Unique Dog Friendly Winter Day Trip to Salton Sea

On our last full day of holiday break in SoCal, we wanted an escape from the constant overcast and rain in LA County and thus headed even further south for a desert getaway. But rather than limit ourselves to popular desert classics like Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, we deliberately chose to explore their less glamorous neighbor: the Salton Sea.

• The largest lake in California (Salton Sea)
• The largest off-highway vehicle recreation area for sand dunes in the country (Imperial Sand Dunes)
• The third most important shorebird habitat west of the Rocky Mountains with 400+ different species recorded (Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge)
• The “Last Free Place in America”, an off-the-grid alternative lifestyle community built on an abandoned WWII Marine Corps training base (Slab City)
• Plenty of desert art (Salvation Mountain, East Jesus, Bombay Beach Ruins)

At a Glance

• Morning in Palm Springs – Breakfast at Townie Bagels & Lunch for the road from Sherman’s Deli & Bakery
  • Optional walk – Moorten Botanical Garden ($2-5/person)
• Explore the Imperial Sand Dunes – Hugh T. Osborne Lookout Park
  • Optional easy hike – 2-mile Rock Hill Trail at Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
• Experience desert art in Slab City – Salvation Mountain & East Jesus
• Walk around Bombay Beach Ruins
• Dinner in Palm Springs – Rooster and the Pig
• Walk around downtown Palm Springs – Walk of the Stars & Forever Marilyn Monroe statue
• Shopping in Cabazon – Desert Hill Premium Outlets & Cabazon Outlets

Tips for visiting the desert with your dog

• Bring LOTS of water – Carry water and a collapsible bowl wherever you go to stay hydrated in the desert climate. Watch for signs of heat exhaustion in your dog like rapid breathing, salivating, heavy panting, and muscle tremors.
• Never leave your dog unattended in a vehicle – Not even for a few minutes. Heat can build up very quickly inside a car in the desert. It is even illegal in some cities (like Palm Springs) and will result in the immediate removal of the dog to the local animal shelter.
• Keep your dog leashed – To avoid run-ins with snakes, bobcats, coyotes, scorpions, Sonoran desert toads (highly toxic), and other potentially dangerous animals.
• Watch your dog’s step – Constantly monitor the heat of the ground under their paws. If the pavement is too hot for your hand to touch, then it is too hot for your dog and you should protect their paws by walking in the shade or on grass instead.

Breakfast/Brunch in Palm Springs

Palm Springs is not only a great halfway point between the Los Angeles area and Salton Sea, but it is also the quintessential California desert getaway full of sunshine, mid-century modern design, palm trees, and seriously good eats. It took us 1.5 hours to drive to downtown Palm Springs from San Gabriel Valley on a Friday morning – luckily we didn’t encounter any traffic on the I-10. As there aren’t many places to eat in the ghost towns surrounding the Salton Sea, we recommend first enjoying a leisurely breakfast or brunch in Palm Springs, as well as grabbing some lunch to-go (like sandwiches from Sherman’s Deli & Bakery!) before heading further south. 

A friend of ours raved about Townie Bagels Bakery Cafe, so of course we stopped by – I love a good toasted bagel smothered with schmear. It’s a popular spot with locals and visitors alike who crave a quality, water-boiled bagel with a delightful chew. There’s also a dog-friendly, partially shaded patio out back. You’ll want to get there early for the best selection of bagels. Don’t be intimidated by the long line out the door, it moves fast. We easily found parking at 10:30am and it took us 20 min to get through a 20-person line. Once we made it to the front, half the flavors had already run out. “The Townie” sandwich with egg and cheddar on Ryan’s favorite Everything bagel was good, but my Black Russian bagel slathered with chive cream cheese spread was the star of the morning. Their schmear to bagel ratio is SPOT ON – I just wish their bagels were bigger in size! Note that vegan cream cheese options are available too.

• Boozehounds – Pawrents can enjoy the New American menu with Asian influence, while dogs have their own menu featuring meatloaf, salmon bowl, and more. Brunch service Fri-Sun. Great for lunch and dinner too. 
• FARM – Provencal-style brunch with brioche french toast, croque madame, eggs benedict, baked brie, etc. Great lunch and dinner menus too. 
• L’Atelier Cafe – French bistro with all must-try classics like quiche Lorraine, croissants, and croque madame. Closes at 2pm.
• Midmod Cafe – Lots of vegan options to enjoy in the outdoor garden patio. Closes at 3pm.
• Sherman’s Deli & Bakery – NYC-style deli with huge portions. Extensive menu with all-day breakfast, sandwiches, soups, desserts, and more. Great for lunch and dinner too. Get the New York style hot pastrami or reuben stacker sandwiches. Don’t forget a slice of cake!

