View Full Version : Dunes--I've never been--so where do I go
I'd like to give the Dunes a try, but I've never been there. I hear lots of areas mentioned (Glamis, Midway, etc,).
So where's the best place to go camp if you want to spend a reasonably peaceful time? I'm not into the all night drinking and party scene.
I don't have a 4 WD truck either. Will that be OK?
[:I]
Bee Bob
"Just enjoyin' the scenery."
2 2003 Suzuki Ozark 250's
(Mine's green, wifes is red)
2003 White Ford F-250
5 X 14 Playcraft Trailer
kimhuggs1
10/15/03, 8:56 PM
I suggest Midway at Buttercup! Thats where we go.. we do not have a 4 WD either and do just fine...
Check out this post and feel free to join us!! http://ridingaz.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6967
We dont drink all night either...[:p]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Kim * * 1996 Polaris Trail Boss with a few Mods SOMEDAY!* *
* * In the desert with a million stars all around * * *
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The dunes is very accomidating for all kinds. No 4-wd is not a problem. Please refer to the map in the dunes guide for the following areas.
The easiest to get to is Buttercup. from the I-8 exit south on the Greys well exit. Buttercup is the little cul-de-sac area you first come to. Midway is a quiet-er spot about 2 miles further up the same rd. South of the freeway (Actually heading west). you do not need 4-wd for either of these places.
Camp ogilby is another very family oriented location. a little more tricky to get to and you shouldn't need 4-wd for it either. I-8 freeway exit Ogilby rd. heading north. About an 1/8 mile south of the R.R. tracks is a dirt road (hard packed) that will take you 3.5-4.5 miles in to the area directly surounding a radio tower this is camp ogilby.
All three of these areas require a pass which you can get as your driving in, there are pay stations clearly marked as you enter the areas.
thanks for duning, and enjoy your trip
Bring back some photo's for all to see how much fun you had
Jack Walker
***CEO: of D.A.R.E (DS's Against Raptors Everywhere)***
In Quad We Trust.
01DS650 (sand yacht)
duneDS650
10/16/03, 10:51 AM
No one mentioned Glamis, that's where we go. On the Wash Road you can pick your experience. The farther down you go the quieter it gets. Gecko Road is on the west side and tends to have the late night party scene (I've never camped there).
Whether you're part of the all night drinking scene kind of depends on who camps next to you. Unless you find a remote site (4WD), there is no guarantee that party central isn't going to plop down right next to you. Midway and Ogilby are probably quieter but they are quite a ways from the actual dunes. If you like trail riding that's good. If you want quick access to big dunes that's bad.
If you want to putt around in the sand anywhere is probably OK. For me, a big part of the experience is taking a break at some of the more popular hills and watching the action (maybe even being part of it). Until you've seen those mega-buck rails wheelie up Olds hill, or challanged yourself and tried to climb it, you haven't really "been to the dunes".
DS650 Whiplash #281 ATV (me)
400EX Whiplash #388 ATV (son)
I agree that Buttercup would be a great first time spot to try out the dunes. It has easy access (Gray's Well exit off of I-8), and you don't have very far to go to get to some decent sized hills. (You can even end up in Mexico if you're not careful.) For larger hills, but still close to I-8, both the Ogilby and Gordon's well sites on the North side of the freeway are a 10 min bike ride from Patton Valley. This area is named for Gen. George and was a site for some of the training for the African campaign vs Rommel in ww2. There are some tall hills and challenging dune terrain there - drags and hill shoots are pretty much going on non-stop. Ogilby was where I camped my first time at the dunes, but now in retrospect, Buttercup would have been a better first time choice. Good luck!
Nuge
2003 Cannondale Glamis
HMF Full Exhaust; Denton dampner; Moto/Speed mapping; factory nerfs.
Dune haunts - Ogilby, Buttercup, Gordon's Well.
Trail Haunts - Sycamore, Butterfield Stage Rt.
duneDS650
10/16/03, 12:54 PM
I've never camped at Buttercup, but would like to. It seems like a small area (the cul-de-sac). How crowded does it get? Is it easy to get a campsite right off the cul-de-sac, or do you need to get there on Thursday? It seems that with the dunes so close, you'd hear people riding all night long. I've driven through during the summer and the other camp areas are too far from the dunes, I'd only want to camp on the cul-de-sac.
Thanks for the info.
DS650 Whiplash #281 ATV (me)
400EX Whiplash #388 ATV (son)
I've never had a problem camping at Buttercup - but sometimes I've had to go 50 to 100 yds away form the road (cul de sac) to get a good spot. Like anywhere else at the dunes, Holiday weekends are the most crowded. There are some facilities there - toilets, trashbins, etc. Ogilby has no facilities, but is always less crowded than Buttercup or Gordon's Well. I would also say that Buttercup attracts more of the family crowd than the party animals, but as someone said earlier you never know when an all night bash is going to errupt next door. It would be well worth your visit to Buttercup, if for no other reason than to add it to your dune experience. Also, let us know how you like it compared to Glamis.
Nuge
2003 Cannondale Glamis
HMF Full Exhaust; Denton dampner; Moto/Speed mapping; factory nerfs.
Dune haunts - Ogilby, Buttercup, Gordon's Well.
Trail Haunts - Sycamore, Butterfield Stage Rt.
Please don't be missinformed. From Camp Ogilby you are no more than 6-minutes away from some very tall bowls next to patton.(on the ridable side).
And though the bowls at Buttercup/Midway may not be as big; for a first-timer they can be plenty intimidating. Might I suggest your first trip be with some experianced folks.
My experiance tells me that a good leader can make a first time trip very memorable. (I still today thank SDraptor every time we get togeather for intro-ing me to the Dunes)(even if he does ride a raptor he is a great leader through the sand, Thanx steve)
Jack Walker
***CEO: of D.A.R.E (DS's Against Raptors Everywhere)***
In Quad We Trust.
01DS650 (sand yacht)
Yeah....I get it - if I had a DS650 I could probably make it in 6 instead of 10...:D
2003 Cannondale Glamis
HMF Full Exhaust; Denton dampner; Moto/Speed mapping; factory nerfs.
Dune haunts - Ogilby, Buttercup, Gordon's Well.
Trail Haunts - Sycamore, Butterfield Stage Rt.
your catching on!!!!!;););)
Jack Walker
***CEO: of D.A.R.E (DS's Against Raptors Everywhere)***
In Quad We Trust.
01DS650 (sand yacht)
Dirt Diva
10/16/03, 10:51 PM
I also 2nd the Buttercup area for camping, BUT I personally prefer to camp at Midway which is west of the Cul de sac, The cul de sac looks like a huge swap meet to me. Midway is nice hard pack and lots of riding all over, also Pair a dice is only about 2 miles from camp if your thirsty ;) or hungry. Great place. My 2 cents.
Suzy
Dirt Diva - aka Double D
2002 Honda 300EX
Buttercup isn't bad. If you do go to the "keyhole" area (the cul-de-sac) you can get pretty far out there without getting stuck. Just watch out under the "short" power lines, it gets soft over there and I've seen several motorhomes stuck. Keep your eyes peeled for fire pits and you will be OK.
It's noisier ther than Midway, but Midway gets pretty crowded and busy. It's the main east/west drag from Buttercup to Pair-A-Dice, so there's a lot of cross traffic.
You can also go past Midway and then down the hill, out into the desert flats. I've driven my motorhome all the way out to the border road without a problem, just watch out for the kiddie tracks.
The road to Ogilby is usually pretty washboarded and gets really soft near the pay station so watch out there.
Gordon's Well is a little more dusty, but close to big dunes. You might want to carry a cut-down sheet of plywood for your back wheels in case you sink in.
Greg
Chairman of the Board
American Sand Association
SD Raptor
10/17/03, 10:05 PM
I guess it all comes down to your own personal experiences. I've camped just about everywhere and I've had good and bad experiences at all of 'em. It just seems that we tend to have better luck for more "family friendly" camping at Ogilby Rd and Midway. Go with a good group like RA and you will have fun wherever you choose to go.
