After leaving Palm Springs…
Palm Springs Sunset Photo © Alice Joyce
My desert sojourn to Anza-Borrego State Park followed a route along California State Highway 86, to enter the park and the town of Borrego Springs from the eastern entrance.
Salton Sea Blue Sky © Alice Joyce
The drive along Hwy. 86 runs nearly parallel to the western edge of the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley, past Desert Shores and Salton Sea Beach; desolate towns that time seems to have passed by.
Salton Sea © Alice Joyce
A State Recreation Area, the Salton Sea SRA Parks web site lists budget constraints as the reason for the closing until further notice of Bombay Beach and other areas located on the opposite side, where Hwy. 111 runs along a stretch of parkland. A unique inland body of water some 200 feet below sea level, the strangely eerie Salton Sea resulted from massive flooding of the Colorado River more than 100 years ago.
Salton Sea – Photo: wikispaces
So many pubic parks and recreation areas are closing all across the country. What a shame.
It is sad when parks close down. Maybe it is good that you did not take your “wasteland” photos. Might have made things sadder. It must have been a fantastic place in its prime, with so many people attending the races and vacationing.
BTW, you have your chocolate mountain, here we have chocolate hills.