Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Surprisingly, the Salton Sea is now 50% saltier than the ocean.

There are a number of camping and picnic areas. In April I saw very few visitors.

One of the world’s largest inland seas and lowest spots on earth at −236 ft (−71.9 m) below sea level, Salton Sea was re-created in 1905 when high spring flooding on the Colorado River crashed the canal gates leading into the developing Imperial Valley.

For the next 18 months the entire volume of the Colorado River rushed downward into the Salton Trough.  By the time engineers were finally able to stop the breaching water in 1907, the Salton Sea had been born at 45 miles long and 20 miles wide – equaling about 130 miles of shoreline.

Salton Sea State Recreation Area covers 14 miles of the northeastern shore and has long been a popular site for campers, boaters and anglers.

I walked a couple of miles along the shoreline.

Returned further inland along a series of use trails.

A unique and interesting environment.

Official website

It’s already the most visited attraction in Indiana, but Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore’s recent upgrade to national park status will no doubt push it even further into the apex of natural wonders in the Midwest. …

It hugs 15 miles of Lake Michigan’s shoreline and encompasses 15,000 acres of sand dune ecosystem. …

The park boasts 50 miles of hiking trails. In 2018, 3.6 million people took advantage of the ample outdoor recreation it offers. …

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