Off Road Riding in Johnson Valley
BLM - Barstow Field Office
Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area Johnson Valley is a varied landscape for the off-highway vehicle driver. It is punctuated by steep red rocky
mountains, rolling hills, open valleys, dry lake beds and sandy washes.
Elevations range from 4,600 feet at Hartwell Hills to 2,300 feet at Melville Dry Lake. Vegetation consists of creosote scrub, annual grasses, wild flowers and Joshua Trees.
Access:
The riding area can be entered from Highway 247 at Old Woman Springs Road or Camp Rock Road, 55 miles southeast of Barstow. Most visitors access the area off Camp Rock Road by driving north off of Highway 247. Staging for many competitive events is at Anderson Dry Lake, 10 miles north of Highway 247 and east of Camp Rock Road. These are graded dirt roads.
Activities:
Most visitors tour the area in four-wheel drive vehicles. The area near Anderson and Soggy Dry Lakes is used extensively for competitive racing events and OHV free play. There are numerous opportunities for hiking, rock hounding, and wildlife watching. The eastern boundary is shared with the Twenty-nine Palms Marine Air-Ground Combat Center. DO NOT enter this area.
Johnson Valley offers a riding opportunity for every skill level. The South east portion of the riding area offers a large mass of hills known to rock crawlers world wide as the “Hammers.” This area is for experts and has gained the attention of off-roaders in recent years through an event called “King of the Hammers” Experts only need apply.
North of the Hammers offers a quality riding experience for novice and intermediate riders and some small dune riding experience. There are two car/truck cources for racing in the north central and western portions of the valley and offers four events each year. Anderson Dry Lake on the western boundary of the area is used for casual riding for intermediate and novice riders. It is also used extensively as a staging area for competitive motorcycle events.
Cougar Buttes has many uses and is a very popular with off-roaders. The butte boast areas with small rolling hills for the novice, rocky ridges for the more experienced riders, huge rock structures for the rock crawlers and is a popular place for motorcycle trials events. The 188,000 acre of-highway vehicle riding area has something for every rider at every skill
level.
Helmets are required on all ATVs! Also, there are no passengers allowed on ATVs.
- All vehicles must have a muffler or spark arrester and have either a street-legal license or be registered as an off-highway vehicle.
- Vehicles being operated at night must have head and tail lights.
- SHOTGUN SHOOTING ONLY IN THE JOHNSON VALLEY OHV AREA! No pistol or rifle shooting allowed!
- The desert tortoise lives here and is a federally protected species. Please do not handle or disturb these animals.
- Camping is allowed anywhere within the riding area that does not block travel on a road and is limited to 14 days.
- Possession or use of pallets or wood containing nails is prohibited (43 CFR 8365.1-6).
Note: Possesion or use of any glass container used to carry any liquid for drinking purposes is prohibited. (43 CFR 8361.1-6) Do not burn pallets or wood with nails!
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ROCKETRY
Rocketry is a very popular recreational activity enjoyed by many on our deseret floor. There are monthly launches by the Rocketry Organazation of California.
LDRS is the annual national launch event of the Tripoli Rocketry Association. This year, LDRS 29 was hosted by the Rocketry Organization of California at Lucerne Dry Lake, in Lucerne Valley, CA. LDRS 29 ran from June 10-15, 2010.
Upcoming Events
Date: Aug 14, Sep 11, Oct 9-10 (ROCtober III), Nov 12-14
(ROCstock 32), Dec 11 2010
Location Lucerne Valley, CA
Event: ROC Monthly Launches
Class of Event: Sport Launch
Contest Events:
Sponsor: Rocketry Organization of California (ROC)
Waiver:
Notes: ROC holds monthly model & high-power sport launches on
the second Saturday of each month. Our waiver for 2010
allows flights to 7,000\' AGL with call-in windows to
19,000\' AGL. NAR and TRA HPR certification witnesses
(all levels) and L2 tests available at every launch.
Portable toilets are provided for your convenience, and
overnight camping is allowed and encouraged. ROC
Membership is $60/yr.; launch fees for non-members are
$10/day per person, or $1/day per kid for scouts and
other youth groups. Spectators are always welcome and
always free. ROC is hosting three multi-day launches in
2010: June 10-15, 2010, ROC is hosting LDRS 29 in
conjunction with ROCstock 31. ROCtober III will be held
October 9-10, 2010. ROCstock 32 will be held November
12-14, 2010. Night launching is allowed on all but the
last day of each multi-day launch. Rockets launched
after dark will require clearly-visible lights from
launch until landing, with a maximum altitude of 7,000'
