Hi all, I'm heading to SoCal for Xmas and would like to take a day or so to do some birding at the south end of the Salton Sea. Just wondering if anybody is familiar with free, primitive camping around there. There is an area at the end of Poe Rd. that looks promising, anybody been there or near by? Maybe any info about camping in the wildlife preserve areas?
Internet sources don't seem to be too specific about free locations. Just thought I'd ask here, thanks!

Since today is the 23rd I may be to late in my reply. I really need to go online more often.

I don’t recall any camping along Poe Rd. of course as the lake gets lower, new areas could open-up nearer the lake shore. Around Poe Rd (appox 3-5 mile) there are a few, some are hit or miss depending on weather people are already at them and or what you can live with.

I can lead you toward a few nearby (to Poe Rd) that I like. If you still have time post a contact link and I make an extra effort to keep checking here the next few day.

Have a fun trip.

I popped in to see if YH had replied.

I hope he gets back here; I have some burrowing owl pointers, which he may know, but I still like sharing them with Salton bird watchers whenever I can.

I'll check back later

Thanks for responding SteveS but I'm back home. I didn't end up camping at the Salton Sea but I did go out for a day trip yesterday and had a great time. Just FYI, there is and has been some recent camping at the end of Poe Rd. so it would have worked out OK. That is a great location for shorebirds, waders and herons/egrets. I spent a couple hours at Poe Rd. then went around to the SE side at the end of Bowles Rd. for more birding and a walk through the mucky mud to get a photo of this heron rookery.



I saw a lot of stilts, avocets, killdeer, snowy plover, godwits, dowitchers, herons, egerts, sandhill cranes, coots, N. shovelers, various gulls and cormorants.
The burrowing owls would have been a treat, maybe next time. Thanks again, SteveS.

How is the reptile viewing in the Salton Sea area?

Great photo of the heron rookery!

Thanks for sharing.

TradClimber

Good to hear you had success finding what you where looking for.

Did you make it over to the Bono Visitor center (or whatever it’s named) ? Sometimes the people there have some interesting information.

Thanks for posting the pic, it brings up fond memories.

@Apache Devil, Sorry, I don't know anything about herping down there. The surrounding desert must have some great areas though.

@TC, you're welcome! Beautiful weather this Xmas in SoCal. I spent some time at Riverside's Fairmount Park while I was there visiting family, LOTS of birding there this time aound.

@SteveS, I didn't know there was a VC. I didn't really have time but, maybe next time I get down that way I'll look it up.
Have a great New Year everyone!

It’s called Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge and sits at the corner of Sinclair Rd and Gentry. http://www.fws.gov/saltonsea/

Maybe the link will help give alot more info on what they are about.