Salton Sea State Recreation Area
- Status
- Open (per official listing)
- Entrance fee
- $7 per dayAnnual pass available
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed, with restrictions
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(760) 393-3052
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 2
Alert Mecca Beach Campground is currently closed for maintenance repairs. It is unknown when the campground will reopen. The main campground remains open and available for camping and day use activities.
Posted by the park. Official alert
Partial closure Partial Closure — In-progress IncidentMecca Beach Campground is currently closed for maintenance repairs. It is unknown when the campground will reopen. The main campground remains open… (more)
Mecca Beach Campground is currently closed for maintenance repairs. It is unknown when the campground will reopen. The main campground remains open and available for camping and day use activities.
Posted by the park 2026-04-22. Official alert
Overview
Covering about 6,928 acres, Salton Sea State Recreation Area lies in Riverside County, about 18 miles southeast of Coachella.
The park supports surfing, historic sites, boating, swimming, and fishing. On the water side, there is a swimming beach and a boat ramp. Camping is available: campsites, including RV sites, tent sites, group camping, and showers.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| The park’s wording doesn’t give clock times — see the official wording below. | |||
Official wording
Day use and campground open all day and all night.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Los Angeles).
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Day Use | $7 |
| Bus, Small (10-24 persons) | $50 |
| Bus, Large (25 persons or more) | $100 |
Official wording
Special rates may apply for peak season, high demand holiday periods, and during weekends. Prices are subject to change without notice. • Vehicle Day Use: $7.00 • Bus, Small (10-24 persons): $50.00 • Bus, Large (25 persons or more): $100.00
California park passes
- California Explorer Annual Pass — $195. Vehicle day-use entry to 134 state parks incl. high-demand Southern California beaches Details
- Golden Poppy Annual Pass — $125. Vehicle day-use entry to 112 state parks Details
- Historian Passport — $50. Admission for up to four people at per-person-fee State Historic Parks Details
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Annual Pass — $50. Entry to State Vehicular Recreation Areas that collect day-use fees Details
- SNO-Park Pass — $40 season / $15 day. 18 SNO-PARK winter recreation areas Details
From the California state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveCalifornia
- Phone
- (800) 444-7275
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed, with restrictions
Not allowed in or on: beaches or trails.
Are dogs allowed? Yes: Dogs allowed in developed areas such as roads and campgrounds. Dogs not allowed on beaches or trails. Dogs must be on a leash no more than 6' long and under the owner's immediate control at all times.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
- Bombay Beach Campground is closed.
In recent decades, reduced inflows into the sea have caused declining water levels and increasing salinity levels, creating a host of ecological challenges and adverse impacts to surrounding communities. Despite these challenges, Salton Sea SRA continues to offer many recreational opportunities, including camping, birdwatching, picnicking, photography, nature appreciation and hiking.
Camping Fees
- Full/Partial Hookup Campsite: $30.00 per night
- Developed Tent Campsite: $20.00 per night
- Primitive Campsite: $10 per night
- Group Campsite: $75 per night
- Senior Citizen (age 62 and over) Campsite Discount: $2 off per night
Overnight facilities: En route Campsites, Tent Camping, Group Campsites, Hike-and-Bike Campsites, Remote Camping, RV/Trailer Campsites w/Hookups, RV Dump Station, RV Access
Max trailer: 35 feet
Max camper/motorhome: 35 feet
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
BoatingHistoric sites and toursPicnickingFishingRanger and interpretive programsSwimmingWildlife viewing and birdingSurfingGeocachingHikingCamping
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Drinking water
- Picnic areas
- Visitor center
- Nature center or museum
- Parking
- Group facilities
Water
- Swimming beach
- Boat ramp
Camping
- RV dump station
- Tent camping
- RV camping
- Group camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Overview
One of the world’s largest inland seas, Salton Sea was created by accident when a dike broke during the construction of the All-American Canal in 1905. The resulting 360-square-mile basin became today’s Salton Sea State Recreation Area. It provides a unique desert oasis for boaters, water-skiers and anglers. Visitors glimpse how the ever-increasing salt and nutrient content in this basin with no outlet threatens the existence of the systems within the Sea.
Camping
Varner Harbor, New Camp Campground has two accessible campsites. Accessible campsites are #’s 37and 45.
Restroom and shower: The New Camp Campground restroom/shower building is fully accessible.
Parking: Accessible parking spaces are available at the restroom. Route of travel from site and parking to restroom is accessible.
Read more from the park
Picnic Area
Park Headquarters and Visitor Center: There are 6 accessibly designed picnic sites at the Visitor Center parking lot, each furnished with accessible tables and a post-mounted grill. No water is available at the site. Accessible parking and restrooms are nearby.
A shaded picnic area, located at an overlook, is accessed from the Ironwood Nature Trail. See Trails for more information.
Trails
The Ironwood Nature Trail is a 0.38 mile accessible loop trail experience through desert scrub brush to an overlook with views of the Salton Sea. An accessible picnic area under the shade ramada is located at the overlook. The surface is concrete. The trail is generally flat at less than 5% slopes. Accessible parking is located at the trailhead at the southern edge of the campground.
Trail Name Running Slope Cross Slope Trail Width Trail Surface
Ironwood Nature Trail 1% Average 1% Average 4 FT Average Concrete
4% Maximum 2% Maximum 4 FT Minimum
Fishing
There are no developed fishing facilities in the park, but many visitors fish from the Varner Harbor picnic area. A concrete pad at the accessible picnic site reaches nearly to the waters edge, permitting persons with mobility impairments some opportunity to fish. There are neither railings nor edge protection. Restrooms, parking and routes of travel are accessible as described in Picnic Area.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 100225 State Park Road
North Shore, CA 92254 - Nearest town
- Coachella — about 18 mi southeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 33.5099, -115.9172
- Phone
- (760) 393-3052
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
Located 30 miles south of Indio on Hwy 111.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- California State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- California State Parks Listing page (one link per unit, page_id = officialId), unioned with the CSP Enterprise GIS 'ParkEntryPoints' ArcGIS layer (coords, address, county, unit number, management status) and the 'CSPParkUnit_CurrentStatus' layer (open/partial/full closure)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology