El Mirage Off-Highway Vehicle Area

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Information provided by the BLM

This recreation area is administered by the Bureau of Land Management in cooperation with California Parks and Recreation and several southern California counties. The focus at this site is recreational off-highway vehicle use and varied activities on the dry lakebed. El Mirage is divided into four general sections; dry lake bed, the basin, Shadow Mountains, and Twin Hills.

ACCESS:

The riding area is located west of the town of Adelanto (CA), between US highway 395 and the Los Angeles County line. Most visitors access the area from US highway 395 in Adelanto by taking Crippen Avenue west and following the signs toward the town of El Mirage. Just east of the community of El Mirage, Mountain View Road goes north from El Mirage Road and enters the El Mirage OHV Recreation Area. A sign at this intersection directs visitors to the recreation area.

If you are coming from Palmdale (CA), take Palmdale Boulevard east to 240th Street and turn left (north). At Avenue P, turn right (east). At the San Bernardino County line, Avenue P becomes El Mirage Road. Follow El Mirage Road through the community of El Mirage and to Mountain View Road. Mountain View Road goes north from El Mirage Road and enters the El Mirage OHV Recreation Area. A sign at this intersection directs visitors to the recreation area.

NOTE: There is a perimeter fence around the riding area to limit access to selected routes. The primary route is Mountain View Road as described in the directions. Be careful when riding near the boundary and watch for the boundary fence! The BLM staff in the area have maps and will be glad to point out landmarks for the boundary and supply overview maps. There are three basic reasons for fencing the area:

1.To prevent trespass into the town of El Mirage. This is a major concern for local residents and is the highest management priority in the area.

2.Aid in the management of the lakebed. When the lakebed is closed due to being wet or muddy, it is easier to notify the public and enforce the closures with the fence in place.

3.Discourage route trespass. There is only one legal public access to the riding area; Mountain View Road. All others that were used in the past are on PRIVATE LAND. A Right-of-Way was purchased using Off-Highway-Vehicle funds, so fencing encourages the use of this legal route.

ACTIVITIES:

Most visitors ride motorcycles or ATVs, or tour in four-wheel drive vehicles. There is a road network in place so visitors can camp in most of the sections of El Mirage. The area is also used extensively for competitive racing events and commercial filming by permit. Because of its unique flat surface, the El Mirage Lake Bed is the destination for many visitors. There is a lot of ultra-light and other aircraft activity that would not be found in other riding areas. There are opportunities for hiking, rock scrambling, rock hounding, and plant, bird and wildlife watching. El Mirage has many desert tortoise, a state and federally listed threatened species. NOTE: There are many deep mine shafts in the riding area! Please avoid these areas and camp away from mine shafts!

SECTIONS:

El Mirage Lakebed

The lakebed is a flat playa formed in an undrained basin. Silt and clay are deposited into this basin during heavy storms. When this "lake" dries, the hard pan dry lake bed is left. This hard, smooth surface is ideal for the unique activities conducted at El Mirage. These include ultra-light aircraft and gyrocopter flying, model rocketry, remote control airplane flying, landsailing and straight track racing. Many private pilots land on the lake bed and spend the day. The surface character has attracted the interest of many filming companies. A visit for the day will remind one of scenes from recent commercials, music videos, television series and movies. Camping is permitted on the lake bed, but no further than 100 feet from the edge. This keeps the smooth center section of the lake bed clear for night riders.

The Basin

The basin between the lake bed and the Shadow Mountains is a creosote brush covered area crossed by deep dry washes. This is where most of the off-highway vehicle riders do their riding. Along with casual recreational riding, many southern California OHV and motorcycle clubs stage "runs", and competitive races. Most of the riding is over easy terrain, but visibility is obscured by the six to ten foot tall creosote brush. There are many flat and secluded areas for camping in this area.

Shadow Mountains

The Shadow Mountains are a group of eroded igneous peaks that boarder the northern edge of the riding area and run down the center section, east of the main access, Mountain View Road. These peaks offer moderate to hard riding terrain, and a challenge for the experienced rider. The canyons in these mountains make excellent camping areas, offering seclusion for the four-wheel drive camper.

Twin Hills

The Twin Hills area is on the east side of the riding area between the little Shadow Mountain group and U.S. 395. This is another flat basin, punctuated by small mound like hills. This area presently gets only light riding activity. There is camping possibilities in the area, but motor home campers might find driving in the area difficult. There is unmarked access from U.S. 395, which is used occasionally by those familiar with the area.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

THE LAKE IS CLOSED to vehicle travel WHEN WET OR MUDDY to keep the surface smooth for the various activities conducted on it.

