Hello bansheebob-ga,
Your question introduced me to a sport that I knew nothing about.
Dumont Sand Dunes is an OHV or Off-Highway Vehicle area administered
by the Bureau of Land Management. There is a $20 fee for a 7-day
permit or $60 for an annual permit. There is no daily permit. There
are no camping facilities at Dumont Dunes beyond pit toilets. You must
bring all your own supplies, including water. The chief attraction
here is riding the sand dunes. If you?re interested in hiking you
might want to choose somewhere else. The dunes are located in the
desert that has a long history of mining and is dotted with abandoned
mines.
I?ve collected a variety of sites for you to help you get specific
information about visiting Dumont Dunes and camping there with your
RV. In addition, I?ve also included sites that offer lots of
pictures/videos that will give you an excellent opportunity to review
other campers? personal experiences at Dumont Dunes as well as
information about historical sites in the vicinity.
This research project was intriguing and I?ve added Dumont Dunes to my
list of Southern California destinations for future trips.
I hope you have a great time when you go.
~ czh ~
http://www.ca.blm.gov/barstow/dumont.html
Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area
The Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area, also referred to as an Open
Area, is an exciting and remote area for off-highway vehicle
recreation. Bordered by steep volcanic hills and the slow running
Amargosa River, the region is easily recognized from a distance by its
distinctive sand dunes. The elevation here varies from 700 feet, at
the river, to 1200 feet at the top of Competition Hill, the tallest
of the dunes.
USE PERMITS ARE NOW REQUIRED AT DUMONT DUNES
For more information about Dumont Dunes - call (760) 252-6000.
7-Day Permits ($20) are available on site only from vendor on duty
Annual Permits ($60) are available:
1. by phone from Western Maintenance Co. - call (760) 726-6055.
2. on site from vendor on duty.
3. in person at the Barstow Field Office - 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, Calif.
Activities:
Most visitors ride motorcycles or ATVs, sand rails, or tour the area
in vehicles with four-wheel-drive. The area off Dumont Road is used
extensively for OHV and sand rail staging and play. There are many
opportunities for hiking, rock scrambling, rockhounding, and bird-,
and wildlife-watching in the hills away from the dunes.
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http://www.recreation.gov/detail.cfm?ID=2033
Dumont Dunes
Description:
The Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area, also referred to as an Open
Area, is an exciting and remote area for off-highway vehicle
recreation. Bordered by steep volcanic hills and the slow running
Amargosa River, the region is easily recognized from a distance by its
distinctive sand dunes. The elevation here varies from 700 feet, at
the river, to 1200 feet at the top of Competition Hill, the tallest of
the dunes. The historic Tonapah and Tidewater Railroad, to the east,
was in operation between 1905 and 1940. The vegetation here consists
of creosote scrub, some annual grasses, and wildflowers in the spring.
The low elevation in the area makes for warm to extremely hot
conditions in spring and summer. Early spring wildflower displays in
this vicinity can be quite impressive.
***** Click on the map to get to an interactive site from
RecreationMaps.Gov where you can explore the exact location of Dumont
Dunes.
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http://www.dumontduners.com/map.htm
Maps for Dumont Dunes
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http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:Df5g134xxQYJ:www.extremebuggies.com/onlocation/00083.asp+%22Dumont+Dunes%22+camping&hl=en
Presidents Day Weekend At Dumont - 2002
***** This is a long article that describes what camping is like at Dumont Dunes.
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http://www.dumontduners.com/dune_pics.htm
Dumont Duners
Here are the latest pics.
***** Browse through the extensive galleries of pictures and you will
get a good idea of what RV camping at Dumont Dunes is like.
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http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Jan-16-Sun-2005/living/25651743.html
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
TRIP OF THE WEEK: Dumont Dunes offers visitors fun in the sand
You don't have to have a dune buggy or other off-road vehicle to have
a fine time at Dumont Dunes. These sand dunes combine the best of a
visit to the beach and a trip to the snow. Pack along sand buckets and
shovels for youngsters who will enjoy digging into the sand, often
surprisingly damp beneath the surface. Bring snow equipment such as
slick-bottomed toboggans, snow disks or snowboards. Hike to the top of
a dune for an exhilarating sled run down the white slopes of a sand
mountain. Visitors on foot should always keep watch for motorized
users who must equip their vehicles with masts and flags to give
warning to others.
