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Places to ride · California

Dumont Dunes

Big bowls, steep climbs and Comp Hill off Highway 127, on the road to Death Valley. Low enough that your machine keeps nearly all of its power.

~800 ftElevation at the staging area
−2%Power lost to thin air, naturally aspirated
Oct–AprPrime season

Know before you go

Fees, rules and the lay of the land.

Managed byBureau of Land Management

Rules, closures and current conditions come from them. Fees and rules below are from their page, read November 10, 2026.

FeesWeekly $30, or $40 on holidays · Season $90, or $120 with holidays

The season pass runs October 1 through September 30.

The place7,620 acres

About 31 miles north of Baker, California, on Highway 127.

Flags required

Flags are required on all OHVs here.

Sticker or plate

Vehicles need a California green sticker or a license plate displayed.

Slow near camp

15 mph within 50 feet of a campsite, animal or pedestrian.

Fees and rules change. Check the Bureau of Land Management page before you haul.

What the elevation does

Thin air takes 2% here.

Pick a naturally aspirated machine

Rated225 hp
At ~800 ft~220 hp

Standard atmospheric math: roughly 3% per 1,000 feet for a naturally aspirated engine. Not a dyno claim.

Turbo and supercharged cars.

A turbocharged machine (Can-Am Maverick R, Can-Am Maverick X3, CFMOTO Z10) can spin its turbo harder as the air thins, so it loses far less. We don’t put a number on that.

A supercharger breathes the same thin air, so it gives up a similar share. It just starts from much higher.

Tunes written for your fuel and elevation →

What to run

Set up for Dumont Dunes.

Paddles and long pulls. Summer is off the table; the sand gets kiln-hot.

Sand tiresSteers and paddles → Forged wheelsBeadlock or standard lip → TunesFor your fuel and elevation → SuperchargersPower to spare up high → FitmentWhat fits your machine →

Where it is

Dumont Dunes, California.

ArizonaCaliforniaOregonUtahIdahoNevadaPackard · ClearfieldDumont Dunes

About 31 miles north of Baker, California, on Highway 127.

Open in Google Maps ↗Bureau of Land Management page ↗

More places to ride

Oceano Dunes Sea levelGlamis ~300 ftSand Hollow ~3,000 ftSand Mountain ~4,000 ftSt. Anthony Sand Dunes ~4,900 ftLittle Sahara ~5,200 ftCoral Pink Sand Dunes ~5,900 ftAll places →

Questions

Dumont Dunes questions.

What is the elevation at Dumont Dunes?

About 800 feet at the staging area.

How much does it cost to ride at Dumont Dunes?

Weekly $30, or $40 on holidays · Season $90, or $120 with holidays. The season pass runs October 1 through September 30. That is from the Bureau of Land Management page as of November 10, 2026; check the official page before you haul.

How much power does my machine lose at Dumont Dunes?

A naturally aspirated engine loses roughly 3% of its power per 1,000 feet, so about 2% here. A Polaris RZR Pro R rated at 225 hp makes about 220 hp. Turbocharged machines lose far less.

When is the best time to ride Dumont Dunes?

Riders go mostly Oct–Apr.

Who manages Dumont Dunes?

The Bureau of Land Management. Rules, closures and conditions are on their page.