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A once in a lifetime experience, some of the coolest art pieces I have ever seen and some of the most friendly people you will ever met, every conversation you will have wil the locals will be interesting and fun. It is not for everyone but it is for me
I am gonna repeat what another said, don't be fooled by the five star reviews!! Not sure why they're glorifying homelessness, was pretty much just like going to portland. They only care about their free society, it's a trashy disaster emphasis on trashy as trash is everywhere. I understand things happen and one becomes homeless but there's no reason to be messy with trash everywhere. Burned up trash every where. A Society where they are escaping contributing to society
Slab City is a possible alternative look into a post apocalyptic world where living off the grid without many governmental social services we take for granted such as water, electricity, trash pick up, sewers, police, fire are nonexistent or rarely there. Food, fuel and other necessities must be dragged in from Niland 4 miles away and some walk there like the 18 year old whom I saw walking with a fuel can. The good side of living here is no taxes of any kind. Slab City had begun in 1942 as Camp Dunlap Marine training camp. When WWII ended, the camp was decommissioned and buildIngs removed leaving only the cement slab floors behind. The military quit claimed the site back to the state of California where any profits from the former camp was to go to the State Teachers' Retirement System, but apparently got forgotten in the bureaucratic maze. Slab City seems to be the umbrella term also encompassing Salvation Mountain, East Jesus, and even muddy Slab City Hot Springs. Many residents are "snow birds" living in cold winter weather climates who flock from November to March. Others want to live a simpler and cheaper way of life away from living in a place with too much regulations & laws while some are fugitives hiding from the law. There are communities of the like-minded and lone wolves who don't want to live totally alone. To avoid chaos, the more permanent residents in Slab City have slowly set up their rules and customs as well as social services such as a water tank, library, open air theatre, church. Many have become entrepreneurial setting up businesses to cater especially for passing tourists. Peter Passalacqua@slabcity is an enterprising artist, craftsman, guide who invites you in to see how a more sophisticated Slab habitué lives & works. He invites you to linger in his livingroom under shady trees away from the already torrid early April heat. In its own way, his tour is similar to visiting Highclere Castle where the noble owners must now open to the public for revenue to upkeep their ancestral estate. Anyway, Pete is a good host and gives some insight on the positives and negatives in living there. Leave a donation to maintain his estate. I noticed some tourists think that they can enter into any structures in Slab City due to the lassez-faire atmosphere, but remember many places are private homes and yards, and don't want to be bothered. Even in Slab City there are limits to what one can do. A good souvenir of Slab City was a kinetic wind driven pin wheels cleverly made from aluminum cans. Love the way many residents of Slab City change "trash" into art. At $45 dollars, it was a rip off, but a good way to donate money to the community. I stayed from noon to four in the afternoon never feeling any danger. I'm not sure how it would be at night when darkness would be disorienting. Also, considering there is no social services, there is very little in terms of visible heaps of trash and helter skelter blight that I see so often associated with street people in Los Angeles. A pleasant day trip would be ideal starting with a Slab City Slammer breakfast at Buckshot Diner in Niland and ending with a good cold beer at the iconic Ski Inn in Bombay Beach about 22 miles away where another thrivIng, impressive arts colony is active. 4 stars
What is Slab City? Basically, it is one gigantic homeless encampment where people use art as a tool for their existence. Slab City has been around for a long-long time. I've known about it for at least the past 25 years or so. Back then, it was more of a place where people would come and spend the winter away from their residence in colder geographic locations. Somewhere along the way, however, things changed. People came, park their trailers, and never left. What occurred from this is a very unique community of people, some of which use their art as a means of support. And, I use the term art very broadly. With the rise in fame of Leonard's Salvation Mountain, more and more people began coming to this area. As Slab City is just slightly up the road from Salvation Mountain, tourists begin finding their way to this location. This has given birth to a budding artist community where people sell most notably their handmade jewelry. Plus, there is also a lot of installation art in the form of automotive art, structural art, and generalized creations. So, it is a very unique place to visit. Along with any transient community there comes it's own set of problems. So, particularly at night, if you are visiting Slab City you should be careful because you are never 100% sure who you will encounter. This being said, for the average person on a day trip, this is a very uniquely interesting place to visit.
