I usually post something about this every spring, for folks that are new to the fourm. Don't go leaving your bikes in the garage during the hot summer months, because there is lots of cool mountain riding out there!

We ride the local San Bernardino Mtns., Inyo and White Mtns. (east side of the Owens Valley), and Sierras (Kennedy Meadows, Bishop, Mammoth, etc.).

Just got back from a spectacular ride (9,000 ft. elevation) on the Swansea-Cerro Gordo Road, in the Inyos near Lone Pine!

 

Recon,
I have a question for you about riding areas in Southern California. You seem to know the areas fairly well. Our oldest son lives in North Hollywood and our youngest son will be going to Iraq soon. So, for this coming Christmas we are thinking of going south to visit our son down there. My in-laws have a place in Desert Hot Springs and they tell me they always see lots of people riding in that area. Do you know the riding areas out by Desert Hot Springs? I would think about driving down to there at Christmas and pulling the trailers and quads. I don't really want to hit the dunes down there over Christmas due to the huge crowds I've heard about.

 

Do you insist on just riding around Desert Hot Springs, or would you want to try some other places? We always go to Glamis the weekend before Christmas, because the place is deserted! There are other outstanding places like Ocotillo Wells, that are nearby.

If you come down, maybe we can get a group of forum riders together and show you around?

 

I don't really know where to ride down there. I have just heard (and read) that Glamis is crazy packed over Christmas.
I would be more than happy to have a group of locals showing us around if we make it down there. I'll keep you informed of our plans.
I was only thinking of the Desert Hot Springs area because that is probably where we would be staying.

 

I have never ridden much near Desert Hot Springs (but we drive past it on the way to other places all the time........which should tell you something), but there is a fair amount of open BLM land in the area.

If you are down here, you really should go to Glamis no matter what. It's like no other place in North America! Actually, the crowd at Glamis is more in the camping areas than out on the dunes. When you are out riding, the place is so big that even on a busy day, you may hardly see anybody.

My personal favorite place in the area is Ocotillo Wells SVRA. I just prefer desert cross-country to "duneing".

http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=1217

http://www.sdorc.org/ohvareas/o_wells/o_wells.html

http://www.desertusa.com/ovr/du_owinfo.html

 

Ocotillo Wells looks like a great place to ride!
If we make it down there with our quads I definately want to go there.
If you think Glamis wouldn't be too much of a crazy crowd I would be game to try that too. Having a guide along who knows there area would be a great bonus!
We usually go to the Oregon dunes at least twice a year. We went to Florence in April and are heading back in July.

 

I been eyeing that area on my maps for some time now, how is the drive up there? I've heard theres a long steep grade? i'm thinking of pulling the trailer up that way...

also, what bikes were you riding, sport quads or 4x4's?

 

HI ALL WE RIDE OUT IN CAL,CITY CALIFORNIA IT HAS ALL THE TYPES OF RIDING ,YOU CAN DRY CAMP FLAT,ROCKS,HILLS,SAND TRAILS,IT HAS IT ALL LOOK IT UP WE RIDE OUT THERE ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND...

 

700- Calif. City is great in the cool months, but in summer it's going to be 100+ degrees out there every day. That's the whole point of this post, that you don't have to be tied down to the blazing hot desert during the summer months!

4000-From Santa Monica I presume you would be going up the 14, so yeah you are going to have to get over the pass to Lancaster. After that, there is nothing major.

Last weekend we had two 4X4 utilities (one pulling a trailer with a little kid in it), two 2X4 utilities, my two boys on their 90's, one kid on an LT80, and another kid on a Kazuma (that I had to tow much of the way!).

If you want a real easy trip, just ride up the Cerro Gordo Road from Keeler. It is steep in places, but wide and absolutely non-technical. With all the rain we had this winter, the Yellow Grade canyon was absolutely beautiful! Call ahead to Cerro Gordo and make a reservation for a tour of the town (760-876-5030).

For a more techical ride, we park at Keeler and ride a couple of miles up the highway, then go up at Swansea and across the ridge (past the Salt Tram) to Cerro Gordo, then back down Cerro Gordo road to Keeler. There were several spots where a 2wd utility and the kids bikes had to be worked to get them through, but it wasn't at all impossible. I would recommend a utility and a 4X4 if possible, but a skilled rider on a sport bike (with chassis and swingarm skid plates!) would not have a particularly difficult time.

 

Thanks for the reply Recon,
Actually i'll be driving up HWY 395 from the 15 HWY, I was told theres a long steep grade near Lone Pine or maybe it was Bishop? Anyway i'll see soon enough for myself, sound like a nice place to ride this summer. Is there a staging area or camping permitted on Cerro Gordo Rd? Any recommendation where to camp with a 2wd truck pulling a toyhauler?