Explore the Salton Sea: Ultimate Day Trip Guide from Palm Springs
Discover a "sea" amid California's vast desert—no mirage, the Salton Sea, California's largest lake, lies just east of Palm Springs. This 115-mile shoreline offers a captivating day trip filled with history, wildlife, and quirky attractions. From Hollywood's former playground to bird migrations and geothermal wonders, embark on a scenic drive around the sea with an adventurous spirit.
Date Shakes & Citrus Groves
Head south on Highway 86 from Indio through lush date palm and citrus groves, evoking the Coachella Valley's early 1900s landscape. Green citrus trees heavy with oranges and lemons line the route to the Salton Sea's west shore, with palms framing distant hills.
Date palms arrived from the Middle East in the 1890s, revolutionizing California agriculture. The Coachella Valley excels here, especially Thermal, home to the region's largest Medjool date crop. Stop at roadside stands for fresh produce and indulge in a creamy date shake—whipped ice cream blended with chopped dates—to fuel your journey.
West Shore & Southern Tip
The west shore features a small visitor center. Drive south toward Calexico, then east at Westmoreland in the fertile Imperial Valley to the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge at the lake's southern tip. This 2,200-acre haven, 40 miles north of Mexico, marks your entry to the east shore via Highway 111 back to Mecca and Indio.
The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1930 by President Herbert Hoover and renamed after the late Sonny Bono, lies along the Pacific Flyway. Birds adapt to rising salinity and shrinking marshes, drawing thousands of waterfowl winters, including endangered Yuma clapper rails, white pelicans, yellow-footed gulls, black-bellied plovers, and 70% of California's burrowing owls.
Bring binoculars for the observation tower or easy trails from the visitor center.
Nearby, the geothermal Mud Volcanoes and Mud Ponds bubble with seismic heat. From the refuge, drive north on Sinclair to Highway 111, then nine miles through Niland to Davis Road. Paved for half a mile, follow signs to Imperial Wildlife Area; Mud Volcanoes are on private property at Davis and Scrimpf roads.
East Shore
On the east shore, Salvation Mountain stands as a congressional "national treasure." This vibrant folk art by Leonard Knight—adobe, straw, paint, murals, and Bible verses—is preserved by volunteers since his 2014 passing.
Next door, Slab City, an off-grid haven on abandoned Camp Dunlap slabs, attracts retirees and free spirits with campsites, a library, nightclub, and desert golf.
North Shore
Toward Mecca, faded Bombay Beach recalls resort glamour with celebrity swims, golf, waterskiing, and Yacht Club parties—now ghostly with fish skeletons and piers. Nearby, the restored North Shore Yacht Club shines as a community hub.
Nine miles from Mecca, the International Banana Museum boasts 20,000+ banana-themed items from collector Fred Garbutt. Celebrate with a banana split—if date shakes haven't filled you up!
Photo courtesy of Laura Hunt Little
