Salton Sea State Recreation Area

Tired of elbowing your way through the crowds? Visit the Salton Sea on a 105F degree Thursday. Plenty of parking! (Note: The facility is well maintained. Almost as if, at any moment someone might use it.)

Nice beach, eh?

Oh wait, what’s that smell? Ah, the beach is covered in dead fish and heaps of dead barnacles. Maybe you’d wade into the water, but all the lovely brown algae might convince you otherwise.

Let’s move on to Bombay Beach, shall we?

Hoo boy. Not much left. I could have taken a hundred photos, but I didn’t need to feel that sad. There’s a small number of very well maintained homes, but clearly few that are still occupied appear to be just holding on. Looks like at least half of the homes / cabins / trailers there are completely abandoned and left to rot. On the other hand, there’s plenty of parking and real estate is cheap. Someone who’s into renovating classic travel trailers will make a mint there someday.

Apparently, there’s also a movie about Bombay Beach.

Let’s stop in the Ski Inn – apparently named back in the days when you could put a boat in the water:

A friendly elderly couple runs the joint. Stop in for a beverage and a BLT. The place is covered with dollar bills from visitors. Here’s someone who stopped in from Salem, Oregon:

Bombay Beach is not without a sense of humor: