The hook
On the concrete slabs of a torn-down WWII base by the Salton Sea, a few hundred people live off the grid year-round in what they call the last free place in America.
01Why it's worth it
When the Marines dismantled Camp Dunlap in the 1950s they left the foundation slabs, and people started parking on them, and never really stopped. Slab City has no power, no water, no trash service, and no rent; those who stay run on solar and generators, buy their electricity from a guy called Solar Mike, and answer to no one, which is the entire point. It draws thousands of snowbirds in winter and holds around a hundred and fifty year-rounders, some there for the freedom and some because they had nowhere else. Out of it have come real things: East Jesus, a sprawling outdoor art environment built from junk; the Range, an open-air stage; and, at its edge, Salvation Mountain, the painted hillside one resident spent decades building. It's raw and poor and genuinely unlike anywhere else.
02How to experience it
It's east of Niland near the Salton Sea, about nine hours from the Bay and a world away from services, so bring your own water, fuel, and cash. Go in the cool months, since summers are brutal. Above all, remember it's people's homes, not an attraction: visit respectfully, ask before photographing anyone, and support East Jesus and the Range while you're there. It pairs with Salvation Mountain and the Salton Sea.