If you enjoyed yourself a little too much at the spots above and the last thing you want to do is drive on a full stomach for two hours down to the Imperial Sand Dunes, then check out the Moorten Botanical Garden for a post-meal walk. It not only boasts 3,000+ varieties of desert plants and cacti from all over the world, but is also dog-friendly! Admission is free for dogs, $5 for adults, and $2 for children over 5.

Imperial Sand Dunes – Hugh T. Osborne Lookout Park

From Palm Springs, we drove down Hwy 86 along the southwestern shore of the Salton Sea and continued along Hwy 78, passing by miles of agriculture when, out of nowhere, the landscape suddenly turned into breathtaking sand dunes. 

These impressive dunes were formed by strong winds carrying sand from the shores of prehistoric Lake Cahuilla, which once covered most of the Imperial, Coachella and Mexicali Valleys until 1450. Stretching over 40 miles long with an average width of 5 miles, the Imperial Sand Dunes are the largest dunes in California. The dunes even reach up to 300 feet tall, making them not only a popular destination for thrill-seeking, off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts, but also filmmakers of blockbusters like Return of the Jedi, Resident Evil, and Jumanji 3. 

Hugh T. Osborne Lookout Park is one of the best places to easily access the dunes. There’s a free parking lot where you can park for up to 2 hours and walk right onto the dunes within a few steps from the car. It felt like we were transported into another world! If you think that walking on sandy beaches is hard, take it slow on these dunes as it’s even harder since the sand is looser and thus easier to sink into. Also, watch out for OHVs that are zooming around – especially if your dog likes chasing things. Kona was fascinated by all the action around her! 

We recommend visiting between October and April to avoid the scorching summer heat. When visiting in December, we enjoyed mild temperatures and low winds. Note that seasonal permits are required for those who intend to camp, hike, or drive an OHV onto the dunes.

Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

For the nature lovers out there – especially those who enjoy birding – the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge is along the drive from the Imperial Sand Dunes to Slab City and worth a quick stop not only for sweeping views of the Salton Sea, but also for birdwatching. There are also flush restrooms and a gift shop at the Visitor Center, which is open in the winter but closed in the summer. It’s a 45-min drive from the dunes and there is no entrance fee.

This 37,900-acre refuge lies along the southern shore of the Salton Sea and is named after Congressman Sonny Bono for his conservation efforts at California’s largest lake. As a crucial feeding ground for birds migrating from the Arctic to as far as South America, the refuge has been designated an Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy. Over 400 bird species have been documented here.

To best experience the unique geology and diverse wildlife here, either visit the observation tower next to the Visitor Center, or walk up Rock Hill Trail to the top of an “active” volcano if you and your dog are feeling a little more ambitious – this is an easy, 2-mile out-and-back hike that takes around 35-min roundtrip. We didn’t know there was an active volcano in SoCal, let alone that this is actually only one of five lava domes in the Salton Sea area that are collectively known as the Salton Buttes. Rock Hill formed about 16,000 years ago and was last active about 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. The trails are open year round from sunrise to sunset.

** All trails are closed as of February 22, 2023 due to resurfacing construction and are expected to reopen May 2023. Check their website for updates **

Desert Art in Slab City – Salvation Mountain & East Jesus

We’re now on our way to see one of the most visited attractions in Imperial County: Salvation Mountain. This man-made mountain of hay bales, adobe clay, discarded car parts and donated paint was built by Leonard Knight, who spent nearly 30 years creating his tribute to God with the dream of spreading the message “God is Love” – a message that adorns the mountaintop in bright letters along with many other bible scriptures. At 50-feet tall and 150-feet wide, this colorful and quirky explosion of Dr. Seuss mixed with Wizard of Oz is impossible to miss. Leonard and his masterpiece were even featured in the 2007 film, Into the Wild, a true story based on the Jon Krakauer novel of the same name – I highly recommend reading the book if you haven’t already!

Until recently, visitors could walk along the hand-painted yellow brick road through the labyrinths inside the mountain to the top of the summit; however, signs now caution visitors to stay off Salvation Mountain. Although it’s harder to appreciate the intricately painted hearts, birds, flowers and trees that cover the mountain from afar, visitors can still admire the details that Leonard left on the vehicles and other projects surrounding the property. Since Leonard’s passing in 2014 at 82 years old, his mountain remains free to visit every day and is being preserved by a nonprofit corporation. Stop by and donate any cans of paint you may have sitting around!