Very interesting driving through this city. It is actually more of a homeless encampment than anything else. Free spirited people are living either in their trailers or tents out in the desert, not paying rent. There are a couple people peddling their goods out here, such as tie dyed handkerchiefs. It's just visually a community like nothing I have seen before. It's not worth driving all the way out here for. I just drove through and turned around while visiting Salvation Mountain.
Visited 4/29/2019 Slab City is a small Community In the middle of nowhere. A nice slow quiet town of people who want to live off the grid. No electricity and no water these people have to go all the way into the bigger towns for supplies. This place is mainly known for its attractions such as Salvation Mountain and East Jesus. There are no services or stores to be had here so be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks if you plan to visit for a while. The two main attractions are well worth visiting and can take up several hours of your time walking around viewing all the great artwork. It makes for a great road trip to the Salton Sea if you start here and work your way up Highway 111 to Bombay Beach Ruins and the international banana Museum. Enjoy
Before coming here I thought this place would be like a "city" the one with streets and houses. But nope it's a community RVs and tents. With displays of art everywhere. I loved it! It's a small "burning man town" Please don't diss the lifestyle or the people here. Since my time being in this el centro county I felt like the most nicest people live here. They are so inviting to people from all diversities and background. Why do I give this place a 5 star? Because it's not your typical destination with "glamorous" people with "glamorous" lifestyles some of these people see a place where they can be free and self sufficient. People call certain items junk but this town has turned "junk" into arts of beauty. If you visit this place, come with an open mind and inviting attitude. It may change your perspective and how you view the world. Thank you for giving me a glimpse of your self sufficient care free life! Also, I accidentally locked my keys in my car.. and one guy came up to me and expressed "empathy" for me. I felt completely safe here! If you're meant to die. You'll die.
From Wikipedia: Slab City or The Slabs is largely a snowbird community in the Sonoran Desert located in Imperial County, CA 156 miles northeast of San Diego within the California Badlands, and used by recreational vehicle owners and squatters from across North America. It took its name from concrete slabs that remained from the abandoned World War II Marine Corps barracks of Camp Dunlap. Slab City is home to Salvation Mountain, East Jesus, and Lizard Library (the only 24 hour library!) . I came to see Salvation Mountain and ended up exploring and learning more about this interesting community. When you enter you'll see a small concrete block room with the greeting "Slab City the last free place Almost there" on it . All the graffiti on that concrete just got me excited about what was to come. I visited Salvation Mountain first then decided to keep going. I knew nothing about Slab City. I'd read "Into the Wild" years ago and forgot the details of this place. I had bookmarked East Jesus via Yelp and decided to check it out with a friend. We found the shoe tree and kept driving and marveling at the messages and signs written everywhere. People that live here are super expressive. We encountered two residents of Slab City, they could not have been friendlier! We didn't want to overstep boundaries or be disrespectful to their community, we realized we were outsiders. Everyone waved or said hello, most would mind their own business. Despite the cool temps, the sun was voracious and made us feel pretty hot . There's no shade and it is the dessert after all. If you ever venture out to Salvation Mountain, definitely make a visit to East Jesus. Stay to your right or you'll end up in West Satan ;)
There are several interesting places to visit in Slab City. Lots of outdoor art, murals, and such. I have visited three times and each time I notice something new...no visit has been the same. Slab City is right up the road from Salvation Mountain. There's the Lizard Tree Library, East Jesus/West Satan, and The Range. The library is an outdoor library and it is open 24/7. East Jesus/West Satan is an outdoor art gallery with various sculptures and art installations...a must see, for sure. The Range is an outdoor area that is home to live music, performances, and open-mic opportunities every Saturday night! There's a campground/hostel as well...too hot for me, but that's an option if you have the desire to experience Slab City after dark. It is extremely hot (105+) during the summer months so bring plenty of water and plan accordingly. I highly recommend checking out the Salton Sea and Bombay Beach Ruins since they are two must see stops in the area (30 minute drive or so). The Salton Sea and/or Slab City are both great places to catch a beautiful desert sunset.
I took a day out of my recent Indian Wells trip to visit the Salton Sea and Slab City. Slab City is an artist collective where some residents sell sodas, water and handmade collectibles. It's spread out and a bit scattered but worth a trip if you're close by.