Thanks for the props JWalk1;).
Looking forward to hookin' up with the RA crowd again soon.
"Are we gonna ride or what?"
"Come on, get up... That's nothin' a few screws won't fix!!"
campinginaz
02/26/07, 4:08 PM
quote:Originally posted by ggorman
Buttercup isn't bad. If you do go to the "keyhole" area (the cul-de-sac) you can get pretty far out there without getting stuck. Just watch out under the "short" power lines, it gets soft over there and I've seen several motorhomes stuck. Keep your eyes peeled for fire pits and you will be OK.
It's noisier ther than Midway, but Midway gets pretty crowded and busy. It's the main east/west drag from Buttercup to Pair-A-Dice, so there's a lot of cross traffic.
You can also go past Midway and then down the hill, out into the desert flats. I've driven my motorhome all the way out to the border road without a problem, just watch out for the kiddie tracks.
The road to Ogilby is usually pretty washboarded and gets really soft near the pay station so watch out there.
Gordon's Well is a little more dusty, but close to big dunes. You might want to carry a cut-down sheet of plywood for your back wheels in case you sink in.
Greg
Chairman of the Board
American Sand Association
Midway is actually pretty close to the big bowls above comp hill. Buttercup is nice because you are right by the big dunes you can be up in them quick. Grey's Well is your best bet if you want quiet it's about two miles further West past Midway. On a non holiday weekend Grey's Well is really spread out. The sand is soft though by the trees. If you go past the trees to the 3 power poles before you head out into the sand you'll do a lot better if you don't have 4x4. It gets less soft the further you go out. You can camp with no one else around you. Don't park by my camp cause we are the partiers
:D
Grey's Well all the kids that go love because there's two large bermed tracks about a 1/4 mile S SE of the big trees that they'll ride non-stop. We like it because we're in the middle between Buttercup and Gordon's Well. The Butter cup vendors are about four miles away and so is the Gordon's Well vendors, Duner's Diner, and the sand drags. The dunes are a few miles away to ride to from GW but that's what fifth gear is for.
luckycharlie
02/26/07, 7:24 PM
quote:Originally posted by Bee Bob
I'd like to give the Dunes a try, but I've never been there. I hear lots of areas mentioned (Glamis, Midway, etc,).
So where's the best place to go camp if you want to spend a reasonably peaceful time? I'm not into the all night drinking and party scene.
I don't have a 4 WD truck either. Will that be OK?[:I]
No matter were you end up camping, I recommend tagging along with some other RA members for your first couple of visits. The dunes are great, but a good group of people to teach you the ropes can make the experience better. I have seen a few newbies go home hurt because they took off before the group was ready to leave.
You need to be carefull of the dunes. They are very dangerous, because once you go riding there, focusing on your job, and tasks around the house becomes very hard to do. Proceed with caution. :D
Taylor_01
02/26/07, 8:58 PM
Do you guys realize this thread is 4 years old?
Now that's funny. I don't care who you are, that there is funny:D:D:D:D
luckycharlie
02/27/07, 6:14 AM
quote:Originally posted by Taylor_01
Do you guys realize this thread is 4 years old?
Did not have a clue. But I still stand by my original statements. First timers should go out with experienced riders. I am sure some new person could read this post and gain something.
haha I didn't see that either. Oh well good information from us all for a four year old question. I didn't own a quad or go to the dunes four years ago :D
Maybe CampingAZ wanted that info I noticed it resurfaced with that posters blank message. I just respond to any new post that shows up that has something to do with the dunes hehe.
duneflyer
02/27/07, 3:06 PM
quote:Originally posted by Taylor_01
Do you guys realize this thread is 4 years old?
Only 3 and a half! LOL. I noticed that yesterday, but was wondering how many followup posts would surface before someone else noticed[}:)]
curtnrod19
02/27/07, 4:13 PM
sure ya did Darron. whatever makes you feel better about yourself.;)
CB*