TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND GUIDE

CALIFORNIA TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Things to do and see in Southern California
SALTON SEA

SONNY BONO SALTON SEA
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
On the south shores of the Salton Sea.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Refuge Manager
Sonny Bono Salton Sea
National Wildlife Refuge
906 W.Sinclair Road
Calipatria, CA 92233
760-348-5278

California Department of Fish and Game
8700 Davis Road
Niland, CA 92257
760-359-0577

NILAND BOAT RAMP
IMPERIAL COUNTY PARK
NILAND PUBLIC FISHING ACCESS
Imperial County Niland Boat Ramp and
Fishing Access has been abondoned, the
County Park closed... but you can camp
out here.

Birds at Niland Boat Ramp
Birds at Niland Boat Ramp

Birds at Niland Boat Ramp
Birds at Niland Boat Ramp

There are thousands of birds in this area.
They particularly like the little islands that
extend out from the boat ramp.

Niland Boat Ramp
Niland Boat Ramp

The boat ramp hasn't been used in years.
It has suffered the same fate as the rest of
the area...

RV's and Campers
RV's and Campers

RV's and Campers
RV's and Campers

RV's parked at the old County Park. Maybe
just snow birds for the winter, but they appear
to be here long term...

Old outhouse...
Old outhouse...

Old buildings...
Old buildings...

Old buildings...
Old buildings...

Old buildings have been flooded and the
foundations washed out.

Powerlines
Powerlines

Powerlines into the sea...
Powerlines into the sea...

The old powerlines extend into the Salton Sea. 

Sunrise at Niland Boat Ramp
Sunrise at Niland Boat Ramp

Sunrise at Niland Boat Ramp with the
birds absorbing the first rays of sunlight.
Never expected this photo, just did a single
shot, figured it was a waste of time.

Salton Sea
Salton Sea near Mecca, California

ESTABLISHED CAMPGROUNDS
These campgrounds are located on the
shores of the Salton Sea and require
fees and payments...
HEADQUARTERS CAMPGROUND
Showers... not sure about camping fees
CORVINA BEACH CAMPGROUND
Primitive Campsites $7.00
Day Use $6.00
BOMBAY BEACH CAMPGROUND
Primitive Campsites $7.00
Day Use $6.00
Cement firerings, portable toilets, garbage,
water, and cold showers...
SALT CREEK CAMPGROUND
Primitive Campsites $7.00
Day Use $6.00
Cement firerings, portable toilets, garbage,
water...
IMPERIAL WILDLIFE AREA
Wister Unit... not sure of camping fees
$2.50 per person daily fee
Hwy.111 to Davis Road
(3 miles north of Niland)

Salton Sea
Salton Sea from Corvina Beach Campground

Salton Sea Bird Landing
Bird landing on Salton Sea

Salton Sea was created in 1905 - 1906
Original Size: 45 miles by 17 miles wide
Original Surface Level: 195' below sea level
Today: 35 miles by 15 miles wide
Surface Area: 360 square miles
Surface Elevation: 228' below sea level
110 miles of shoreline
Average Depth: Less than 20'
Deepest Area: 50'
Summer temp. is 92 degrees
Winter temp. is 55 degrees

Sign at Niland Boat Ramp
Salton Sea - Niland Public Fishing Access

Niland Boat Ramp Road
Road to Niland Boat Ramp and Fishing Access
Looking east towards Hwy.111

DIRECTIONS:

DISTANCES FROM NILAND, CA
Bombay xx miles
Niland xx miles
Indio 56 miles
Los Angeles 183 miles

Salvation Mountain
Salvation Mountain

Leonard Knight's Salvation Mountain could
be described with numerous phrases, from
a brilliant work of art or a toxic waste dump.
It could be a religious monument... but one
thing for sure...

Leonard Knight
Leonard Knight

Leonard landed here in 1983 when his hot air
balloon would fly no farther. Only planning to
stay a couple days, but about 100,000 gallons of
paint later and you have Salvation Mountain.

SALVATION MOUNTIAN
This is a separate page with more photos and
information about Salvation Mountain. Listed
under "Tourist Attractions"

SLAB CITY
Slab City is just past Salvation Mountain.
An abandoned military base (Camp Dunlap
was a WW2 Marine Barracks) that has been
squatted by hippies and snowbirds. All that
is left are the concrete slabs of the buildings.

Box Canyon Road
Box Canyon Road
Box Canyon Road is north on Hwy.111
(Photo is of camp area and not the actual
road, which is a paved surface.)

BOX CANYON ROAD
Box Canyon Road is north from Slab City

Painted Canyon
Mecca Hills / Painted Canyon

PAINTED CANYON ROAD
Painted Canyon Road is near Box Canyon

CHOCOLATE MOUNTAINS
Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range
is to the east. Explosions and weird lights...

Snow Geese
Snow Geese near Sonny Bono NWR

Red Hill Marina
Red Hill Marina

Sand Dunes on west shore of Salton Sea
Sand Dunes on west shore of Salton Sea

Also see: BETTY'S KITCHEN
Also see:
BLAIR VALLEY
Also see:
BOX CANYON ROAD
Also see:
CARRIZO BADLANDS
Also see:
CHOCOLATE MOUNTAINS
Also see:
CIBOLA / COLORADO RIVER
Also see:
COLORADO DESERT
Also see:
CRAGGY WASH
Also see:
CRYSTAL HILL
Also see:
DEATH VALLEY
Also see:
DOME ROCK MOUNTAIN
Also see:
GLAMIS
Also see:
GOVERNMENT WASH
Also see:
GREG'S HIDEOUT
Also see: HOLTVILLE HOT SPRINGS
Also see:
JOSHUA TREE
Also see:
LAKE HAVASU
Also see:
MOJAVE DESERT
Also see:
NEEDLE MOUNTAINS
Also see:
OSBORNE WASH
Also see:
PAINTED CANYON ROAD
Also see:
PAINTED ROCK PETROGLYPH
Also see:
PALM CANYON
Also see:
PALO VERDE
Also see:
PLOMOSA ROAD
Also see:
SCADDAN WASH
Also see:
SLAB CITY
Also see:
SWANSEA TOWNSITE
Also see:
TRONA PINNACLES
Also see:
WAGON WHEEL

Showers at Ocotillo Wells SVRA
Off Road Vehicle Recreation Area
Hwy.78 west of Ocotillo Wells
Cost $.50
Showers in Quartzsite, AZ
$5.00 at the Q Laundromat

Best spring water at BAY TREE SPRING
Hwy 243 (Between Grandview Ranger Station
and Lake Fulmor)

Cheapest gas in Arizona.
I-10 / Exit#1 at the Flying-J in at Ehrenberg
(On this day was about 40¢ less than California)

Cheapest gas in SE California in Coachella
Food4Less had a 5 cent discount if you buy
$25 in groceries. (Jan. 2007)

CAMPGROUND INDEX

CAMPING RECIPES

CAMPING CHECKLISTS

TOURIST PHOTOS

Shoreline covered with dead fish
Dead fish cover shoreline at Niland Boat Ramp

News about the dead fish
Newspaper article about the dead fish
on shorelines of the Salton Sea.

The shorelines around the Salton Sea
were covered with dead fish. (Jan 2007)

Copyright
www.eugenecarsey.com

TOURIST GUIDE AND INFORMATION
Things to do and see in Southern California
SALTON SEA