It takes about 3 1/2 hours to drive from L.A..  One route goes on Highway 10 then south on Highway 86 past the Salton Sea.  Above are wind turbines seen from Highway 10 near Desert Hot Springs.
The Salton Sea, California's largest lake, was created accidentally in 1905-06 when an irrigation canal gave way.  The lake is fed by agricultural runoff from the Imperial Valley and has no outflow.  Salton Sea was a popular tourist destination in the 1950s, peaking in the early 60s and into the early 70s.  It is situated on the Pacific Flyway and is a very important bird habitat, but accumulation of pesticides and toxins have made Salton Sea an ecological disaster.
Lots of barnacle bits.
See:
California Natural Resources Agency - Salton Sea Management Program
Salton Sea Authority
Audubon Society - Birds of the Salton Sea
California Department of Fish and Wildlife - Salton Sea Birds
Chris Iovenko.  "The Salton Sea, California's Largest Lake, Is Now a Public Health Threat."  The Atlantic,  Nov. 9, 2015.