Most visitors bring their own provisions for picnicking or camping
since Dumont Dunes sit miles away from stores or cafes. Plan to bring
plenty of firewood and at least a gallon of water per person per day.
Water must be carried in unbreakable containers and firewood must be
free of nails and metal. To keep the area clean, pack out all refuse
for proper disposal at home. The wind will erase your footprints and
fill your tire tracks with sand, but the litter you leave behind will
be a dirty legacy for future visitors to find.
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http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2000/Jan-30-Sun-2000/lifestyles/12798057.html
Sunday, January 30, 2000
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Off-road enthusiasts may enjoy a visit to Mojave Desert dunes
Dumont Dunes is about 100 miles from Las Vegas off California Highway
127, the road north from Baker to Death Valley Junction. To reach the
area, drive south on Interstate 15 to Nevada Highway 160, the road
over Mountain Springs Summit to Pahrump Valley. Watch for a turnoff
onto the Old Spanish Trail Highway, a good paved road running
southwest through Tecopa to state Highway 127. At this junction, turn
south. Drive a little more than 13 miles to a graded road coming in
from the left. Turn east there to reach the dunes.
The road approaching the dunes can be very rough. Drive slowly and
carefully. Although passenger cars can be used on this approach road,
trucks or four-wheel-drive vehicles with higher clearance might be
safer, particularly if you are towing a trailer with off-highway
vehicles. Stay on the established roadway until you get to the
off-loading point for dune buggies, all-terrain vehicles or
motorcycles.
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http://www.duneguide.com/sand_dune_guide_dumont_dunes.htm
Dumont Dunes, California
Directions:
Interstate 15 to Baker, CA then north on Highway 127 for 33 miles A
roughly 2 mile dirt/gravel road will take you across a small stream
and past a Ranger Information station, and then up a plateau to the
camping area.
The riding area is south of the Amargosa River and east of State
Highway 127, about 31 miles north of Baker, California. There are two
ways of getting to the dunes. The Little Dunes (some call it Little
Dumont) staging and camping area is directly off Highway 127,
conveniently located for immediate staging. One mile north of here,
just off Highway 127, is Dumont Road, a dirt road which follows and
crosses the river, leading to the main field of large dunes.
Other Information:
-- No trash collection. Pack it out.
-- No Water
-- Pit toilets
-- Ibex Wilderness and Death Valley NP lies to the northwest
-- Kingston Range Wilderness lies to the north/northeast
-- Salt Creek Hills Area of Critical Environmental Concern lies to the south
Services in Baker:
-- Motorcycle Shops:
-- RV Parks:
-- Hotel/Motel:
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http://www.ljsoftware.com/Videos/Dumontopen.htm
Dumont Dunes Videos
***** This page offers dozens of videos of people riding the dunes.
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http://www.myjeeprocks.com/jeeps/dumont_11_03.php
http://www.myjeeprocks.com/jeeps/dumont_11_03/165_6594.jpg
Dumont Dunes
Thanksgiving, 2003
It can be argued that there is no better spot to spend a holiday
weekend than at the dunes! Tons of people, tons of Jeeps, and tons of
high-speed fun are nestled in this valley. It was a little overcast
this Thanksgiving but the sun came in and out enough to keep us warm.
***** The photo gallery will give you a good feel for the camping and
activities at Dumont Dunes.
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http://www.toyhaulermagazine.com/dumont.html
Road Trip: Dumont Dunes
The only real complaint that I personally had was that there just
aren't enough dunes. On a busy weekend like this the riding areas were
literally packed with riders and sand cars making for some close
calls. So unless you are going just for the party and/or to be with
family and friends, I recommend the off weekends. There are some
places outside the sand that you can ride also if you like desert
riding, but... I LOVE THE SAND!
There are vendors and rangers at Dumont as well, but no services or
stores. The closest fuel and semi-real town is Baker, so come
prepared. Ride safe, and make sure when you leave you clean up and
make it better than when you arrived so that we don't give the
politicians any more reasons to shut our riding areas down.
