Bureau of Land Management land makes up a significant portion of the Mojave corridor, and it’s where most of our actual trail time happens. Most of it is open to dispersed camping (free, no permit needed unless posted otherwise), OHV use on designated routes, and general exploration. It’s the land between the parks — and in a lot of ways it’s more interesting: less infrastructure, fewer people, more access. The tradeoff is that you’re on your own for information, conditions, and rescue, so plan accordingly. Primary resources: BLM Nevada · BLM Arizona · BLM California · BLM Utah · Recreation.gov for permits.
Gold Butte National Monument — Nevada
- Access: high-clearance 2WD on most routes, 4WD for some
- Camping: dispersed, no developed facilities — pack it all out
- Standout: Little Finland’s eroded sandstone formations
- Note: the Gold Butte Backcountry Byway is the main corridor
300,000 acres of remote southeastern Nevada desert. Red sandstone, petroglyphs, the Gold Butte ghost town, and the Virgin River Gorge adjacent. Accessible by high-clearance 2WD on most routes; some require 4WD. Good dispersed camping throughout — no developed facilities, pack everything in and out. Little Finland (eroded sandstone formations) is worth the drive if you’re in the area.
Little Finland’s wind-carved sandstone looks almost artificial up close, tucked deep enough into the monument that most visitors never make it back there. High-clearance 2WD gets you most of the way; some routes want 4WD.
Avi Kwa Ame National Monument — Nevada
- Access: OHV, camping, hiking, and hunting all permitted
- Standout: Spirit Mountain (Avi Kwa Ame), sacred to the Mojave, Chemehuevi, and Southern Paiute peoples
- Overlanding note: the Newberry Mountains work for a day run off US-95 toward Searchlight
500,000+ acres anchoring the southern tip of Nevada. Spirit Mountain (Avi Kwa Ame) is sacred to the Mojave, Chemehuevi, and Southern Paiute peoples. OHV use, camping, hiking, and hunting all permitted. The Newberry Mountains sit in the center — decent terrain for a day run via US-95 south toward Searchlight.
Spirit Mountain anchors the monument and is considered sacred ground by the Mojave, Chemehuevi, and Southern Paiute peoples — worth knowing before you camp near it. The eastern edge holds some of the oldest Joshua trees left standing. Photo: BLM.
Mojave Trails National Monument — California
- Access: OHV, hunting, and dispersed camping preserved under the monument designation
- Standout: the historic Route 66 corridor runs through it
- Overlanding note: Old Mojave Road — 140 miles, 4WD required for most of it, can be run in pieces, permit and BLM map recommended
1.6 million acres connecting Mojave National Preserve to Joshua Tree. OHV, hunting, and dispersed camping all remain open. The historic Route 66 corridor runs through it. The Old Mojave Road — a 140-mile historic wagon route — is a classic overland traverse: sand, lava rock, and desert wash. 4WD required for most of it. Can be run in sections; a BLM map is recommended.
The longest undeveloped stretch of Route 66 left anywhere runs straight through the monument, alongside the Old Mojave Road’s 140 miles of 4WD trail. Bring a paper map — cell service disappears fast out here. Photo: BLM.
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument — Arizona
- Access: The Wave requires a lottery permit via recreation.gov — one of the hardest draws in the system
- Standout: Buckskin Gulch, the longest known hikeable slot canyon in the world at roughly 16 miles
- Note: the Wire Pass trailhead entry into Buckskin Gulch needs no permit
Red and orange sandstone cliffs rising 3,000 feet from the Arizona Strip. The Wave requires a permit via lottery at recreation.gov — one of the hardest permits to draw in the system. Buckskin Gulch (the longest known hikeable slot canyon in the world at roughly 16 miles) is the better overlanding-adjacent destination. No permit required from the Wire Pass trailhead.
Buckskin Gulch cuts through the monument as the longest known hikeable slot canyon in the world, roughly 16 miles, and you can walk into it from the Wire Pass trailhead with no permit required. The Wave, a few miles away, needs one of the hardest-to-win lottery permits in the country. Photo: BLM.
Arizona Strip (BLM) — Arizona
- Access: essentially cut off from the rest of Arizona — reached through Utah
- Standout: Toroweap Overlook, North Rim views without the crowds
- Overlanding note: Toroweap requires 60 miles of dirt road one-way — worth it
Remote BLM territory north of the Grand Canyon, accessed through Utah. Roughly 3 million acres of plateau, canyon, and desert — very little infrastructure, minimal cell service, serious 4WD country in the back sections. Mount Trumbull, Toroweap Overlook (North Rim viewpoint without the crowds), and Hack Canyon are the standout destinations. Toroweap requires 60 miles of dirt road one-way. Worth it.
Cut off from the rest of Arizona by the Grand Canyon itself, the Strip is reached through Utah and stays remote because of it. Toroweap Overlook rewards the 60-mile dirt approach with a North Rim view most people never see. Photo: BLM.