Underwhelming is an understatement. Just a collection of opportunistic bipolar tweakers assembled en masse. Akin to the homeless tent cities in Santa Ana, etc., but with no Popo rousting them off routinely enough. Stopped because it was a check-box only. I understand the 'art community' (as much as possible), and if these ne'er-do-well's actually pooled their efforts, they could 1) clean it the fuck up, 2) sort and share their materials, and 3) collaborate (as much as an 'artist' can) to generate product. This place is a wasteland of stolen cars, building materials, solar panels, and crap. Took the photo, never will go back. Ever.
What a beautiful eclectic village that was made from garbage of an abandoned California dump, that was once an Army base, even before the dump. So it's rightly called Slab City. It was their founder's idea after finding God, and what an amazing one! Make sure you visit the library, Cornelius Van Gogh will even let you take out books and return them whenever you return to Slab City. If I'm not mistaken; Tuesday night is movie night outside the library. They're really one of a kind residents, they've made a home from our garbage, that they have to share with the public 24/7. You're visiting, and they live there, and, they're so willing to show and tell you all the secrets, the stories, and the treasures of their lost world. Every once in a glance you may see a real 'snowbird' but, for the most part they're all permanent residents. So, please, be kind. And, don't forget your swimsuit to dip in the natural hot springs on your way out of Slab City.
2 months ago
Interesting experience I felt really unsettled by it though. The welcome guy at the visitor center was very friendly and a nice guy. It was about 116 degrees when we went so we were the only tourists there and all the gift shops were closed. There was one guy you could clearly tell was high on something hard he was emaciated and didn't have a shirt was hanging out by the welcome center. The welcome guy was worried that guy was going to break into his trailer so he left in a hurry to make sure. I hope he and his trailer are ok. The art was cool but idk if I would recommend going there especially with kids or all female group like us. read more
How do you rate a place like this? I have seen YouTube videos about Slab City and knew when I was in the area, I wanted to see it for myself. It is definitely a depressing place, in my opinion. I could never survive in a place with no water, electricity, sewage, etc. I know most probably live here because there is no other option. Some of the videos I watch people choose to live here because there is basically no laws, it's free, and nobody bothers them. **The docent at Salvation Mountain, right next to it, said the people who live in Slab City are never an issue with them and cause no problems. So there is a positive! 7/29/26 read more
7 months ago
Ughh... sad place. I didn't stay long. It was hot, dusty, and uncomfortable, and honestly pretty depressing. What I saw felt more bleak than interesting, and there was nothing about it that I found uplifting in any way. There is a bit of history here. The area used to be Camp Dunlap, a World War II-era U.S. Marine Corps training base. After it was decommissioned, most of the structures were removed, leaving behind the concrete slabs and bunker-like remnants that give Slab City its name. Some of those old concrete huts are still around, and a few have been brightly painted, which was probably the only part I found visually interesting. It sits out near Slab Mountain, and by that point I had already seen enough. I didn't even bother trying to find East Jesus. It was time to go. Beyond that, it just felt like a mess. There was a lot of garbage, very little in the way of amenities, and many of the people living there looked really down and out. It had an eerily familiar resemblance to parts of LA's homeless encampments, which made the whole experience feel uncomfortable rather than unique. For me, this is not a tourist destination. There's very little here that I found remotely interesting, and definitely nothing I'd describe as inspiring. Not for me. 1-1.5 stars read more
6 months ago
1 year ago
A once in a lifetime experience, some of the coolest art pieces I have ever seen and some of the most friendly people you will ever met, every conversation you will have wil the locals will be interesting and fun. It is not for everyone but it is for me read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
I am gonna repeat what another said, don't be fooled by the five star reviews!! Not sure why they're glorifying homelessness, was pretty much just like going to portland. They only care about their free society, it's a trashy disaster emphasis on trashy as trash is everywhere. I understand things happen and one becomes homeless but there's no reason to be messy with trash everywhere. Burned up trash every where. A Society where they are escaping contributing to society read more