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http://www.tec.army.mil/research/products/desert_guide/lpisheet/lp273.htm
Pattern Indicator: Dunes, Star ? Compound
IMAGE TYPES: LANDSAT: TM; PHOTOS: AERIAL (VERTICAL, OBLIQUE), GROUND
LOCATION:USA, USA, California, San Bernardino Co. Dumont Dunes, East
of Rte 127. North of Baker. Approximate Location: 35° 40.9'N 116°
13.3'W
Comments: The Dumont Dunes are a fair sized group of coalesced star
dunes. The long bent axis is a little over 6 kilometers (about 4
miles), and the greatest width is about 2 kilometers (1.3 miles). The
height of the larger mound is in the 50-60 meter range (about 150-200
feet). Although the winds must be variable in direction in order to
collect the sand into more or less stable mounds, there is an obvious
dominancy in directional duration of the westerly component. As the
field extends to the east from the two larger mounds, the component
dunes become smaller, and there is an increase in isolated elements.
Fifty-one years elapsed between the vertical aerial photography and
the low altitude aerial obliques. Although there is overall agreement
in the large-scale pattern of the dune field, there are variations in
some of the small-scale features between the two sets of images. This
dune field was formed primarily from sediments that accumulated in the
basin of the Amargosa River.
***** This site gives you a collection of satellite photos of the dunes.
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http://www.roadtripamerica.com/rv/Tecopa-California.htm
Tecopa, California: Off the Beaten Path
One of the joys of RVing is spending time in a place that is NOT on
everybody's "Must See" list. Tecopa, California, is just such a place.
DUMONT DUNES [www.ca.blm.gov/barstow/dumont.html]
For Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) families, Dumont Dunes is the place to
go. About twenty miles south of Tecopa and set amid the steep volcanic
hills are the sand dunes, ranging in elevation from 700 to 1200 feet.
Administered by BLM, permits are now required: $20 for seven days, $60
for annual use. From the number of vehicles dumping their tanks at the
County RV Park in Tecopa on Sunday of the recent Thanksgiving weekend,
it doesn't seem like the permits are a deterrent to the family
outings. For those readers who are interested in which RVs can handle
OHVs, visit Dumont Dunes on a holiday weekend to see the variety
available and talk to the owners to find out the pros and cons of
various models.
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http://www.desertdispatch.com/2001-2003/100315904181499.html
Monday, October 15, 2001
Wagon train follows settlers' trail
History: Group has been on the road more than a month.
DERCUM OVER/Staff Writer
BARSTOW ? In 1851, a group of 437 men, women and children, mostly
members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, left
Spanish Fork, Utah, in about 100 wagons. About 70 days and 600 miles
later they arrived in the San Bernardino valley to establish a
settlement.
The route is considered by many to be the most difficult of those
traveled by settlers coming west in wagons. The Old Spanish Trail, as
it is known, starts in Utah, comes over the desert to Las Vegas, and
then swings south of Death Valley and past the Dumont Dunes to Barstow
and the Cajon Pass.
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http://www.csusm.edu/dbarrett/db_pics_intro.htm
http://www.csusm.edu/dbarrett/e_sierra/dvnm/skoobedoo.htm
http://www.csusm.edu/dbarrett/e_sierra/dvnm/tecopa/tecopa_mines1.html
http://www.csusm.edu/dbarrett/e_sierra/dvnm/tecopa/tecopa_dumont1.html
Dumont Dunes
South of the Tecopa area is the Dumont Dunes area (east of CA 127).
The Dumont Dunes don't seem to really be a part of the Tecopa area --
they're an off-road vehicle area that seems to be socially very
separate from the historical and sub-cultural aspects that define the
Tecopa area. But, there is enough overlap (or intrusion, depending on
one's perspective) that the dunes should be addressed here -- some
'dune people' do soak in the hot springs (and some 'springers' have
been known to own dirt bikes that they take to the dunes.) And, the
activities in the dunes do represent a particular desert sub-culture
with a unique environmental impact.
***** Click through the pictures and commentary on this site to get a
good impression of historical areas you might want to visit when
planning your trip to Dumont Dunes.
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