Johnson Valley OHV Area — California
- Best time: February for King of the Hammers — or avoid it entirely if you want quiet
- Camping: free dispersed, no water on site
- Standout: the Hammers, technical rock-crawl terrain in the southeastern corner
- Note: closest services in Yucca Valley or Twentynine Palms
Roughly 188,000 acres of BLM-managed land east of the San Bernardino Mountains (about 96,000 acres make up the actively used OHV riding area). Rocky terrain, open desert, and technical hill sections. Home of King of the Hammers — held annually in February, one of the most demanding off-road races in the world. The Hammers area is the gnarly rock crawl terrain. Free dispersed camping throughout. Closest services in Yucca Valley or Twentynine Palms.
King of the Hammers is Ultra4 Racing’s marquee event, and it’s the reason Johnson Valley shows up in mainstream motorsports coverage. What started in 2007 as a bar-napkin idea from Jeff Knoll and Dave Cole — a 12-team trial run the following year — has grown into a nine-day race week pulling roughly 770 teams across its eight races and 80,000+ spectators; 2026 marked the 20th edition. The headline event, the Race of Kings, runs the unlimited 4400 class: custom-fabricated rigs up to 800 horsepower on 40-inch tires, geared low enough for technical rock crawling but fast enough to top 100 mph across the desert sections. The Race of Kings’ 4400 class runs a three-lap, roughly 245-mile course — no chase-team support, so repairs happen trackside or not at all. In 2026, race winner Randy Slawson finished in just over 13 hours, the longest winning time in event history.
Race week: Typically late January into February, when the Means Dry Lake bed turns into a temporary settlement nicknamed Hammertown. Expect road closures and crowds if you’re running Johnson Valley during that window — spectator tickets and camping passes are required, so it’s worth building a trip around rather than working around if the timing lines up. Learn more about attending. Outside race week, part of the OHV area is shared with the Marine Corps under a 2014 land-use agreement, so check current BLM access status before you go — sections rotate through training closures.
The Hammers, in the southeastern corner, are some of the most technical rock-crawling terrain in the country and the reason Ultra4’s King of the Hammers lands here every February. The rest of the year, it’s just quiet open desert.
Dumont Dunes OHV Area — California
- Best season: November–March — avoid summer, soft sand gets unpredictable
- Camping: primitive on-site, porta-potties on busy weekends
- Standout: dunes exceeding 300 feet
- Note: less crowded than Glamis
7,620 acres of sand dunes about 40 miles north of Baker. Big dunes — some runs exceed 300 feet — with a mix of skill levels. Less crowded than Glamis. Primitive camping on-site. Best conditions November–March; avoid summer.
Dunes climb past 300 feet here, less crowded than Glamis and close enough to the Amargosa River’s edge to make for a striking contrast of sand against volcanic hills. Soft-sand conditions get unpredictable in summer — stick to November through March. Photo: BLM.
Imperial Sand Dunes (Glamis) — California
- Permit required: October 1–April 15, $55/week advance or $70/week on-site, $185/season via isdpermits.net
- Best time: avoid Thanksgiving and holiday weekends unless you want the crowd
- Standout: 40-mile dune system, dunes up to 300 feet
- Note: North Algodones Dunes Wilderness is closed to OHV — know the boundary
Largest OHV sand dune area in the US. 40-mile dune system, up to 300 feet high. The main Glamis hub gets extremely crowded on holiday weekends. Gecko Road runs north-south through the middle — the main corridor. North Algodones Dunes Wilderness is closed to OHV; know the boundaries before you ride.
The largest dune system in California, stretching 40 miles, with the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness closed to all vehicles at its southern end. A permit’s required October 15 through April 15 — buy it online before you go. Photo: BLM.
Logandale Trails / Nellis Dunes — Nevada
- Access: free, BLM-managed, open to OHV
- Camping: primitive camping allowed at Logandale Trails; Nellis Dunes OHV Area does not allow camping
- Standout: Logandale covers varied terrain north of Valley of Fire — good for a day run without committing to a long drive
Southern Nevada BLM riding close to the I-15 corridor. Logandale Trails covers varied terrain north of Valley of Fire — good for a day run without committing to a long drive. Nellis Dunes is 10,000+ acres northeast of I-15. Both are free and open to OHV. Logandale Trails allows primitive camping; Nellis Dunes does not.
Free, BLM-managed, and varied enough terrain to fill a day without committing to a long drive north of Valley of Fire. A solid pick when you want trail time without the full expedition.
Dispersed Camping — General BLM Rules
No hookups. No amenities. Often no cell service. That’s the point.
- Camp at least 200 feet from water sources and roads unless at a designated site
- 14-day stay limit within any 28-day period, per BLM regulation 43 CFR 8365.1-2(a). Once you hit 14 days, you must move outside a 25-mile radius of your original site until the 28-day period resets. Exact mileage can vary by field office — always confirm with the local BLM office for your specific area.
- Pack out everything — there are no trash services
- Fire restrictions vary by season; check current conditions at local BLM offices
- Dogs allowed, on leash in developed areas
- Most BLM land in NV, AZ, CA, and UT allows dispersed camping unless posted closed
Check current conditions at blm.gov/visit or call the relevant field office before heading out.