Map of North Shore CDP, California

North Shore is a census-designated place in southeastern Riverside County, so named because of its location along the northeast shore of the Salton Sea. It was once a popular vacation destination spot before ever-increasing salinity and pollution of the Salton Sea shut the tourist trade down. The population was 3,585 at the 2020 census, up from 3,477 at the 2010 census.

The town traces its beginnings to 1958 when developers Ray Ryan and Trav Rogers purchased the land on which the town would sit and began to sell individual parcels in 1960.

North Shore is notable as the home of the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge. Established in 1930 by presidential proclamation and with an original area of over 35,000 acres (140 km), only about 2,200 manageable acres (8.9 km) remain due to flooding caused by the Salton Sea. A proposed system of dikes that will help control the increasing salinity of the Salton Sea will also serve to stop further encroachment on the refuge.

One building is particularly noteworthy. The North Shore Beach and Yacht Club, an Albert Frey design, opened in 1962 and was in active use until 1984; rising water levels destroyed the jetty in 1981, thereby making it impossible for boats to dock there. As recently as the early 2000s, it was possible to enter the lobby prior to its being boarded up, although stairs leading to the second floor had been removed prior to its abandonment. The lobby was once littered with hotel receipts from the neighboring North Shore Motel (razed in 2008) dating back to the club’s last days. The yacht club has been restored under a $3.35 million grant and since 2011 is open to the public as a Community Center and historical landmark. The Salton Sea History Museum was relocated to Mecca, California in February 2012.

North Shore is accessible via State Route 111 at the Imperial County line. The wildlife refuge and campground is a short distance south of the town.

The ZIP Code is 92254, and the community is inside area codes 442 and 760.

North Shore CDP overview:
Name:	North Shore CDP
LSAD Code:	57
LSAD Description:	CDP (suffix)
State:	California
County:	Riverside County
Elevation:	−69 ft (−21 m)
Total Area:	11.177 sq mi (28.949 km²)
Land Area:	11.177 sq mi (28.949 km²)
Water Area:	0 sq mi (0 km²) 0%
Total Population:	3,585
Population Density:	320/sq mi (120/km²)
ZIP code:	92254
FIPS code:	0652302
GNISfeature ID:	2583097

Online Interactive Map

Click on to view map in "full screen" mode.

North Shore online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.