Salvation Mountain sits at the entrance to Slab City, the self-proclaimed “Last Free Place” in the country. Curious about life outside of mainstream society? Then you’ll want to check this place out. Named after the concrete “slabs” that remained after Camp Dunlap was torn down (a WWII Marine Corps training camp), it has attracted many nomads over the years who seek an off-the-grid, rent-free lifestyle with no electricity, plumbing or sewer services available. We recommend exploring Slab City before sundown.

We personally just stayed inside the car and quickly drove around Slab City out of respect for the residents who call it home – and to be mindful of trespassing. It is inspiring to see how the residents here have been able to transform this desolate stretch of desert into a self-sufficient community that even has its own church, library, outdoor music venue, Internet cafe, and hostel.

We also made a quick stop by East Jesus, a sustainable, habitable and ever-changing art installation and community at the northern end of Slab City. The sculpture garden contains mixed-media art pieces like a giant alligator constructed from chicken wire and used grocery bags, a wall of repurposed glass bottles, an elephant built from tires, and a wall of stacked television sets painted with pointed messages. Spend a few minutes here to observe the very interesting and thought-provoking pieces of art.

Bombay Beach Ruins

The last stop of our desert adventure was Bombay Beach, the once thriving resort town turned ghost town on the eastern shore of Salton Sea. The Salton Sea has quite a unique history. It was created by an accidental flooding of the Colorado River into the Imperial Valley in 1905. In the 1950s, Bombay Beach rivaled Palm Springs as a popular vacation destination frequented by celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby for its beaches and watersports, and attracted more than half a million visitors per year! But by the late-1960s, the rising salinity of the Salton Sea began killing off fish and the rotting stench instantly halted tourism, transforming the town into a post-apocalyptic ruin. 

Today, the salt content of the Salton Sea is greater than the Pacific Ocean and continues to rise and affect wildlife – the shores are littered with fish remains. That’s not all that remains along the shores of Bombay Beach though. You can walk around the ghost town and not only find remnants of half-submerged vehicles and abandoned houses, but also eye-catching desert art at the Bombay Beach Ruins. Stop by for a fun and unique photoshoot with your pup!

Dinner in Downtown Palm Springs

After adventuring around the Salton Sea area, we headed back to Palm Springs to continue exploring its eclectic and thriving culinary scene. Our eyes were set on eating dinner at Rooster and the Pig, a casual Vietnamese restaurant that is not only one of the most popular in town but also came highly recommended by Ryan’s mom. Note that they do not take reservations, so your best bet is to arrive early (before they open at 5pm, if possible) to avoid the infamously long waits here. There was already a short line when we arrived at 4:30pm on a Friday, which unbelievably reached beyond the parking lot and out into the sidewalk by 5pm. We were happily part of the first seating and easily got a table with Kona on the small outdoor patio. 

If a 5pm dinner is too early, we learned from the couple in front of us – who were clearly regulars here – that you can request to first enjoy a few drinks at the lounge next door and simultaneously be placed on the shortlist for a table when you’re ready to eat. Once seated, you get a complimentary cup of congee. Plus, the service is fast and the food comes out quickly too. The Vietnamese crispy rolls, crispy fish sauce wings, jasmine tea leaf salad, and pan seared trout are excellent! If you aren’t feeling Vietnamese food or the wait at Rooster and the Pig is too long, check out our list of other dog-friendly dining options in Palm Springs from above.

** As of February 2023, Rooster and the Pig is temporarily closed due to an electrical issue and hopes to reopen soon. Check their website for updates ** 

After dinner, we recommend walking down Palm Canyon Dr to explore the downtown shops and maybe even indulge in some ice cream at Great Shakes, Brandini Toffee, and/or Lappert’s – it’s been a long day, you deserve it! Look down on the sidewalk to see if you recognize any of the names honored on the Walk of Stars. Don’t forget to stop by the Palm Springs Art Museum and take a photo with the 26-foot tall statue of Marilyn Monroe!

Shopping at the Outlets in Cabazon

We finished the day off with a quick stop at the Desert Hills Premium Outlets and Cabazon Outlets, which are 25-min away from downtown Palm Springs. We’ve been to other Simon Premium Outlet locations before like the ones in Gilroy, Livermore and Carlsbad, but the Desert Hills Premium Outlet is the best one by far. It is HUGE. And has high-end brands like Balenciaga, Christian Louboutin and Loewe, which I’ve never seen at other Premium Outlet locations. Plus, athleisure brands like Alo and Lululemon – Lululemon is at the Gilroy location too.

The stores are all generally dog-friendly, but some will explicitly have a sign outside the door stating service dogs only. We were able to bring Kona into every store we visited except North Face. We will definitely be coming back the next time we’re down in SoCal.