2018-01-24 Afternoon Road Trip to Imperial, California with Return Via Plaster City, Borrego Springs and JTNP

Miles: 375
Start Time 11:15 AM
End Time: 7:45 PM

For several weeks I have had the desire to visit the town of Imperial where I lived for 4 years as a youngster. I finally got up early enough to execute such an excursion mostly in daylight.

I left home at 11:15 planning to drive through JTNP to get to the low desert rather than dealing with the main highways. It was a good decision. The traffic was basically non-existent and it was a beautiful sunny and cool winter morning. My first stop was at one of the "exhibits" along the road through the park between 29 Palms and the I-10 freeway. At this point the road is skirting the south edge of the large and desolate Pinto Basin below 2,000 feet ASL after climbing from 1800' at my home over a 4000' range to get into the basin. The Sheephole Mountains are visible in the center distance. The Sheepholes are a quite beautiful set of craggy peaks probably only suitable for mountain sheep.

Across Pinto Basin to the Sheephole Mountains

When I got to the Cottonwood Visitor Center which is the South Entrance to the park there was quite a crowd on hand especially for a weekday. Cottonwood is at about 3500' and the 2 climbs make a bicycle ride through the park from 29 Palms a challenge.

Cottonwood Visitor Center

After Crossing I-10 I stopped for a few photos in Box Canyon, which is a very interesting area geologically (the photos do not do it justice).

Box Canyon

After getting on CA-111 at Mecca, (CA not Saudi Arabia), and starting down the east shore of the Salton Sea, I checked out a couple of potential camping areas which might prove useful if I ever get enough ambition to take another bicycle tour in this area. The next notable stop was Salvation Mountain east of the town of Niland, CA. Salvation Mountain is the gateway to Slab City an abandoned WWII Army base which has long been occupied by RV'ers and campers at no charge. Prior to the housing crash in 2008 it was a decent place which I would have been willing to patronize but it seems to have become a haven for drug people and other reprobates apparently as a result of many losing housing during or after the crash and retreating to this place for free rent. If I had been a couple of hours earlier I might have ventured in to browse but as it was I turned around at the mountain an resumed my journey south. Make your own judgments about the monument.

Salvation Mountain at Slab City, CA

Farther south, between the towns of Brawley and Imperial I passed the Spreckles Sugar plant. The illegible words on the silo closest to the car say sea level. Imperial is at -59 feet, the Salton Sea at -226.4. No wonder it is so hot during the summer.

Spreckles Sugar Plant

Once in the town of Imperial I headed for the Mexican food place I have frequented many times with the intent to get a pair of tacos to take to the town park to eat. Sadly the restaurant is defunct. I went into the doughnut shop next door. They also have Mexican food. I ordered a bean and cheese burrito. The cashier, a Latino lady, asked me several times if I wanted a "dom" or some such. I had no idea what she was saying until the guy behind me yelled, "Do you want a doughnut!" It came with the burrito so of course I took it. I went around the corner and a block down the street to the park and set up shop on a table with a sun cover. The burrito was sloppy but delicious, much more authentic tasting than the usual American Mexican food.

The section of the building in the photo below with the 2 rounded top windows sits where a small Boy Scout meeting hut was in the 1950's. My dad was our scoutmaster for at least one year I was a good Boy Scout. He was probably the worlds most laid back scoutmaster. We would call the meeting to order, say the pledge of allegiance and maybe some scout mumbo jumbo and then he would send us across the street to play in the park. We did not accomplish a lot scout wise but we sure had fun.

Imperial City Park and Library

After eating I drove by the first 2 houses we occupied in town then headed west on old Highway 80 towards Plaster City. Plaster City is no more than a large gypsum wallboard plant. The name more than the plant was featured as a way point in the 1963 movie Its a Mad Mad Mad World. In the 50's the plant and the desert for about a mile around it were all as white as snow. Now the dust is filtered out of the plant emissions.

Plaster City

I next stopped for gas at Ocatillo where I-8 and San Diego County S2 intersect.

View NE from the Ocatillo gas station

After gassing up I headed north on S2 towards CA-78 and Borrego Springs. S2 skirts the western edge of Anaza Borrego Desert State Park, the largest of the CA state parks, for much of its length. It is a beautiful mountainous desert drive.

A Rare Straight Section on San Diego County S2

I arrived at Borrego Springs just before dark. I stopped briefly at Christmas Circle, which encloses a very nice park. Sadly it was too dark for decent photos into the park.

Looking East Down San Diego County S22 from Christmas Circle park, Borrego Springs

I headed east out of town on San Diego County S22 to CA-86 at Salton City. I took CA-86 north back to Mecca. From Mecca I retraced my route through Box Canyon and JTNP back to 29 Palms. It was a very pleasant day trip!