Here is some useful information for those living in Slab City, or looking to come out here.
Weekly events are cancelled, changed or otherwise all messed up due to COVID-19. We will post the new schedule here if and when it becomes a reality.
Tuesday, July 16
Wednesday, July 17
Slab City is "free" in that there is no rent or taxes associated with the land. The land has been owned by the state of California since 1961 and from then on, people have been squatting here without eviction.
Off-grid living, however, is not free. The extra costs of living off-grid can make the "free land" appeal of Slab City seem unimportant. The benefit lies in the lack of building codes and municipal bylaws etc. that can get in the way of some people living how they want to.
No. It is anything but lawless. The police (as well as ambulance and fire) regularly patrol the area and respond to 911 calls. Anything that is illegal in the "real world" is illegal in Slab City as well.
On top of real laws, Slab City has it's own etiquette people are expected to adhere to. Things like finding a spot to camp and how to properly mark it's boundaries, or how to approach someones camp who doesn't expect you.
The possible reason Slab City is rumored to be lawless is it's lack of rent/taxes and the anarchistic nature of every day life here. Another thing to consider is many of Slab City's occupants have criminal histories, mental illness, or other reasons that make calling the police undesirable to them, so sometimes disputes are settled personally, without the help of the law - but that is a choice and not representative of how all disputes are handled here.
The US Marshals have also conducted large scale sweeps in Slab City, looking for fugitives and other people of interest thought to be in the area. This doesn't happen very often, but in recent years it has happened almost annually.
Temperatures can reach as high as ~125 F in the summer and can dip to ~25 F in the winter.
From May-October, expect every day to be at least 100 F. June, July and August will consistently be 105-115 F with a 2-3 week span from mid-July to mid-August where it can get into the 120's for multiple days.
The end of October is generally the start of the winter season when temperatures are more in the 80s and 90s and it gets progressively colder into December and January before warming back up in time for summer again.
Finding a spot to camp is basically as simple as finding somewhere vacant, and occupying it. It's advised that once you find a spot to set up camp, you should approach the other camps nearest to you and talk to them. If the spot you're after is already taken, they'll know.
Once you've become friendly with the neighbors and you've been given the all-clear to occupy the space, you should clearly define the boundaries of your camp and mark them. A sign saying "OCCUPIED" is also often posted.
Many people set up temporarily when they first arrive until they can make some allies and lock down a permanent spot. The flat strip of land along the south side of Beal Rd. just past Salvation Mountain is a popular area for temporary campers looking to find a better spot.
There are a few options for obtaining water suitable for consumption. There are local stores and water filling stations as well as delivery services within Slab City.
If you are able to acquire a water tank, water delivery is a great way to go. Some services also provide you the tank as a rental or purchase.
For a full list of water sources, check our local services section.
The nearest store for food and supplies is United Food Center (referred to as Mei's locally). They don't carry everything but they have a lot of the basics as well as alcohol, a deli, some produce and a hardware section. Distance from Slab City is about 4 miles.
About 12 miles south on Hwy 111 is the town Calipatria which has a Dollar General, Circle K gas station and a TrueValue Hardware Store "Zendejas".
Further south, about 22 miles from Slab City is Brawley. There you will find all the major amenities you expect in a small city. There is a Wal-Mart in Brawley.
Since Slab City is off-grid, you must supply your own electricity if you want it. The two main ways of doing so are a generator or a solar system.
Both options have their merits and flaws, and it really depends on your budget (solar is a larger up front cost while generator is an ongoing cost for fuel).
It's important that you do some research on off-grid power systems to see what's best for you.
There are public buses that stop in the nearest town, Niland.
On Thursdays the bus comes right into Slab city and stops at the Schoolbus Slab.
Slab City is a popular spot for snowbirds and travelers in the winter so the population can vary drastically between summer and winter.
The summer population dwindles down to 100 or so while in the winter it can reach 2000 +.
It does rain in Slab City. It doesn't happen often but when it does, it can often result in flash floods. The ground doesn't allow the water to soak in so instead it rages across the surface and forms temporary rivers in the various "washes" that exist in the desert.
The rainy season is between December and February but it can rain at any point in the year. Prepare ahead of time by looking at the ground around your camp and seeing where previous rainfall flowed. Build berms and trenches to help divert flowing water away from your camp.
Although there are a few towns nearby, the amount of available work is slim at best. Knowing Spanish is a plus when trying to find a job in town as most of the locals in the area speak Spanish.
There are also opportunities within Slab City for making money. There are often people willing to pay for physical labor and if you're able to do the work, you can make some money.
Slab City also has a lot of tourism that comes through and many Slab City residents have found ways to sell goods to those tourists.
| Name | Location | Phone | info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slab Cab | -- | -- | -- |
| Garbage Pick-Up | -- | -- | -- |
| Tank Emptying | -- | -- | -- |
| Name | Location | Phone | info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mei's (United Food Center) | 8100 CA-111 Niland, CA | (760) 359-0661 | Closest store to Slab City with grocery, alchoholic, deli and convenience items. |
| Dollar General | 162 W Delta St. Calipatria, CA | (442) 208-0047 | Dollar store, grocery, alchohol, tobacco |
| Market Square | 101 W Main St. Calipatria, CA | -- | Local market similar to Mei's in Niland |
| Name | Location | Phone | info |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoCo Mini Mart | 8004 CA-111 Niland, CA | (760) 359-2422 | Closest gas station to Slab City, propane, convenience store |
| Circle K | 117 W Main St. Calipatria, CA | --- | Newly constructed, hot food, convenience, no propane |
| Name | Location | Phone | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zendejas True Value | 118 Main St, Calipatria, CA 92233 | (760) 348-5343 | Small hardware store in Calipatria with a good selection, RV supplies and propane |
| Name | Location | Phone | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wright & Knight Service Center | 566 E St, Brawley, CA 92227 | (760) 344-3370 | Good and fair local mechanic accustomed to Slabbers |
| Name | Location | info |
|---|---|---|
| Post Office | 8108 CA-111 Niland, CA | Closes mid-day from 1-2pm for lunch |
| Food Stamp Office | -- | -- |
| Walk-In Clinic | -- | -- |
| Name | Location | info |
|---|---|---|
| -- | -- | -- |
Slab City has a lot of lingo. This section is here to help you decipher the language used here and learn what things like "Ernies" and "Trade Circle" are.
| Word/Place/Term | Meaning | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Trade Circle | Residents set up items and wares to trade and barter with one another. Held on Saturdays on the south side of Beal Rd. roughly across from the Blue Church. | -- |
| The Range | A music venue in Slab City where open mic night is held every Saturday at sundown. Bands will sometimes come and play shows there on other nights during the week and other events are often held at the venue during the day such as SCCGI meetings and Doggy Christmas. | -- |
| Spange | Spare + change = spange. To spange is to fly a sign, busk, or otherwise ask for money (or food/supplies) from the public. | We're going to go to Mecca to spange. |
| Slabs | Can be used as a shorthand for "Slab City" or in reference to the physical slabs of concrete that are dotted throughout Slab City. | Need a ride into the Slabs?
or Meet me at Moonpickle's Slab. |
| SCCGI | A non-profit group created to protect Slab City and it's values in the event that the land goes up for sale. | -- |
| Ernies | A monthly opportunity to receive food bank items, free hot lunch, free clothing and also participate in a raffle for donated items. Happens third Tuesday of each month. | -- |
| Commodities | A monthly food bank offered by the Niland Chamber of Commerce for Niland residents, although Slabbers are welcomed. Occurs on every third Wednesday of each month. | -- |
| Agro | Aggressive | Winston is cool, but a bit agro. |
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