Glamis
The Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area near Glamis in southeastern California, east of Brawley via Interstate 8 near the Sonoran Desert and the Mexican border, is the largest accessible mass of sand dunes in California and one of the largest open OHV dune systems in the entire western hemisphere. The dune field extends more than 40 miles along the Imperial Valley floor between the Chocolate Mountains to the north and the Mexican border to the south, with individual dune crests reaching 300 feet above the valley floor and the flat interdune corridors that allow high-speed riding between features. Glamis is the defining OHV spectator destination in the western United States: major holiday weekends (Thanksgiving, Christmas-New Year, and President's Day), draw hundreds of thousands of riders and spectators into the dunes, creating one of the largest recurring gatherings of any outdoor recreation type anywhere in North America. The scale changes the Glamis experience compared to any trail park: 40+ miles of open dune means navigation by landmark and compass bearing rather than trail markers, and the flat-light conditions that occur on overcast winter mornings can make depth perception genuinely difficult on the steep dune faces. ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes, dune buggies, and full-size sand rails are all permitted. A BLM Recreation Permit is required; the primary season runs November through April when temperatures are moderate. The nearest full-service community is Brawley, approximately 40 miles west via I-8. Primitive camping is available throughout the recreation area with no reservation system, first-come, first-served.