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Jump into good fun at the Imperial Dunes
| Saturday, Nov 24 2007 4:00 PM
Last Updated: Friday, Nov 23 2007 1:33 PM
A little more than 300 miles from Bakersfield, in the southeast corner of California, lies a mecca for off-road enthusiasts.
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Scott Dewar catches some air after traveling over a bump on The Drags. A Bakersfield resident, Scott’s buggy seats four adults and is equipped with GPS and 400 horsepower engine.
People gather in the late afternoon to area called the drags to watch more racing.
During daylight and into the evening, groups gather on Oldsmobile Hill to socialize and race one another at one of the largest dunes in the park.
During daylight and into the evening groups gather on Oldsmobile hill to race one another at one of the largest dunes in the park.
A popular event at the Imperial Sand Dunes is to find a good ramp and watch motorcycles, quads and sandrails jump and perform tricks, like this cyclist was doing on a Saturday afternoon.
BLM and Imperial County sheriff's deputies carry and injured man from a sandrail accident to a waiting helicopter. The injured man suffered a back injury from jumping his sandrail to high on a jump.
Just outside the town of Glamis is one of the largest sand dunes in North America, where 300,000 people were expected to gather this weekend.
On Halloween weekend — start of the busy season — an estimated 200,000 people camped at Imperial Sand Dunes with their vehicles, ranging from $100,000 sand rails to Rhino RTVs, quads and motorcycles. The sand rails are 400-plus horsepower, racing-fuel-injected, turbo-charged buggies that reach speeds topping 100 mph, gliding over the windblown beach sands from a prehistoric sea.
The Imperial Sand Dunes are the largest sand dunes open to off-highway vehicle use in the United States. The dunes begin 10 miles southeast of Niland and stretch all the way into Mexico, more than 40 miles away, and at times are five miles wide and 300 feet high. Glamis, the center of activity, is 27 miles east of Brawley on Highway 78. The main area for off-highway vehicles covers 22,000 acres from Glamis south to the areas of Gordon’s Well, Buttercup and Ogilby, near Interstate 8.
The sheer size and magnitude of Imperial Sand Dunes make them the ultimate in riding. An entire day can be spent on a roller coaster you get to control, with smooth transitions over the wind-blown dunes offering endless fun. If you don’t ride, just watching others is quite a show, seeing the power of the vehicles driven by many people who just seem to want to show off.
About the dunes
The Imperial Sand Dunes are part of the Algodones Sand Dune system, which covers 1,000 square miles, making it one of the largest dune complexes in North America. There are more than 150,000 acres designated as open space or having limited use.
The North Algodones Wilderness Area, established by the 1994 California Desert Protection Act, covers 32,000 acres, which are closed to motorized vehicles, offering access only on foot or horseback.
How to go
To Glamis from Los Angeles
Take Interstate 10 east past Palm Springs and Indio to the Highway 86 south Expressway.
Take 86 south past the Salton Sea, where it will join with Highway 78.
Continue past Westmoreland and Brawley.
Stay on the Highway 78 out of Brawley (do not take 86 out of town).
Highway 78 merges with Highway 115, and as 78/115 makes a big sweeping right turn, turn left to continue on 78.
Continue on Highway 78 for 19 miles to the Imperial Sand Dunes.
The first road you hit to the right is Gecko Road.
Permits
If you want to show off your OHV, or watch others show off theirs, you do have to pay.
Yearly permits, good from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30: $90
Weekly permits, good for seven consecutive days from the time of purchase: $25
Permits are available:
• At imperialsanddunes.org
• By calling toll-free, 800-278-0165
• From sheriff’s office personnel at the dunes during holiday weekends (they accept credit card and debit card payments in addition to cash)
• From vendors on site at the Glamis and Buttercup areas
Other information
For weekly passes, your ATM receipt will serve as your pass. All passes must be displayed in plain view in the window or windshield of the primary vehicle.
The funds raised from the permit system, which is operated in conjunction with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, go to the Imperial County Sheriff’s Recreation Enforcement Division for use in the dunes. The imperialsanddunes.org Web site is a service of the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office and is a great source of information for a variety of dunes-related matters.