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Olancha Dunes

Saturday, December 23, 2023

Trail Map

Other Names

Owens Dry Lake, Owens Valley, Olancha, Ridgecrest Resource Area

Last Known Status

Open

Well, it's the perfect place to learn how to ride the sand without the dangers and annoyance of rider traffic or crowds. There is only one main dune, and it's very small, but there is one section of rolling sand with some vegetation that is fun.

The surrounding mountains have some desert trails and fire roads but the OHV area is mostly flat. The main entrance is smooth but has a couple deep sand washes so a 4x4 is recommended if you want to drive all the way in to the dune.

OHV Area Map... Nearby ATV OHV Areas...

REGULATIONS

Permit Required	Yes	CA OHMVR stickers required
Dates Open	Year Round	CA OHMVR red sticker vehicles permitted year round
Other ATV Stickers Accepted	Yes	Residents of any state not listed must purchase a Nonresident OHV Use Permit. (AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, IA, ID, IN, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TX, UT, VT, WA, WI, WY)
Spark Arrestor	Yes	A spark arresting exhaust silencer or end cap is required for all vehicles.
Noise Limit	Yes (96 dB)	CA OHMVR noise limits apply (1985/older limit 101 dB, 1986/newer limit 96 dB)
Whip Flags	Not Required
Maximum Vehicle Width	No Restriction
Motorcycles & Dirt Bikes	Permitted	CA OHMVR stickers required
ATVs	Permitted	CA OHMVR stickers required
UTV & SXS	Permitted	CA OHMVR stickers required
SUVs & Jeeps (registered)	Permitted
Dune Buggy & Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered)	Permitted	CA OHMVR stickers required
2 Stroke Engines	Certain Times	CA OHMVR restrictions apply
MX Helmet Required	Yes	helmets required by state law
Camping	No Restriction	(camp anywhere)
Campfires	No Restriction	CA BLM burn season
Night Riding	Unknown
Trail Blazing	Permitted
Alcohol	No Restriction	CA open container
Rule Enforcement	None
Comment	desolate "open use" area, no enforcement, vacant

TERRAIN

Approx Size	1,000 acres (2 sq mi)
Miles Of Trail	20
Climate Type	Desert
Elevation	3600 to 3800 ft.
Trail Maintenance	Not Marked, Not Rated, Not Maintained
Loose Dirt	None
Hard Pack	Little
Sand	All	paddle or sand tire recommended for best experience
Mud	None
Dust	Some
Rocks	Little
Trees	None
Steep Hills	Few
Water Crossings	None
Small Jumps	Few
Large Jumps	Few	main dune face is only real large jump
Berms	None
Sand/Gravel Pits	None
Single Track	None
Roads	None
Intersections	None
Rider Traffic	None
Shade	None
Ranges/Gunfire	Few
Hazards	Few	(hazards not marked)
Novice	All
Amateur	None
Expert	None

TYPE OF AREA

Area	Motorized Trails, Off-Road Dunes

Land

BLM

GPS POINTS

KEY SERVICES

Gasoline	1-5 Miles (W)	Olancha Mini Market (760) 764-2289
Diesel	1-5 Miles (W)	Olancha Mini Market (760) 764-2289
Water	5-20 Miles (N)	Boulder Creek RV Park (760) 876-4243
RV Hookup	5-20 Miles (N)	Boulder Creek RV Park (760) 876-4243
RV Disposal	5-20 Miles (N)	Boulder Creek RV Park (760) 876-4243
Campground	On Site
Conv Store	1-5 Miles (W)	Olancha Mini Market (760) 764-2289

FEES & PASSES

Parking	(None)
Entry	(None)
Riding	(None)
Camping	(None)

RATINGS

Pros	no enforcement, no traffic, some pretty views, good placej to learn to ride sand w/o traffic, few hazards
Cons	entrance has some deep sand washes (4x4 recomended) little challenging terrain, really only one dune, nota very tall
Our Rating	Fair
Recommended Stay	Half Day
Comments	(Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Nearest City

Olancha, CA

Trail Map

From: Reno, NV
1) Take 395 South toward Olancha, CA, about 280 miles
2) Turn left (east) on SR-190, continue about 1.5 miles
3) Look for a dirt road on the right (east), follow toward the dunes.