Cyclebum

I'm making plans to pedal the perimeter of the Salton in early April. Anybody here done it? Points of interest other than Slab City/Salvation Mt? Advice? Will be self contained for camping.

Thanks.

valygrl

POints of interest: the mountains to the west. Montezuma Grade out of Borrego Springs. Seven Level Hill (hyw 74) out of Palm Desert.

The worst 2 miles of pavement in the world west out of Salton City.

Honestly, I don't know why you would go there, it's pretty desolate and not that scenic.

Shifty

Advice? That place stinks!!! Don't go there. Maybe compared to Texas politics it might not be so bad.

https://www.csmonitor.com/Science/201...ia-s-big-stink

fietsbob

A friend's Mother moved there from Colorado, and being below sealevel the old smoker
does not need to tow the oxygen tank around any more.

John (pink Flamingos) Waters did a film https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0438327/

about some of the colorful characters he found found there-around.

PeregrineA1 

There is some interesting stuff there, really.

If you start in Indio and go down the east side first (Hwy 111) there is a State Park (which may or may not be open due to state budget issues, check on-line) right on the sea. Heading south, when you get to the Wister Unit of the Department Fish and Wildlife Refuge, I forget the name of the road, but it is arrow straight smoothish dirt. Makes a forced left at the far west end. Lots to see as you go through this area. Thermal mud pots, roads to the north all go to the Sea, remains of a 30's spa.

At the end, take the left and go up to the first right and go to the pavement. Take a right and go to the end at the Sonny Bono National Wildlife HQ. More to see and do. Just short of the HQ, is a right turn which takes you to Red Hill. There is camping there. Just to the west of the HQ is Obsidian Butte. Pretty neat area with lots of obsidian laying about-probably not into rock collecting on tour though...

Back to the south and across Hwy 111 is Finney Lake and Ramer Lake. Both allow camping for free and have pit toilets. The southern most of the two is my preferred camping spot, I forget which is which.

When you get to Brawley you will intersect Hwy 86, which is the road up the west side of the Sea.

North of Brawley you will come to Westmoreland and north east of the there is Unit 1 of the Wildlife Refuge. More good stuff to see there.

A note for basically the entire south end of the Sea. You can traverse this area without being on the major two-lane (Hwy 111 and 86). Lots of farm roads. The issue will be water, you will have to hit the highways to get a town with water and food supplies.

Continuing north on 86 I don't believe there are many alternatives to riding the shoulder, which as I recall is pretty wide. The west side of the Sea proper does not have much to offer in my experience. However Anza Borrego Desert State Park is just west of 86 and offers more options, though widely spaced. Lots of places to camp and not much water.

Wx should be nice, if slightly warm. Maybe lo-80's day and 60's at night. Not much chance of rain. Lot's of geology, excellent birding, fantastic wide open spaces and views.

Enjoy.

Booger1

There are some mudpots in the city of Calipatria(south side of the lake) that are pretty neat.About 100 yards from the corner of Davis and Schrimph road,up a small dirt road..Bring a couple plastic bags for your shoes if you decide to get close to them.You can walk right up to them if you want,no fences.

The algea blooms in the Salton Sea are normally from April to around June(whenever it decides to get warm).Between the algea dying and the fish doing the same,the stink gets bad at times.

Hopefully we'll get some more rain and there will be a good supply of belly flowers to look at.

There are some petroglyphs to look at up by the north end of the lake.They put a couple of the rocks in the visitors center also....I guess they thought they looked better indoors.

They get some good winds going out there in the spring and fall,be prepaired.

PeregrineA1 

Oh yes, forgot to mention the wind. The absolute worst fuel mileage I have achieved in my truck was NB on 86 in March. So yes, the wind can blow.

stevepusser

It may be a more interesting route to do a loop of some sort involving Borrego Springs, the west side of the Salton Sea, and Highway S2 back to Borrego Springs. There are hiker-biker sites at Palm Cyn. campground just outside of town.

And yes, the winds can sandblast the paint right off your bike sometimes!

Cyclebum

Thanks all for info and advice. Sounds like my kinda place for a short camping round. It ain't all about Yosemite and Glacial.

Addenda: I linked a bud in Scottsdale to this thread. Ya'll made it sound so great he's going with me. Said we should take a thermal mud bath and wash it off in the Salton

GaryinLA

there is an annual borrego springs marathon (runners) and century (biking) that was a month or two ago fyi
info on routes with photos etc if u google and go to the website. i havent done the ride.

simplygib

I'm heading down that way in a couple of hours. I usually spend a few weeks at Anza Borrego this time of year. Personally I think the Salton Sea area is butt ugly and as others have said it often stinks but if you're upwind it's fine . Sometimes when the south wind blows I can smell it all the way up here in the La Quinta area. I usually spend some time at Slab City too and have ridden 111 while there. It's flat and straight, and frequently windy, with not a lot to look at along the route. Any attractions are pretty widely spaced apart with not much between them. In April there may not be a lot of people left at Slab City, but it probably won't be scorching hot yet either. Eighties is typical for April, I believe. Wind, as others have said, can be brutal. In February when I'm usually around there it seems the wind howls at least 2 to 3 days a week. 40+ mph is not that unusual. But some days are perfectly calm. It just depends. Personally I think the area west of the Salton Sea is much more interesting. Anza Borrego, Yaqui Pass, Montezuma Pass, Julian, etc. Lots of great hikes as well. Plenty of climbing though, outside of the valley.

Oh and don't pick up any hitchhikers. There are border checkpoints on both side of the Sea.