Salton Sea New Camp

 Salton Sea State Recreation Area (originally Salton Sea State Park) was established in 1955 and runs along the northeast side of the sea for about 15 miles and has five campgrounds. During the 1950s and 60s fishing was fantastic but as the water level dropped only the  fish that could adapt to the increasing salinity survived. The boat launches and fishing piers were left high and dry. New Camp was almost empty when we visited.

Three of the sites in the New Camp loop have water and electric hookups, one has electric, and the rest are no hookup. The sites are a little unusual because all vehicle parking is parallel to the loop road. The spaces are about 40’ long so this campground is not designed for large RVs with tow or towed vehicle. Amenities include shade shelters over the picnic tables, restrooms, showers, fresh water, and a dump station.

  The campground is only a few hundred feet from a busy highway and railroad so it’s noisy. We probably would not stay here again due to the noise.

 All of the sites have accessible tables and high fire rings but only the one designated as accessible has a curb cut. The parking spot is short however parking across the spaces would work if you have a long RV. The short, accessible nature trail is paved and makes a half mile loop. The visitor center was closed during our visit but it is accessible. Camping 33.50167, -115.9114

Bombay Beach Art

Update 2026 - new art has been created on the beach and dry camping appears to be permitted. During the 1950s and 1960s the Sultan Sea was the place to be for summer fun of sports fishing, boat racing, water skiing, and swimming.  Bombay Beach’s vacation cottages and trailer parks were filled every weekend until the floods of 1976 and 1977 destroyed half of the town. A dike was built to protect the rest of the town from future floods but declining water levels, increased salinity, and pollution from agricultural runoff contributed to town’s demise.

  Today just few hundred people live in Bombay Beach and most of the buildings are empty however a group of artists is attempting to bring some life back to the town. 2016 was the first year of the Bombay Beach Biennale, a weekend of art and entertainment. There has been a festival every year except for 2020 when coronavirus forced a postponement. Many of the art installations are permanent and visitors are welcome.

   We spent an afternoon wandering around looking at all of the creations. There are three different areas – the beach between the dike and the sea where the jagged studs of buildings are still visible half buried in sand; the Bombay Beach Estates, a cluster of abandoned cottages and trailers that serve as large canvases; and isolated artwork in vacant lots and the yards of residents.

   Avenue A provides the best access over the dike and onto the beach. It’s possible to drive on the beach if the street is not blocked off. Stay on the trafficked lanes to avoid getting stuck. We parked along the street and walked/rolled to see the art. Most wheelchair users will need assistance.

  Bombay Beach Estates is gated to prevent vehicle traffic but foot traffic is okay. Caution is required due to the amount of rubble and deteriorating structures.

    

  The streets are lightly trafficked so walking/rolling down them is fine. All of the art installations along the streets can be viewed from your vehicle.  Art  33.34878, -115.73295

                       

Niland Boat Ramp Boondocking

   The declining water level is one of the problems of the Salton Sea but in 1976 and 1977 the problem was too much water. Tropical storms flooded the agricultural towns north of the lake. When the water flowed into the lake the lake shore towns of the Salton Sea were inundated - another blow to the area that was already suffering from a decrease in tourism and declining property values.

  All that’s left of this county park are a few abandoned buildings but I think before the flood there was a campground, picnic areas, and a marina. The ground is very loose sandy soil so use caution. Only a few areas are firm enough for camping. We stayed close to the buildings but people do drive down on the beach. I recommend walking first to check the conditions.

 The access road from Route 111 is about 2 miles long. It’s paved but very broken up (think Kuhn Road heading to Scadden Wash in Quartzsite - that bad). Any RV will fit in the boondocking spots. Boondocking  33.33924, -115.66701

 

Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR

  As a US congressman from California, Sonny Bono fought for funding to save the Salton Sea which suffers from water depletion, pollution, and too much salinity. The refuge was established in 1930 as a breeding ground for birds and wild animals, and renamed to honor Bono after he died in a skiing accident in 1998.  Over 400 bird species, 41 species of mammals, 18 species of reptiles, 4 species of amphibians, and 15 species of fish have been recorded on the refuge.

  The refuge features a visitor center, an observation tower, and a trail that climbs to the top of a small inactive volcano – two miles out and back.

   The visitor center was closed during our visit due to coronavirus. Native bushes and tree along with a small pool and a bird feeder attract many common birds to the grounds around the center. A visitor kindly pointed out the nesting spot of a barn owl almost hidden in a palm tree. Very cool!

  The rest of the refuge is not wheelchair accessible. The observation tower has a long ADA compliant ramp but railing blocks the view from the top deck and a view of the sky is all that can be seen by looking through the viewing scope. The trail is flat for a short distance then climbs up a steep hill to elevated trail that goes to the base of the volcano. The trail to the top of the volcano is very steep, narrow, and rocky.

    

  The roads to the refuge are paved and suitable for any RV. The refuge parking lot is small. Since it wasn’t busy when we visited we fit by parking across the spaces.  During busier times RVs and buses can be parked in a  dirt lot on the opposite side of the street. The lot may not be large enough to easily turn around.   Refuge  33.17687, -115.61565

Holtville Hot Springs Boondocking

  Silty soil and gravel bars deposited along the long gone shore of prehistoric Lake Cahuilla makes finding a solid, flat camping spot a little challenging. This time (our third try) we did find a good spot. I’m not sure if it’s completely legal but we walked/rolled most of the surrounding roads and didn’t find any nearby signs prohibiting camping.

  The land north and south of I-8 is designated Long Term Visitor Area by the BLM which means free camping doesn’t start until a mile past the LTVA boundary. A sign along Holdridge Road marks the LTVA boundary and another sign marks the start of 14 day free camping. We camped outside the LTVA boundary and a mile away by roadways but we may have been in the mile buffer zone.

  Conditions of the network of roads on the south side of I-8 vary. Many get sloppy when wet, some dead end, and others became impassible due to the loose soil. Holdridge Road is wide and hard packed so it’s the best route to take. The road along the canal is good too but there are a few narrow section where the reeds hang over the road.

 

  North of I-8 is the most popular area for people with a LTVA pass because of the easy access to the hot spring. We expected the hot spring (closed due to coronavirus) to be larger than it is – just three small soaking tubs and a pond signed “No Swimming”. A recent brush fire burnt all of the vegetation including the large palm trees that circle the pond. Fortunately even though the trunks are badly scorched the trees look like they’ll survive.

  The hard packed soil where we camped makes rolling around fairly easy.  Walking/rolling along the canal road is nice but there are a few spots where the soil is loose. Boondock   32.74823, -115.27085

Pilot Knob Boondocking

  Long Term Visitor Area camping is less than 1/2 mile south of the I-8 but since we don’t have a pass we drove west on the power line road to the 14 day camping. The road is in good condition. Signs mark the no-camping areas and the 14 day areas which must be at least one mile past the LTVA. The signs are faded so look carefully and park on the gravel area, not in the washes.

  This a barren area but good for an overnight stop or for quick access to Algodones, Mexico which is about 6 miles southeast.  Pilot Knob  32.74319, -114.77751

Palo Verde Park

   This county park appears to have been abandoned. We stayed here years ago and at that time there was a host and a nightly fee. Amenities included restrooms, a dump station and a dumpster. Now the restrooms are closed and the dump station and dumpster are gone. The sites and shoreline are overgrown. No fee.

  It’s still okay to camp here but it’s not nice enough for a long stay. The sites are all along a single road that loops off of Route 78. The road gets muddy in the rainy season. The entrance and exit at the loop ends are in good shape but do not use the middle entrance. It has a large drop off that is hard to spot. Expect highway noise from early morning to late evening.   Park  33.39862, -114.7241

 

American Girl Mine

Still in the desert!  We went from Quartzsite to Ajo, then back to Quartzsite, and now we’re about 20 miles west of Yuma camping on BLM land at American Girl Mine. Everyone in our little group has been following the recommended safety precautions since last spring so we can relax a little around each other.

The BLM land stretches for miles in all directions with a few privately owned plots, including the American Girl Mine, the site of a gold discovery in 1892.  Just about every method of mining gold has been tried here – placer mining, underground, open pit, and leaching of the waste piles. There’s still a little mining activity evidenced by the occasional loaded ore truck that rumbles down the main road.

  The ground is flat and hard packed so all you have to do is find a path and drive until you like the view. American Girl Mine  32.8356, -114.81039