Slab City is a possible alternative look into a post apocalyptic world where living off the grid without many governmental social services we take for granted such as water, electricity, trash pick up, sewers, police, fire are nonexistent or rarely there. Food, fuel and other necessities must be dragged in from Niland 4 miles away and some walk there like the 18 year old whom I saw walking with a fuel can. The good side of living here is no taxes of any kind. Slab City had begun in 1942 as Camp Dunlap Marine training camp. When WWII ended, the camp was decommissioned and buildIngs removed leaving only the cement slab floors behind. The military quit claimed the site back to the state of California where any profits from the former camp was to go to the State Teachers' Retirement System, but apparently got forgotten in the bureaucratic maze. Slab City seems to be the umbrella term also encompassing Salvation Mountain, East Jesus, and even muddy Slab City Hot Springs. Many residents are "snow birds" living in cold winter weather climates who flock from November to March. Others want to live a simpler and cheaper way of life away from living in a place with too much regulations & laws while some are fugitives hiding from the law. There are communities of the like-minded and lone wolves who don't want to live totally alone. To avoid chaos, the more permanent residents in Slab City have slowly set up their rules and customs as well as social services such as a water tank, library, open air theatre, church. Many have become entrepreneurial setting up businesses to cater especially for passing tourists. Peter Passalacqua@slabcity is an enterprising artist, craftsman, guide who invites you in to see how a more sophisticated Slab habitué lives & works. He invites you to linger in his livingroom under shady trees away from the already torrid early April heat. In its own way, his tour is similar to visiting Highclere Castle where the noble owners must now open to the public for revenue to upkeep their ancestral estate. Anyway, Pete is a good host and gives some insight on the positives and negatives in living there. Leave a donation to maintain his estate. I noticed some tourists think that they can enter into any structures in Slab City due to the lassez-faire atmosphere, but remember many places are private homes and yards, and don't want to be bothered. Even in Slab City there are limits to what one can do. A good souvenir of Slab City was a kinetic wind driven pin wheels cleverly made from aluminum cans. Love the way many residents of Slab City change "trash" into art. At $45 dollars, it was a rip off, but a good way to donate money to the community. I stayed from noon to four in the afternoon never feeling any danger. I'm not sure how it would be at night when darkness would be disorienting. Also, considering there is no social services, there is very little in terms of visible heaps of trash and helter skelter blight that I see so often associated with street people in Los Angeles. A pleasant day trip would be ideal starting with a Slab City Slammer breakfast at Buckshot Diner in Niland and ending with a good cold beer at the iconic Ski Inn in Bombay Beach about 22 miles away where another thrivIng, impressive arts colony is active. 4 stars read more
2 years ago
What is Slab City? Basically, it is one gigantic homeless encampment where people use art as a tool for their existence. Slab City has been around for a long-long time. I've known about it for at least the past 25 years or so. Back then, it was more of a place where people would come and spend the winter away from their residence in colder geographic locations. Somewhere along the way, however, things changed. People came, park their trailers, and never left. What occurred from this is a very unique community of people, some of which use their art as a means of support. And, I use the term art very broadly. With the rise in fame of Leonard's Salvation Mountain, more and more people began coming to this area. As Slab City is just slightly up the road from Salvation Mountain, tourists begin finding their way to this location. This has given birth to a budding artist community where people sell most notably their handmade jewelry. Plus, there is also a lot of installation art in the form of automotive art, structural art, and generalized creations. So, it is a very unique place to visit. Along with any transient community there comes it's own set of problems. So, particularly at night, if you are visiting Slab City you should be careful because you are never 100% sure who you will encounter. This being said, for the average person on a day trip, this is a very uniquely interesting place to visit. read more
Very interesting driving through this city. It is actually more of a homeless encampment than anything else. Free spirited people are living either in their trailers or tents out in the desert, not paying rent. There are a couple people peddling their goods out here, such as tie dyed handkerchiefs. It's just visually a community like nothing I have seen before. It's not worth driving all the way out here for. I just drove through and turned around while visiting Salvation Mountain. read more
