Spangler Hills OHV Area

Spangler Hills OHV Area
Bureau of Land Management: Ridgecrest Field Office

Area Location: this riding area is located southeast of Ridgecrest, in the northern part of the Mojave Desert.

Area Description:
Type of Area/Acreage: OPEN; 57,000 acres
Climate: desert
Vegetation: creosote shrub, Joshua tree

Open: year-round
Best Months: October to May (hot in summer)
Vehicles Permitted: all OHVs; all must be green sticker.

Directions:
Southern entrance: from the town of Red Mountain, go north on US Highway 395 to the Trona-Red Mountain Road. Take it north for seven miles to enter the southern portion of the riding area.

Northern entrance: from the town of Ridgecrest, take College Heights Boulevard south for three miles to enter the riding area.

Another northern entrance: from the town of Ridgecrest, take CA Highway 178 east to the Trona-Red Mountain road. Take that road south/southwest to enter the riding area.

Camping:
Dispersed, primitive camping is available as there are no established campsites. Camping in any open turnout is permitted, with respect to vegetation. Using a previously disturbed site is preferred. Day use or overnight use is permitted anywhere within the riding area. Camping is limited to 14 days. There is no running water and existence of restrooms is unknown. There are no fees collected and no reservations are accepted (first-come, first-served). There is no trailer length limit.

Staging Areas:

Teagle Wash: From the town of Red Mountain, take US Highway 395 north briefly to the cutoff for Trona-Red Mountain Road. Take the road seven miles north to enter the riding area. For the Teagle Wash staging area, continue another two miles and turn right onto RM143. This large staging area is used for staging competitive events and can be accessed by two-wheel drive vehicles.

Searles Station: From the town of Red Mountain, take US Highway 395 north for 8.2 miles to the Searles Station Road. Take it two miles east to the Searles Station staging area. Two-wheel drive vehicles can access this area.

Wagon Wheel: From the town of Ridgecrest, take CA Highway 178 east to the Trona-Red Mountain Road. Take it south/southwest for five miles to the Wagon Wheel staging area. Two-wheel drive vehicles can access this area.

Riding Opportunities:
There are trail riding opportunities and a vast area to explore.
Apparently, the southwest part of the riding area has the Paint Pots, which is “a land formation with uniquely colored soil.” (Jawbone and Friends Map)

Additional Rules and Regulations:
-Visitors from outside the state of California must have a valid permit/registration from an off-highway vehicle program in your home state. If no valid permit/registration in your home state, you will have to purchase a "Non-Resident OHV Permit" for California.
-Vehicles must have legal headlights and taillights if they are used at night.
-All commercial or competitive OHV use requires a permit.
-The Spangler Hills are home to the Desert Tortoise. Collecting tortoises is prohibited. Please avoid handling or disturbing these desert creatures.
-Pack out all garbage and litter; keep the area clean for your next visit.

Nearest Supplies: Ridgecrest, CA

Forecast Reference: Johannesburg or Randsburg, CA

Nearest Hospital:
Ridgecrest Regional Hospital
1081 North China Lake Boulevard
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
(760) 446-3551

Contact:
Bureau of Land Management:
Ridgecrest Field Office
300 S. Richmond Rd.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Phone: (760) 384-5400
Fax: (760) 384-5499

Official Site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/ridgecrest/spangler.html