Sand Dunes of Southern California

[SHOWTIME]

Sand Dunes of Southern California



You’ve heard the stories and more than likely, you’ve seen a few pictures of
sand dunes. In recent years a few of the OEM’s have used sand dune photos
in brochures and on TV commercials. There are many sets of dunes
throughout the western half of the country, but there aren’t many as popular
as those in southern California. We’ve put together some images and helpful
information that will make you want to; “Go west young man”.

If you’ve been an ATV enthusiast for at least a couple of years, chances are
you or someone you know have been to the Glamis or Dumont Dunes. They
each offer a different adventure and have unique things about both of them.



When you ride for 15 or 20 minutes and turn back, it almost looks like an
ocean of sand. It truly is an amazing sight to see so much sand.



The Glamis dunes are located in extreme southern California, north of
Interstate 8 and south of State hwy 78. You’ll find what is officially called the
Imperial Sand Dune Recreational Area (ISDRA), aka Glamis, on a map east of
Brawley, CA. and west of Yuma, AZ. This area is the biggest sand dune riding
area in the country. Let us make something clear, when we say the biggest;
we mean the acreage of the sand, and not the tallest dunes. If you visit
Glamis, it would be best to ride with someone who has already been there.
It’s big enough to get lost and if you find yourself needing help and don’t
know where you’re at, it will just compound your problems. Because this area
is so large, it has been broken up into different “regions” and named
individually. The “Glamis” area is the northeastern. This is where the famous
Glamis store is located and many vendors. The Eastern border of the ride
area, the railroad tracks are visible from the store. South of the store are
what is called the “washes” where people can camp. There are well over 20
washes. Another area is the southern most, that is south of Interstate 8 and
ends at the Mexico border. This is called the Buttercup dunes. Don’t be
surprised if you see the U.S. Border Patrol agents patrolling day and night. It’s
hot spot for smuggling people and drugs across the border. Just north and a
little west of Buttercup is Gordon’s Well that some call Dune buggy flats. This
area may not be the most popular for the party crowds, but its one of the
biggest sections that hasn’t had any closers. It also has a café (Duners Diner)
that is open for breakfast lunch and dinner. We ate lunch there and was really
impressed with the surroundings and staff. And the burger was good too.



We weren’t kidding, there really is a "Little Dune" section. No tall dunes, but
plenty to enjoy for the youngsters.

The Dumont dunes are about 90 minutes southwest of Las Vegas, about 25
miles north of Baker, CA. Its acreage isn’t near as big, but it has dunes that
are much taller in size. What is known as “comp hill” is one of the three tallest
dunes in the U.S., somewhere in the 600 plus feet range. Those of you who
are serious about drag racing will find some of the fastest quads around here
on holiday weekends. There isn’t as many



If you’ve never seen a pack of Rhinos, it’s only because you’ve never been to
the dunes. They are everywhere at Glamis.

smaller dunes at Dumont for the lesser experienced rider, but there are areas
where youngsters can ride safely. Three miles down the road, there are
smaller dunes connected via a trail that is called, “Little Dumont”. This
campground is a perfect place for a family with young kids who are learning
what dune riding is all about. There are no tall dunes, but a few that can
teach young riders how to negotiate climbing in sand. And since it is connect
to the main dunes, it’s only a 15 minute ride for the adults to have fun at the
big stuff. There is a pay station at the entrance of both dunes (main and little)
that accepts cash or credit card and prints you a receipt to put in the
windshield. The main dune has a building where Rangers an be found and
during office hours, there are people on duty to take money for permits.
Otherwise if you get there late, use a pay station.

Glamis Permits
If you’re just visiting from out of state, you’ll still need a permit. A seven-day
permit is $25. A full season is $90. You can call (800) 278-0165 to purchase
one. You might also need a California green sticker to ride an ATV in the state
of CA. If your home state doesn’t issue a registration sticker of some kind,
you’ll need to get a $10 out of state sticker from a local dealership.

Dumont Permits
Annual permits are $60 and weekly permits are $20. For more information on
permits, call (760) 726-6055. For other general information try
(760) 252-6000. You’ll need a whip flag on all OHV’s and helmets are required
in California. And riding double on an ATV is an easy way to be fined at both
dunes.