Camping is allowed anywhere with the riding area that does not block travel on a road and within 100 feet from the edge of the El Mirage Dry Lake; limited to a 14 day stay.

Draining of holding tanks, littering and trash dumping is prohibited. Pack It In, Pack It Out!

All vehicles must have a muffler or spark arrester and must be registered, either with a license tag or a California "green sticker" OHV registration (CA. Residents only),

Vehicles being operated at night must have head lights and tail lights.

Helmets are required on all ATVs! Also, there are no passengers allowed on ATVs. o

NO SHOOTING ALLOWED IN THE EL MIRAGE OHV AREA!

Digging up or destroying trees and shrubs or harassing wildlife or livestock is prohibited.

The desert tortoise is a federally protected species. Please do not handle or disturb these animals; Look but don't Touch!

It is illegal to damage or destroy archeological sites or remove artifacts

Dust generated by off road vehicle use may be unhealthy to some people, even to those outside the riding area. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

GPS Landmarks

The following locations are given based on readings from a handheld GPS unit set to North American Datum 1984. The readings are shown as Latitude and Longitude in degrees (D) and Minutes with fractions of minutes (M). This is consistent with most maps and makes plotting a bit easier.

Access Road 34D 37.445M 117D 32.938M

This is the primary road on and off the lakebed on the east side.

Off Mountain View Road about 1.5 miles north of El Mirage Road (taken at the wind sock).

Canyon Road Rest Rooms 34D 41.198M 117D 32.898M

Two rest room sites of ten in the area.

Canyon Road about 1.1 miles northwest of the Mountain View/ Twin Hills Roads junction.

Crows Nest 34D 41.615M 117D 32.539M

North boundary. A vista seen from the top of Mountain View Road.

Many trails lead to this point from Canyon Road.

El Mirage Ranger Station 34D 38.010M 117D 32.971M

This is the set of buildings off the northeast edge of the lakebed. Pay phone and staff offices.

Take Mountain View Road 2 mi. North from El Mirage Rd. to Colusa Rd. and about ½ mi. west.

El Mirage Peak 34D 37.179M 117D 31.698M

Landmark. Highest point seen east of lakebed.

Take any of the trails off Mountain View Road to the east.

Gyrocopter Cove 34D 39.452M 117D 36.848M

Staging area for gyros and ultralight aircraft on the northwest section of the lakebed.

Drive to the northwest section of the lakebed. There is a berm where gyro fliers park. One rest room to the north.

"Hess Ranch" 34D 40.127M 117D 36.331M

Foundation and concrete silo on private land used as a landmark.

Off the northwest section of the lakebed.

Liberty Point 34D 38.133M 117D 35.029M

Staging area and landmark; signed with a wind sock.

On southeastern section of the lakebed. One rest room nearby.

Mountain View Road Rest rooms 34D 38.882M 117D 32.616M

Two rest room sites of ten in the area.

Mountain View Road about 3.2 mi. north of El Mirage Rd.

Resurrection Hill 34D 40.968M 117D 35.156M

Landmark seen north of the lakebed in an otherwise flat plain. Many hill climbs visible.

Follow trails leading from Hess Ranch or from the north central edge of the lakebed.

Sailor's Bay 34D 38.718M 117D 36.621M

Landmark and staging area, marked by a windsock.

Drive to the southwest section of the lakebed

Sand Canyon Turnaround 34D 41.557M 117D 33.303M

Staging area and landmark. Rest room nearby.

From the Mountain View/ Twin Hills Rd. junction, follow Canyon Road 2.2 mi. to the end of the graded road.

Shadow Hills Pass 34D 37.558M 117D 31.787M

This is an easy route through the Shadow Hills east of the lakebed.

Follow the well traveled trails from the lakebed access or Colusa Rd.s to the hills to the east.

Twin Hills (tall) 34D 40.592M 117D 28.940M

Landmark in the lesser traveled part of the riding area near Hwy. 395.

Follow Twin Hills Rd. from Mountain View or take an unsigned route off Hwy. 395.

Twin Hills Pass 34D 40.469M 117D 31.538M

Landmark and staging. Views of both the lakebed and the area near Hwy. 395.

Take Twin Hills Rd. east from Mountain View Rd 1 mi. to where the grading stops. Rough going!

Bureau of Land Management, Barstow Field Office

2601 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA 92311

(760) 252-6000 / FAX(760) 252-6099

Tim Read, Field Manager

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