Dove Springs OHV Area
Bureau of Land Management: Ridgecrest Field Office
Area Location: the riding area is located north of Mojave, just north of Red Rock State Park, about where the Mojave Desert reaches the Sierra Nevadas.
Open: year-round
Best Months: October to May (hot in summer)
Type of Area: OPEN; 5,000 acres
Vehicles Permitted: all OHVs: Green Sticker mandatory for all OHVs
Elevation: 3000 feet
Directions: from the town of Mojave, drive 28 miles north on CA Highway 14. Pass Jawbone Station and drive through Red Rock Canyon State Park. After Red Rock, you will pass a short “Dove Springs OHV Area” sign beside the road, and then there will be a long left-hand turn lane in a mile or two. Turn left onto SC94 to enter the Dove Springs OHV Open Area. This turnoff is eight miles north of Jawbone Station and is 15 miles south of the CA Highway 14 and CA Highway 178 intersection.
This entrance road has many ruts running across it and its edges are sandy. The road is wide enough for two-way traffic. Take it slow on the road because it can be rattling to your vehicle, and many OHV riders use this road to access camps and other places of interest.
Area Description: desert climate; the area has shrubs, Joshua trees, sandy ground, hills, and several lookout places. This area caters to the hill climber, jumper, and explorer.
Hill climbing:
For some hill climbing options, take SC94 until it reaches SC103 at an angle. Take SC103 to the northwest and there will be hill ranges on both sides. The left side has “The Wall,” which is essentially the competition hill of Dove Springs. There are several lines running to its top, including some angled paths at its northwest end. Opposite the wall are some longer climbs with harder ground. SC103 continues on to more ranges for climbing and there is a fire road that reaches the top of The Wall, and continues on into the Jawbone-Butterbredt ACEC.
If you continue on SC103, past the fire road that reaches the top of The Wall, you will end up in the Jawbone-Butterbredt ACEC. Because this is a trails only area, there is plenty of vegetation to make for great scenery. This riding area is very large. Please keep to the trails in this area.
Exploring:
For the explorer, there are definitely some options. When heading west on SC94, there is a fire road heading north that reaches CA Highway 14. This is actually an alternate entrance to Dove Springs. It firsts enters the Jawbone-Butterbredt ACEC, but eventually enters the Dove Springs Open Area. There are camping opportunities along this road as well.
For an easy and rewarding trail ride, take SC94 west to SC 103. Go south on SC103 and as you approach a white overhead pipe, turn right to a fire road. This road goes through the Jawbone-Butterbredt ACEC and offers spectacular views of the surrounding area. This road eventually reaches the Jawbone Canyon OHV Open Area. This aqueduct road has plenty of ascents and descents, however the surface and angles of terrain are easy enough for any rider. On this road, the only thing to watch out for is oncoming traffic. Luckily, this road is wide enough for two-way traffic, so keep to the right side. The road climbs in elevation and will level out to offer a great stopping place. You can see the dark El Paso Mountains to the northeast, Red Rock Canyon State Park to the east and southeast, the California City buttes to the south, the San Gabriel Mountains on the southern horizon, and the Sierra Nevadas to the west.
Sand Fun:
Going south on SC103 past its intersection with SC94 offers lots of sand to crab walk and do burnouts. SC103 heads south to Red Rock Canyon State Park.
Jumping:
SC94, before it reaches SC103, will intersect a stretch of power lines and Powerline Road. Some jumps are at the southwest corner of this intersection.
Camping:
Campsites: primitive camping is available as there are no established campsites. There are several open turnout areas along SC94 and SC 103. There are huge areas on the south side of SC94 just before it reaches SC103, and along SC103 to the north. Areas along SC103 are popular spots and are close to restrooms. Camping is permitted in any open turnout, with respect to vegetation. The entire area is open to day use or overnight use. Camping is limited to 14 days.
Facilities: two that I have seen: drive on the main entry road (SC94) until it reaches SC103. Go northwest on SC103, passing a large sandy hill climb to the bathroom on the right. Continue past that bathroom on SC103 to the next bathroom less than a mile away; there is no running water.
Fees/Reservations: no fees; no reservations accepted (first come-first served).
Trailer Length Limit: none, be careful in the sand.
Bureau of Land Management: Ridgecrest Field Office
Area Location: the riding area is located north of Mojave, just north of Red Rock State Park, about where the Mojave Desert reaches the Sierra Nevadas.
Open: year-round
Best Months: October to May (hot in summer)
Type of Area: OPEN; 5,000 acres
Vehicles Permitted: all OHVs: Green Sticker mandatory for all OHVs
Elevation: 3000 feet
Directions: from the town of Mojave, drive 28 miles north on CA Highway 14. Pass Jawbone Station and drive through Red Rock Canyon State Park. After Red Rock, you will pass a short “Dove Springs OHV Area” sign beside the road, and then there will be a long left-hand turn lane in a mile or two. Turn left onto SC94 to enter the Dove Springs OHV Open Area. This turnoff is eight miles north of Jawbone Station and is 15 miles south of the CA Highway 14 and CA Highway 178 intersection.