Visited 4/29/2019 Slab City is a small Community In the middle of nowhere. A nice slow quiet town of people who want to live off the grid. No electricity and no water these people have to go all the way into the bigger towns for supplies. This place is mainly known for its attractions such as Salvation Mountain and East Jesus. There are no services or stores to be had here so be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks if you plan to visit for a while. The two main attractions are well worth visiting and can take up several hours of your time walking around viewing all the great artwork. It makes for a great road trip to the Salton Sea if you start here and work your way up Highway 111 to Bombay Beach Ruins and the international banana Museum. Enjoy read more
6 years ago
Before coming here I thought this place would be like a "city" the one with streets and houses. But nope it's a community RVs and tents. With displays of art everywhere. I loved it! It's a small "burning man town" Please don't diss the lifestyle or the people here. Since my time being in this el centro county I felt like the most nicest people live here. They are so inviting to people from all diversities and background. Why do I give this place a 5 star? Because it's not your typical destination with "glamorous" people with "glamorous" lifestyles some of these people see a place where they can be free and self sufficient. People call certain items junk but this town has turned "junk" into arts of beauty. If you visit this place, come with an open mind and inviting attitude. It may change your perspective and how you view the world. Thank you for giving me a glimpse of your self sufficient care free life! Also, I accidentally locked my keys in my car.. and one guy came up to me and expressed "empathy" for me. I felt completely safe here! If you're meant to die. You'll die. read more
From Wikipedia: Slab City or The Slabs is largely a snowbird community in the Sonoran Desert located in Imperial County, CA 156 miles northeast of San Diego within the California Badlands, and used by recreational vehicle owners and squatters from across North America. It took its name from concrete slabs that remained from the abandoned World War II Marine Corps barracks of Camp Dunlap. Slab City is home to Salvation Mountain, East Jesus, and Lizard Library (the only 24 hour library!) . I came to see Salvation Mountain and ended up exploring and learning more about this interesting community. When you enter you'll see a small concrete block room with the greeting "Slab City the last free place Almost there" on it . All the graffiti on that concrete just got me excited about what was to come. I visited Salvation Mountain first then decided to keep going. I knew nothing about Slab City. I'd read "Into the Wild" years ago and forgot the details of this place. I had bookmarked East Jesus via Yelp and decided to check it out with a friend. We found the shoe tree and kept driving and marveling at the messages and signs written everywhere. People that live here are super expressive. We encountered two residents of Slab City, they could not have been friendlier! We didn't want to overstep boundaries or be disrespectful to their community, we realized we were outsiders. Everyone waved or said hello, most would mind their own business. Despite the cool temps, the sun was voracious and made us feel pretty hot . There's no shade and it is the dessert after all. If you ever venture out to Salvation Mountain, definitely make a visit to East Jesus. Stay to your right or you'll end up in West Satan ;) read more
10 years ago
There are several interesting places to visit in Slab City. Lots of outdoor art, murals, and such. I have visited three times and each time I notice something new...no visit has been the same. Slab City is right up the road from Salvation Mountain. There's the Lizard Tree Library, East Jesus/West Satan, and The Range. The library is an outdoor library and it is open 24/7. East Jesus/West Satan is an outdoor art gallery with various sculptures and art installations...a must see, for sure. The Range is an outdoor area that is home to live music, performances, and open-mic opportunities every Saturday night! There's a campground/hostel as well...too hot for me, but that's an option if you have the desire to experience Slab City after dark. It is extremely hot (105+) during the summer months so bring plenty of water and plan accordingly. I highly recommend checking out the Salton Sea and Bombay Beach Ruins since they are two must see stops in the area (30 minute drive or so). The Salton Sea and/or Slab City are both great places to catch a beautiful desert sunset. read more
7 years ago
I took a day out of my recent Indian Wells trip to visit the Salton Sea and Slab City. Slab City is an artist collective where some residents sell sodas, water and handmade collectibles. It's spread out and a bit scattered but worth a trip if you're close by. read more
8 years ago
Underwhelming is an understatement. Just a collection of opportunistic bipolar tweakers assembled en masse. Akin to the homeless tent cities in Santa Ana, etc., but with no Popo rousting them off routinely enough. Stopped because it was a check-box only. I understand the 'art community' (as much as possible), and if these ne'er-do-well's actually pooled their efforts, they could 1) clean it the fuck up, 2) sort and share their materials, and 3) collaborate (as much as an 'artist' can) to generate product. This place is a wasteland of stolen cars, building materials, solar panels, and crap. Took the photo, never will go back. Ever. read more
