiast areas, it was a fair deal. But, that project fell flat on it's face too. There's just not that much interest in trying to make that entire area, any better than it presently is. It's too bad, it had and, still could, (with enough investor bucks) be another, smaller "Palm Springs" or, other areas of Desert living. But, I'll never see that in my life. But, for someone like you, it would be interesting to cruise around the area and see what could have been.....Scott

Salton Sea | Good Sam Community

SAR_Tracker
Explorer
Mar 24, 2015
Parents had a lot/home in Bombay Beach in the 60's/70's. Most of the town is still there. Google it and you'll see some of the pictures. The big tourist infrastructure is pretty much gone (marinas, waterfront restaurants, etc. Couple of dive bars, and a market.
If you decide on a tour around the "sea", do it counter-clockwise (north on 111, south on 86). The USBP checkpoint on NB 86 can get you into LONG waits, with people coming back from the desert. There is a checkpoint on NB 111, but there's hardly anyone waiting there.
supercub
Explorer
Mar 24, 2015
I don't know much about the area, but just drove down to El Centro from the Banning Pass area. Forget the hiway, but most of it is a mile or so from the western shoreline. On my return trip I took the road on the east side. What's amazing is, I never saw a boat on this huge lake. Until recently, I had thought that the Salton Sea had at one time been part of the Gulf of Baja. I recently saw a program that said it was the result of a flood from the Colorado River, I believe in the early 1900's. The few resorts I saw all looked to be in a somewhat rundown condition. I know when I was younger, my parents had friends that would spend winters at Salton Sea, evidently it was quite a resort area at one time.
Brian
dahkota
Explorer
Mar 24, 2015
Was there a couple of weeks ago. Even from a mile away you can smell it. It isn't as desolate or downtrodden as pictures would lead you to believe - those are pre-2008 for the most part. In fact, the population is growing. There is also a lot of agriculture so it is 'greener' than one would expect. I was somewhat disappointed from a post-industrial wasteland photographic standpoint since, having traveled a lot over the last few years, I have seen quite a few places in the same condition. I think the Detroit area is the new 'mecca' (for wasteland photography. However, there are quite a few interesting places to check out and photograph, it just isn't the place it has been pictured as. Not bad, just change your expectations a little.

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