5 Best Desert Areas for Off-Roading in Southern CA

Calico is a former mining town in San Bernardino County, CA. Located in the Calico Mountains, between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, Calico was founded in 1881 as a silver mining town, and today has been converted into a park named Calico Ghost Town. Calico offers hundred of marked trails to off-road 4x4s, motorcyclists, mountain bikers, and hikers. If you visit, be sure to stop by the legendary “Ghost Town” area for a taste of the “real” Old West.

Glamis is perhaps the premier sand dune destination in the western US. Located off of Hwy 78 between and Blythe, CA and Brawley, CA, Glamis offers sand dunes as far as the eye can see. It’s a busy place welcoming off-road 4x4s of all shapes and sizes, and all off-road motorcycles. The town of Glamis, CA is small with just a convenience store and trading post. These offer limited supplies for the hundreds of thousands of recreational visitors each year who pass through the Algodones Dunes and the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, collectively called the “Glamis Sand Dunes.” 

The Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area offers everything to the off-roader. It is off Highway 247 and Camp Rock Road, about 55 miles southeast of Barstow, CA. The area is punctuated by steep red rocky mountains, rolling hills, deep valleys, dry lake beds, and sandy washes. Elevations range from Melville Dry Lake, with an elevation of about 2,300 feet to the Hartwell Hills at about 4,600 feet. Vegetation consists of creosote scrub with wild flowers and, the symbol of the Mojave Desert, the Joshua tree. Off-road 4x4s and off-road motorcycles are welcome as well as hikers, rock hounds, and nature lovers. 

This unique recreation area is located in Oceano, three miles south of Pismo Beach. This is the only location in the whole state of California, where you can drive and camp on the beach. Four wheel drive and all other off road vehicles are welcome on the beach and on the dunes. With the Pacific Ocean right there, you can also enjoy virtually any kind of beach recreation. This is a beautiful spot.

Ocotillo Wells is a small community in San Diego County, CA. It is 3 miles west of the Imperial County line on State Route 78. Ocotillo Wells offers more than 85,000 acres of magnificent desert for off-roading and recreation. From sandy washes to rocky canyons, Ocotillo Wells never disappoints. Open camping is available throughout the park and these areas offer ample access to numerous trails. A wide variety of off-road vehicles can be operated within the park and any vehicle with a license plate or off-road registration is legal.

 

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