The Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (ISDRA) launches its new season when its ranger stations open on Friday, Oct. 12. Both the Cahuilla and Buttercup Ranger Stations (north and south dunes, respectively) will staff park rangers available to provide both information and emergency medical services to dunes’ visitors.

“We want to emphasis safety when recreating in America’s Great Outdoors.” said Margaret Goodro, El Centro Field Manager. This year we are highlighting three main safety messages: watch for terrain hazards, wear seatbelts and harnesses on and off-road, and drive no more than 15 miles per hour within 50 feet of camping areas and people.
The Imperial Sand Dunes are the largest mass of sand dunes in California. They were formed by windblown sands of ancient Lake Cahuilla and extend more than 40 miles in a dune system averaging five miles in width. More than a million off-highway vehicle enthusiasts recreate annually on the dunes, which can rise more than 300 feet above the desert floor. The dunes also offer unique scenery, as well as opportunities for solitude and viewing rare plants and animals.