Photo Essay: Imperial Valley Sand Dunes

Imperial Valley is the home to the largest mass of sand dunes in the state of California. Well known areas include Glamis and Buttercup. The dunes are an average of five miles wide and 40 miles long, and rise as high as 300 feet from the desert floor.

The Imperial Valley sand dunes also known as the Algodones Dunes are a popular area for duners...that is, people who ride OHV's (Off Highway Vehicles). Over 118,000 acres are permitted for OHV use. Between the months of October and May, when the temperatures and conditions are mild, tens of thousands of people flock here for camping, racing, cruising, you name it.

One of the greatest gathering places is called "Competition Hill". People party here and people race here.

These sand dunes offer picturesque scenery, photographic opportunities, a killer recreation area, as well as a bit of history. The original plank road was built through the sand dunes from 1916-1926, and was the only way to get through the dunes.

Camping is a fixed fee of $25 per vehicle (not OHV), and there are rules to follow, such as having a whip (a tall flag visible to other riders) on your OHV for safety reasons, and NO riding into Mexico, which is only a couple of miles south of Buttercup. Otherwise, it is a killer time!

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