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Visiting Glamis Sand Dunes is like going to a golden escape in the desert. It’s a part of the Imperial Sand Dunes area, aka the Algodones Dunes.
You’ll see the largest mass of dunes in California there. Plus, you can go camping and explore the trails.
And I’ll share what to know when visiting, what to see and expect, and tips.
Getting to Glamis Sand Dunes
From where I was staying in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the drive took about 1.5 hours.
Traveling down Highway 78, turn at Hugh T. Osborne Lookout Park. It’s just a few miles west of Glamis.
This is where you’ll want to stop off to look around. Drive up a long road to find the parking lot, and watch out for sand washes.
Visiting Glamis Sand Dunes
The Hugh T. Osborne Lookout Park is one of a couple of viewpoints you can visit. It’s open daily, 24 hours a day.
You can park free for 2 hours. When I visited, there were plenty of parking spots.
No camping signs dot the area, but there were BLM posts there.
They have a picnic table and bathrooms, but not much else. I saw off-roading tracks, but didn’t find anyone riding around there.
Beautiful Landscape
The dunes reminded me of an Arabian landscape. It’s no surprise that there have been movies shot out there.
When I visited in the spring, the weather was pleasant. But it was windy like ever, and I should have worn a bandana to keep the sand out of my face.
It was sunny, so sunglasses came in handy. They’ll protect from the brutal glare and somewhat from sand getting in the eyes.
The mountains of gold stretched for miles, and people walked way out. If there were any hiking trails, nothing was marked.
The day was too windy to walk, as the fine sand whipped my skin. A man climbed a dune and seemed too scared to come back down.
As I walked around, it got windier and windier. The sand found its way into my socks and shoes.
Sand Washes
While exploring, a man said he had fallen off his motorcycle on the way up to the lookout.
There were pockets of deep sand on the road. But he brushed himself off, assuring everyone that he was okay.
So beware of the sand washes, especially if you’re on a bike.
That day, he rode all the way from Pasadena. That’s 220 miles in the heat! Whew!
He took pictures, posing in front of his bike, telling of his exciting journey. Then he took a quick smoke, hopped on his bike, and zoomed down the road.
Stuck in the Sand
Here’s another thing to be careful of. While driving down the curvy road, there was a car stuck in the sand.
It looked like someone had run off the highway. People stopped to help, and he said he didn’t run off the road. He thought it’d be fun to drive in the sand.
If you don’t have a 4-wheel drive, this isn’t a good idea. So, you better believe he got stuck. He got really stuck.
He was all dressed up like he was going to a nice dinner. Plus, he had nothing else in his car except for some aluminum sheets.
Luckily, someone in a truck came along and tried to pull him out.
Military Bombing Areas
All in all, Glamis seemed peaceful amidst the hum of off-highway vehicles traversing the nearby areas.
But towards Niland, I saw a massive black smoke cloud in the distance. Later, I looked at the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area map and saw that there are live military bombing areas.
You’ll want to stay clear of those places for sure!
But guess what? The next stop was on the way to explore Niland and Slab City.
Travel Notes
That brings me to my notes. You don’t need 4-wheel drive to visit the lookout.
However, you’ll want to stay on the road. It may look fun to drive in the sand, but if you’re in a 2-wheel drive, you’ll get stuck.
The sand is deep in some areas. If you need a tow truck, it might take a while to get to you.
Luckily, there are many off-road recreation areas there. So, someone with a big 4-wheeler may pull over to help you out.
Overall
Despite the wind, it was a wonderful time visiting Glamis Sand Dunes. I learned all about a biker’s travels and tried to help a man in distress.
It’s totally worth it, and I’d love to picnic and explore more when it’s not as windy. Perhaps I’ll even go for a hike, and hopefully not get lost.
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