Where is the Salton Sea?
Head southwest from Slab City, then curve northwest, and you’ll find yourself driving alongside one of California’s most surreal landscapes — the Salton Sea. It’s bigger than you’d expect, stretching for miles with an eerie, otherworldly beauty. The winds whip across the desert, sometimes kicking up dust devils that dance across the dry lakebed.
The shoreline is littered with skeletal fish remains and feels forgotten yet strangely alive. There are some intriguing rumors that the Salton Sea has served as a “body dump.” The chemicals are so toxic that they could destroy any evidence; however, this has never been proven.
How Did the Salton Sea Come to Be?
Unlike most bodies of water, the Salton Sea wasn’t always here. It was an accident. Back in 1905, engineers tried to divert the Colorado River for irrigation, but nature had other plans. The river broke through, flooding the Salton Basin and creating this massive inland sea. At first, people saw it as a disaster, but soon it became an unexpected money-making paradise.
In the 1950s and ‘60s, this place was booming. Picture speedboats cutting across the water, families vacationing in trailers along the shore, and even celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and The Beach Boys stopping by. Developers hyped it as the “next Palm Springs,” a desert getaway with a waterfront twist.
But beneath the surface, the lake was already rotting. The water had nowhere to go, and as it evaporated, the salt levels skyrocketed. Agricultural runoff brought pollution. Fish started dying. That once-sparkling oasis? It turned into a ghost town, almost overnight. The Bombay Beach dreams of wealth and fame faded, leaving homes and buildings corroding from the poisonous water, ominous winds, and a strong, lingering smell of salt, fish carcass and decay.
A Changing Landscape
For years, the Salton Sea continued to shrink, exposing toxic dust and making the air hazardous for locals. Wildlife struggled, fish kills worsened, and those once-bustling resorts turned into eerie, abandoned relics.
Then something unexpected happened.
In 2011, a group of artists saw beauty in the decay. The Bombay Beach Biennale, a renegade celebration of art, music, and philosophy, transformed the almost deserted shorelines into art installations, turning the Salton Sea into an open-air gallery where creativity runs wild. New pieces appear overnight, glowing under the desert sky. If you visit, expect the unexpected — surreal sculptures, neon-lit pianos in the sand, and murals that make you stop and reflect.
The Lithium Boom: A New Chapter?
Beneath the Salton Sea lies something valuable — lithium, the key ingredient for EV batteries. The U.S. is eyeing it as a game-changer for energy independence, and major projects are in the works to extract it. But it’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, it could bring jobs and much-needed funding to the area. On the other, it could mean more disruption, noise and pollution.
Some hope this project could even help clean up the sea — filtering out salt and lithium in a way that makes the water viable again. For now, the future remains uncertain.
Hope for the Future
Despite its struggles, the Salton Sea isn’t entirely lost. California has launched a 10-year restoration plan, aiming to create 30,000 acres of habitat and dust suppression zones by 2028 — creating a significant step in the right direction.
And if you visit? You’re not just witnessing a fading landscape — you’re stepping into a living, evolving story.
What to Expect:
- Beautiful art – Bombay Beach is an open canvas. New installations pop up all the time, often under the lights, captivated by the sunset and stars.
- The Bombay Beach resort ruins – Walk through the remnants of old resorts and imagine the economic boom and excitement of this once-thriving getaway.
- Magic after dark – The Salton Sea at night is something else. The silence, the reflections, the glowing art — it’s surreal.
- The Ski Inn experience – A legendary dive bar with some amazing home-cooked food and a history as rich as the sea itself.
A Few Quick Tips:
- Go in a group. The desert is vast, and getting lost, stuck in a dust storm, or having your vehicle accidentally get stuck in the desert sand can lead to life-or-death situations.
- Don’t drive too close to the shoreline. The receding water has left behind soft, sinkhole-like areas that’ll eat your car alive. Tow trucks are on standby and available 24/7, as trying to dig your car out is often futile.
- Respect the locals. Some people call this place home, so be mindful when exploring. Explore the Bombay Resort first in daylight, then head to the art scene.
- Check out an AA meeting. Yep, even in the middle of the desert, community thrives. There is a link to meetings at the end of this article.
- Keep an open mind. The Salton Sea isn’t a resort anymore — it’s an experience.
Final Thoughts
The Salton Sea is one of the strangest, most fascinating places in California. It’s a reminder of nature’s power, of human ambition gone sideways, and of the resilience of those who refuse to let it fade into history. Whether you’re here for the art, the history, or just the vibe, one thing’s for sure — you won’t forget it.
Stay tuned for the final destination in this three-part series: Joshua Tree National Park.
Resources
- Salton Sea Management Plan (SSMP): Salton Sea Management Plan Link
- Bombay Beach Biennale Art Group (Instagram): Bombay Beach Biennale Instagram
AA Meetings in the Salton Sea area: AA Meetings at Salton Sea
ABOUT THIS CONTRIBUTOR: April Burt lives in beautiful Grand Rapids, Michigan, and is a dedicated photographer via Light Journey Photography. April is also neurodivergent and is learning to embrace this world for all its worth.
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