Hi!
Based on great advice from this forum we have been taking our daughter out to the area off the 15 at Dale Evans. We always go to what I believe is the East side of the 15 (where the large flat staging area is and the little kids track, if going east on 15 toward Vegas we get off at Dale Evans turn right and then left into staging area). We were camped in the upper area this weekend, when the cops showed up Sunday morning and shut down the entire area, no camping or riding. They said one homeowner keeps calling the cops and they finally had to enforce no riding in the area. They said it was OK to ride on the other side of the 15 or go up to Hodge road to stage. We were going to leave soon anyways so we just packed up and left. We would like to head back out and ride some more before it gets too hot, and where looking for some advise on best riding/ camping areas at Hodges/Slash X/or on the other side of Dale Evans. We have 2 10 year old girls that drive a Twister Kart and they really like the rolling hills that are at Dale Evans (no big hills just small rolling terrain). Also we have a short motorhome with limited ground clearance we like to camp out of, dirt roads are fine but they must be pretty smooth.

Thanks for the help. Any other areas close by for kids would also be helpful. We live in Irvine and do not want to drive too much further.

Cheers,
Jill

P.S. You should have seen the police scene on Sunday at Dale Evans. They were acting like we were all a bunch of gangsters (little kids riding their 50s) At about 10am a police car and a sheriff truck came racing into the parking area announcing it was closed and telling people to load up their bikes. The police and sheriff raced around trying to round everyone up. Everyone was very cooperative and started loading ASAP. Police taped off the area and set up a barrier. Police remained there to chase anyone off. This all seems like a waste of man power considering there are a lot more serious problems going on down the street in Victorville or San Berdo!

 

Bummer that the closure is up at that area. That area is nice for day riding and is where we used to go when we first started riding. But, there are some great areas that are not too far off and are actually part of the BLM Stoddard Wells area. That patch of land you describe is actually private property. Here's where we usually go, and it's BLM approved riding land.

Exit on Dale Evans, turn right. Go past where you used to turn off, and continue straight for about 2 - 3miles or so. You will pass the juvenile hall on the left. Turn left on to Stoddard Wells Road. (You can also exit the I-15 at the second Stoddard Wells exit, the one for Stoddard Wells Road/Bell Mountain. Turn left and continue straight for several miles. You will end up at the stop sign at the intersection with Dale Evans Parkway. Go straight across Dale Evans.)

Once on Stoddard Wells, just keep going straight for about 5 miles. The road is pavement for about .5 miles then turns into a dirt road for the rest of the way. Until some yahoos on dirt bikes decided that thousands of acres of dirt just wasn't enough and had to go riding on the pavement you used to be able to camp anywhere along that road. Some great camping and riding spots are now gone. You will see signs saying no riding or camping and that the camping area is # miles down the road. Once you hit the designated camping area, you will see a brown sign on the left hand side of the road, you are on BLM land and can camp or ride to your heart's content anywhere beyond that sign. That dirt road goes on for miles, and is passalbe by any motor home. The trails in that area range from wide open dirt roads to narrow dirt bike trails to everything in between. We go with kids ranging from 6 to 13 with no problems. This area will take about an additional 10 to 15 minutes from where you used to camp.

You can go farther down the I-15 and get off on Hodge or Outlet Center Drive, turn right and that is also BLM sanctioned land. If you stay on the 15 and exit on 247 in Barstow, turn right and go down about 12 miles there's the Slash-X. There is BLM land all behind the Slash-X to camp.

Now, from where I described above (the Stoddard Wells Rd. area), if you keep heading east on Stoddard Wells Road, and take it to the power lines, you can get to Slash-x in your off road vehicles. A motor home or car wont' make it, but the twister will. We often take everyone on the bikes and ATV's and head out to the Slash-X for lunch and a cold one. Once you get to the power lines, take a right on the first or second roads. The second one has less whoop de doos. Take those roads out, following the power lines, until you hit a fence, turn left and follow the fence line, turning right when the fence turns right. Turn right on the first dirt road and follow that to the Slash-X. The Slash-X is that building way over on the other side of the fence, but the fence stops you from going straight. You need to follow the fence line all the way around. From the start of the BLM land to the Slash-x is about a 45 -60 minute ride at a medium kid friendly pace. We have made it in about 30 minutes going pretty much full throttle with only adults. It's a fun ride with an end destination.

We did the poker run out there this weekend. Hot, 92 on Sunday. So, needless to say our riding is over until next fall, that is unless we make the trek to Mammoth or Pismo! If you have any other questions, just ask!

 

Thanks so much Katstoy. We will go where you suggest next time. I know it is getting hot but what we try and do with the kids is arrive between 5-6 on Saturday night (that way everyone gets their soccer games in), ride a couple of hours until dark, and then ride a couple of hours early Sunday (6:30 - 9) and get out before it gets hot.

Where do you ride up at Mammoth. We have ridden dual sport bikes at Mammoth but never really thought about taking the kids up there. Is there a good staging spot? Can you camp where you ride or do you stay in town? I think I have some good maps of the area I can dig up if you can give me general areas to ride the OHV. We rode our dual sports mostly on the roads on the east side of 395.

Thanks again
Jill

 

I have never done Mammoth, yet. A friend has taken her toyhauler up to go skiing and has told me about a camp ground (with hook ups) that is on the edge of some riding areas. She is going up this summer with the ATVs and we may join them to check it out. I have also heard that there is good ATV riding in Bishop as well. I can find out more info on the camp ground.

If you go to Stoddard there are some wide open areas just east of the brown sign. Flat land just made for the kart. Right at about the brown sign there is a dirt road/wash take you can take north where you will end up in the valley just behind the Dale Evans area. If from the Dale Evans area right off the freeway you followed the power line road you will go up a small hill and down into a valley. You would then see a road that heads south. This is the road/wash that ends up at the brown sign. So you can still get to Dale Evans, just go the back way. I wouldn't chance it though, especially if law enforcement is at hand. I was told by a vendor that the enforcement on the camping and riding ban would not officially take effect until 5/11 at the Stoddard Wells area. If that is true then I'd camp on BLM land but there is some great easy riding just west of that sign with some great tracks (especially on the north side of the road past the flat open areas and in the scrub. Great figure 8 with some interesting twists and turns. My 10 year old loved it.

It's also easier to get to that area from the SToddard Wells/Bell Mountain exit. Left off the exit and straight to a camping spot.