Made from local adobe clay and donated paint, Salvation Mountain is a work of outsider art in Imperial County. The site is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Large-scale art made from repurposed materials takes center stage at East Jesus.
Art Made from Clay and Reused Materials
The 30-acre large-scale art museum at East Jesus features assemblage and mixed-media works made from reused, recycled, or otherwise repurposed materials. East Jesus currently offers daily guided tours of its sustainability initiatives and exhibited artworks, according to the organization. The two art sites take different approaches: at Salvation Mountain, clay and donated paint are part of how the work was created; at East Jesus, various repurposed materials meet a range of art forms. This gives art enthusiasts a concrete comparison without suggesting that the sites share the same artistic approach.
Dunes, Desert, and Nature Watching
The Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area is among the attractions highlighted by Imperial County. The Imperial Sand Dunes are California’s largest continuous dune landscape. For a different desert perspective, Ocotillo Wells SVRA offers opportunities to explore and enjoy approximately 85,000 acres of desert with off-highway vehicles. Open camping is permitted throughout the area for up to 30 days per calendar year. If you plan to camp, check the current park rules before your visit.
More than 400 bird species have been reported at the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge. A one-mile trail passes through the vegetation of the desert uplands, by freshwater ponds and agricultural fields, and ends 150 feet above the surface of the Salton Sea. The refuge also offers free, half-day, teacher-led field trips. Confirm current program information before arranging a field trip. The two offerings differ clearly in terms of time: the trail is listed as one mile long, while the field trip lasts half a day.
The Imperial Wildlife Area covers about 7,900 acres of salt marshes, freshwater ponds, and desert scrubland. These habitat types offer a different perspective on nature than the dunes, with wetlands and desert vegetation side by side. The Wetland Discovery Trail offers a self-guided nature tour. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park also extends into Imperial County.
Camping is available at Salton Sea State Recreation Area. It is located at the northeast corner of the Salton Sea, in southern Riverside County and northern Imperial County, and stretches along 14 miles of shoreline. The Salton Sea landscape therefore encompasses both wildlife refuges and nature watching, as well as a recreation area with camping.
Rodeo History in Brawley
The Cattle Call Rodeo began in Brawley in 1957 as a celebration of the cattle industry. Its competitions include PRCA and WPRA events, and the rodeo committee organizes it as an annual event. The rodeo’s history and its current competition program offer two distinct points of interest: its origins tell the story of the cattle industry, while the competitions shape the event’s character today. If you’d like to include the rodeo in your travel plans, check the event dates.
Discover more destinations: Brawley, Holtville, Imperial, Calipatria, Calexico, El Centro, Westmorland, Heber, Seeley, Niland.
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