6 years ago
What a beautiful eclectic village that was made from garbage of an abandoned California dump, that was once an Army base, even before the dump. So it's rightly called Slab City. It was their founder's idea after finding God, and what an amazing one! Make sure you visit the library, Cornelius Van Gogh will even let you take out books and return them whenever you return to Slab City. If I'm not mistaken; Tuesday night is movie night outside the library. They're really one of a kind residents, they've made a home from our garbage, that they have to share with the public 24/7. You're visiting, and they live there, and, they're so willing to show and tell you all the secrets, the stories, and the treasures of their lost world. Every once in a glance you may see a real 'snowbird' but, for the most part they're all permanent residents. So, please, be kind. And, don't forget your swimsuit to dip in the natural hot springs on your way out of Slab City. read more
7 years ago
9 years ago
8 years ago
Such a magical place full of vibrant art, endless stories, and out of this world experiences. Come with an open mind and tons of water! slab city is actually big as it's spread out across the desert with "main points". Salvation mountain and east Jesus are actually separate from slab city but apart of slab city. I rented a camper at the "Slab City Hostel" through AirBNB. Slab city hostel is run by Mr. Whitehorse who was awesome and provided a hand drawn map of the area and different points of interest. I didn't sleep in the camper at the hostel- I just used it as a staging area to explore slab city! The people are amazing! I spent an entire day taking pictures and talking with residents of the slabs and visitors like my self. I will go again for sure! I would say there were close to 1000 visitors total. Amazing amazing amazing place!!! read more
10 years ago
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Slab city is a photographers paradise! It's an artist's Disneyland! A MUST SEE!!! The first time I came here, it was late at night. It felt really sketchy, like something out of a scary movie. Bushes were surrounding the road, so all I saw was a few yards of road in front of me from my headlights, the sky and my imagination of some tall scary flying thing in a black trench coat(jeepers creepers). I knew I had to do this! I've been wanting to experience slab city since I read about it years ago. So, after a few minutes of driving into slab city, I had no idea where I was going to park and sleep. I passed up the entrance, I passed up salvation mountain and started to get worried. A few minutes after salvation mountain, there's the area where everyone parks. Many people live there, so I just found an area where there was no trailers or cars. It was just before the shoe tree, but on the other side of the road. I had a good distance between the trailer on the left side of me, and the other trailers on the right. I parked and contemplated if I should stay for the next 30 minutes. So far, so good. I ended up staying. I did have to go pee, so I went outside near my car. There are no restrooms around, so good luck. Either go before, or go to the restroom at the gas station in Niland. Make sure you bring toilet paper. Lol. I've been here 5 times. Everytime I come, I explore a little more than the last. If you look at my photos, you can read all the different signs(places) that Slab City has to offer. The main places are East Jesus, Salvation Mountain and the Lizard Library. On the far end(right side) of Salvation Moutain, there's the water towers that have lots murals on them. There's even art made out of old cars and bikes. There's also a lot of other stuff that you can see at Slab City that I didn't post. You just have to drive around and explore. There are also a few things to do around the surrounding area of Niland. You can visit Bombay Beach, which is a dying beach area, full of decay... pretty cool! There's also the International Banana Museum, which is a ice cream shop full of banana memorabilia. North of Niland, there's an abandoned building on the left, full of graffiti art. You definitely can spend the full early morning til sunset to see what Slab City and the surrounding area has to offer. So, if you're a photographer or artist, or even if you just live in SoCal, you definitely have to visit!!! It's like being in a different world:) read more
10 years ago
9 years ago
Slab City (a.k.a. The Capital of Methistan) is impossibly fascinating and scary at the same time. I took my 7 year old twin boys and mostly made them stay in the car. Too freaky. But ultimately we all LOVED Slab City and refer to it often. read more
9 years ago
10 years ago
More info about Slab City
Beal Rd
Slab City, CA 92257
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Ask the Community - Slab City
Is valet parking available?
Yes and no. You might find someone who’ll take your keys and vehicle, getting them back though.. not so much 🤪
Review Highlights - Slab City
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
11 reviews that are not currently recommended
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