This entrance road has many ruts running across it and its edges are sandy. The road is wide enough for two-way traffic. Take it slow on the road because it can be rattling to your vehicle, and many OHV riders use this road to access camps and other places of interest.
Area Description: desert climate; the area has shrubs, Joshua trees, sandy ground, hills, and several lookout places. This area caters to the hill climber, jumper, and explorer.
Hill climbing:
For some hill climbing options, take SC94 until it reaches SC103 at an angle. Take SC103 to the northwest and there will be hill ranges on both sides. The left side has “The Wall,” which is essentially the competition hill of Dove Springs. There are several lines running to its top, including some angled paths at its northwest end. Opposite the wall are some longer climbs with harder ground. SC103 continues on to more ranges for climbing and there is a fire road that reaches the top of The Wall, and continues on into the Jawbone-Butterbredt ACEC.
If you continue on SC103, past the fire road that reaches the top of The Wall, you will end up in the Jawbone-Butterbredt ACEC. Because this is a trails only area, there is plenty of vegetation to make for great scenery. This riding area is very large. Please keep to the trails in this area.
Exploring:
For the explorer, there are definitely some options. When heading west on SC94, there is a fire road heading north that reaches CA Highway 14. This is actually an alternate entrance to Dove Springs. It firsts enters the Jawbone-Butterbredt ACEC, but eventually enters the Dove Springs Open Area. There are camping opportunities along this road as well.
For an easy and rewarding trail ride, take SC94 west to SC 103. Go south on SC103 and as you approach a white overhead pipe, turn right to a fire road. This road goes through the Jawbone-Butterbredt ACEC and offers spectacular views of the surrounding area. This road eventually reaches the Jawbone Canyon OHV Open Area. This aqueduct road has plenty of ascents and descents, however the surface and angles of terrain are easy enough for any rider. On this road, the only thing to watch out for is oncoming traffic. Luckily, this road is wide enough for two-way traffic, so keep to the right side. The road climbs in elevation and will level out to offer a great stopping place. You can see the dark El Paso Mountains to the northeast, Red Rock Canyon State Park to the east and southeast, the California City buttes to the south, the San Gabriel Mountains on the southern horizon, and the Sierra Nevadas to the west.
Sand Fun:
Going south on SC103 past its intersection with SC94 offers lots of sand to crab walk and do burnouts. SC103 heads south to Red Rock Canyon State Park.
Jumping:
SC94, before it reaches SC103, will intersect a stretch of power lines and Powerline Road. Some jumps are at the southwest corner of this intersection.
Camping:
Campsites: primitive camping is available as there are no established campsites. There are several open turnout areas along SC94 and SC 103. There are huge areas on the south side of SC94 just before it reaches SC103, and along SC103 to the north. Areas along SC103 are popular spots and are close to restrooms. Camping is permitted in any open turnout, with respect to vegetation. The entire area is open to day use or overnight use. Camping is limited to 14 days.
Facilities: two that I have seen: drive on the main entry road (SC94) until it reaches SC103. Go northwest on SC103, passing a large sandy hill climb to the bathroom on the right. Continue past that bathroom on SC103 to the next bathroom less than a mile away; there is no running water.
Fees/Reservations: no fees; no reservations accepted (first come-first served).
Trailer Length Limit: none, be careful in the sand.
More Rules and Regulations:
-"Green Sticker" OHV registration is mandatory for ALL vehicles which are not "street legal".
Visitors from outside the state of California must have a valid permit/registration from an off-highway vehicle program in your home state. If you do not have a valid permit/registration from your home state, you will have to purchase a "Non-Resident OHV Permit" for California. This sticker can be purchased at the Jawbone OHV Station.
-Vehicles must have legal headlights and taillights if they are used at night.
-The Mojave desert is home to the desert tortoise. Collection or harassing the desert tortoise is illegal.
Visitors from outside the state of California must have a valid permit/registration from an off-highway vehicle program in your home state. If you do not have a valid permit/registration from your home state, you will have to purchase a "Non-Resident OHV Permit" for California. This sticker can be purchased at the Jawbone OHV Station.
-Vehicles must have legal headlights and taillights if they are used at night.
-The Mojave desert is home to the desert tortoise. Collection or harassing the desert tortoise is illegal.
Looking Up Forecast: Cantil, CA 93519; or call Jawbone Station (760) 373-1146
Contact:
Bureau of Land Management:
Jawbone Station
28111 Jawbone Canyon Road
P.O. Box 1902
Cantil, CA 93519
Ph: 760-373-1146
Fax: 760-373-1165
Bureau of Land Management:
Ridgecrest Field Office
300 South Richmond Road
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Ph: 760-384-5400
Fax: (760) 384-5499
Hospital:
Antelope Valley Hospital
1600 West Avenue J
Lancaster, CA 93534
661-949-5000
Ridgecrest Regional Hospital
1081 North China Lake Boulevard
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 446-3551
Official Site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/dovesprings_ohv_area.html
(760) 446-3551
Official Site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/dovesprings_ohv_area.html
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