If you’ve never been to a sand dune before, there are a few things you might
want to know. We put together a list of helpful suggestions that could make
your trip a little easier.

1.Paddle tires
Some people will tell you paddle tires are a must when ever riding in the sand.
If you plan on doing a lot of racing or climbing, you’ll want them for sure. If
you prefer to have maxim tire spin and being able to whip your rear tires
around (if you have a solid rear axle) then you might want to stick with
knobbies. What ever you choose, you’ll want to run them with less air than
you do on a hard packed surfaces. Most duners will agree that 3 pounds of air
is a good place to start.

2.Always top off with gas
If you ride on MX tracks, running out of gas isn’t something you worry about
too much. Dune riding is a lot like taking those long trail rides. Every time you
come back to camp, you’ll want to top off with fuel. Bringing plenty of fuel cans
is another thing to consider. Most dunes are many miles from any town, and
you want to bring plenty to last your entire time there. A five gallon can may
only last a day if you ride long and fast.

3.Be prepared for windy conditions
It took wind to make sand, so you have to expect wind to be there at some
point. If you stay at any dunes for 5-6 days and never experience wind,
you’ve hit a calm time. This doesn’t mean every week has a wind storm either.
The good news is; windy conditions normally will only last a few days at a
time. It wouldn’t hurt bringing a few games or DVD’s to pass the time if you
get stuck in a wind storm.

4.Use caution when crossing the top of a dune
First time duners are often so excited to climb a dune, they aren’t thinking
about what is on the other side, at the top. In an extreme case, the top is like
an upside down “V”. This is called a “razor”. Crossing it straight across can be
very dangerous. It’s best to turn to the left or right just before making it to
the top and looking over the other side, and then cross when it is safe. If
you’re riding with lesser experienced riders, they may need to start with small
dunes first and work there way up to taller dunes. Otherwise they can get
separated from the group and lost.

5.Night riding
Once you get there, you’ll find that night riding can be a lot of fun…and it is.
Before you do, you should first get to know the area. Riding a new dune area
for the first time at night is a recipe for disaster. One thing about a dune area
is; it can have elevation changes with little or no notice. If you’re cruising
along and suddenly have a 2-3 foot (or more) drop-off and not ready for it,
you can wind up upside down within seconds. When you’re climbing a dune at
night, it’s not that easy to see the top in some cases, so you don’t know how
high it is or how far up you’ve gone. It’s always best to ride the area in
daylight before trying it at night.

6.Bring all you’ll need
Like we said before, there are no gas stations near most dunes. So if you’re
going to need it while you’re there, take it with you. This means everything
from water to electricity. Both dune ride spots have limited vault toilets in
some areas, but neither of them have running water. If you want to shower,
you’ll need an RV or take sponge baths.

A couple of websites that can be helpful are: American Sand Association
and Sand Dune Guide and Atlas to Sand
Dune Locations. And if you’re a resident of the east coast, you may not
know it, but there is actually a magazine, dedicated to sand duning, called
Sand Sports. You can find out how to get a copy at
Welcome to Sand Sports Magazine. We
hope these helpful hints will come in handy for those who might be planning a
trip to a dune ride area. Something else to remember is packing out all your
trash. Their dune motto is, if you bring it in, pack it out. Enjoy your trip and
ride safe.



If you were to come in the middle of the week, sometimes you’ll see guys who
arrive in big trucks with names like Honda or Suzuki on the sides of them.



In the bigger open areas and on the big dunes, you’ll see the big V8 sand rails
rippin’ it up. Some of these vehicles have 600+ horsepower!



From a distance of a half mile away, Comp Hill (on left side) doesn’t look that
tall. But when you at the bottom looking up…it’s a little different story. If you
want to make it to the top, you’ll need either a lot of power or paddles.



A nice thing about Dumont is, the camping area is flat and will allow you to
stay very close to the dunes. Those traveling in large groups often make
these "wagon wheels" to form an inner circle for camp fires and fellowship.

Sand Dunes of Southern California