General Informaiton
Welcome to the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area. Over 80,000 acres of magnificent desert are open for off-road exploration and recreation within the boundaries portrayed on this map are operated by California State Parks. Outside the boundaries, to the south and east, large tracts of BLM land (U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management) are also open to off-highway vehicles. The western boundary and part of the northern boundary connect with the half-million acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which is closed to off-road recreation, but open to exploration by highway-legal vehicles along established primitive roads.
The rangers and staff of Ocotillo Wells are dedicated to providing a safe and enjoyable desert riding environment, and to ensuring that a quality experience remains available for future generations.
General Location/Directions
Click here to view a video of Ocotillo Wells.
Camping
No fees are collected for camping or day-use. Open camping is permitted throughout the unit for up to 30 days per calendar year. Vault toilets, shade ramadas, picnic tables, and fire rings are located in the Quarry, Main St., and Holmes Camp areas. Water is not available. Vehicle repair shops, fuel, telephones, groceries, a motel and restaurants are available in the neighboring small town of Ocotillo Wells and along Highway 78 where it borders the park.
Vehicle Tours, Trails and Maps
Self guided tours are available. Check the nearest bulletin board, or visit the Ranger Station to find out about current activities.
Below is a suggested self-guided tour for off-road vehicles with high-clearance and 4-wheel drive capability, or all-terrain vehicles. The tour can take anywhere from a few hours to all day depending on your pace. If you have limited time, save the remotely located Pumpkin Patch and Gas Domes for another day.
BLOW SAND HILL - Pictures
Wind-blown sand is a highly effective agent of abrasion, as anyone who has been in a sandstorm will agree. Wind is one of the few agents that can and do carry material uphill. Here, the wind carries sand for miles before piling it up into this huge dune. Perhaps the most popular spot in the park, Blow Sand is illuminated by a circle of headlights on many weekend nights.
DEVIL’S SLIDE
This 200 foot-high granite and sand island is named for the challenge it presents to the OHV enthusiast. It is actually an ancient decomposing mountaintop. A dark coat of desert varnish covers the rocks as a result of exposure to sunlight. There are several old hidden mine shafts along the mountainside. The mines are said to be haunted. People have reported seeing flickering lights near the mines at night after a rainfall.
BARREL SPRINGS
These mesquite sand dunes are an oasis for wildlife. The springs seep from the ground, especially after a heavy rain. Coyotes often dig holes to drink. Part of the area is designated as a cultural preserve. Archeological investigations indicate that several Native American groups and early settlers used the area. The shade and availability of water made it a convenient spot to rest, to meet, and to trade goods. Some of the dunes have been fenced to allow for natural restoration. Please do not ride close to the edge of the dunes as this kills the mesquite roots. Without these shrubs, the sand dunes would blow away.
SHELL REEF
Park beneath the reef and examine the soil. You will find not rock or sand but fragments of fossilized oyster shells. Look closer and you will find entire shells and even pieces of the reef which have fallen down the slope. The reef is estimated to be 4 million years old! It was pushed out of an ancient sea during a time of tremendous upheaval when the distant mountain ranges where formed. Please help preserve the reef. Find other “hills” to climb, and encourage others to do the same.
GAS DOMES - Pictures
To reach this natural phenomenon, you must exit the park on the Gas Dome Trail east of Pole Line Road. These mysterious, volcano-like mud pots of bubbling liquid are located approximately one and one-half miles into the public lands of the Bureau of Land Management. Cold to the touch, the gray water releases large bubbles of gas. For information about recreational opportunities and attractions in the BLM area, contact the El Centro office (619) 353-1060.
PUMPKIN PATCH - Pictures
This unique landscape is the result of wind and water continuously eroding the surface soil and revealing these globular sandstone concretions. Such concretions are believed to be formed by the natural cementing of sand particles to a small object such as a piece of shell, a grain of sand, or even an insect. Please help preserve the Pumpkin Patch and the nearby ridges where new pumpkin-size desert “pearls” are emerging.
LOST PERSON
If a member of your party becomes lost, don’t panic. Make a note of where the person was last seen and at what time. Locate a Ranger either in person or by telephone. The Rangers know how to conduct search and rescue operations.
A lost person is usually found fairly quickly when Rangers are promptly notified.
INJURED PERSON
It is usually best not to transport an injured person away from an accident scene before medical personnel arrive. Moving a victim improperly can make an injury worse, particularly when the injury is to the head, neck, or back areas. If possible, send someone to find a Ranger. Most business establishments in the Ocotillo Wells area know how to contact a Ranger quickly. Park Rangers are the closest source of help, and are usually the first professionals to arrive at an accident scene.
TELEPHONES
Ocotillo Wells Ranger Station: 760-767-5391
State Park Dispatch: 911
HOSPITAL
Pioneer’s Memorial Hospital: 619-344-2120
207 West Legion Rd.
Brawley, CA
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ocotillo Wells
State Vehicular Recreation Area
P.O. Box 360
Borrego Springs, CA 92004
760 767-5391
