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Dune weather summary: Aden Hills Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 93°, 7 mph. Alkali Lake OHV Area, 95°, 8 mph. Amargosa Big Dune, 95°, 9 mph. Aurora Open OHV Area, 84°, 23 mph, active alert: Flood Watch. Bangs Canyon OHV Trails, 88°, 8 mph. Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area, 95°, 6 mph, active alert: Heat Advisory. Blue Creek OHV Area, 91°, 11 mph. Boulders OHV Staging Area, 98°, 3 mph. Buttercup Valley, 101°, 9 mph, heat caution: HIGH HEAT - HYDRATE. Cameo Cliffs/Hook and OHV Ladder Trail System, 82°, 5 mph. Chappie/Shasta Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area, 70°, 0 mph. Cinder Hills OHV Area, 82°, --. Copper Basin Dunes OHV Area, 86°, 17 mph. Coral Pink Sand Dunes, 61°, 7 mph, active alert: Flood Watch. Crescent Sand Dunes, 75°, 21 mph. Cross Bar Ranch Off-Road Park, 102°, 10 mph, active alert: Heat Advisory. Crossroads OHV Area, 89°, 17 mph. Dove Springs OHV Area, 67°, 1 mph. Dumont Dunes, 81°, 0 mph. Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 84°, 6 mph. El Mirage OHV Area, 68°, 8 mph. Escondido Draw Recreational Area, 91°, 14 mph. Fort Sage Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 71°, 22 mph, active alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Fossil Creek OHV Trail, 70°, 7 mph. Gemini Bridges, 84°, 0 mph. Glamis / Imperial Sand Dunes, 96°, 12 mph. Glenwood Open OHV Area, 84°, 23 mph, active alert: Flood Watch. Gordon's Well, 101°, 9 mph, heat caution: HIGH HEAT - HYDRATE. Grand Valley Open OHV Area, 88°, 8 mph. Greater Sand Dunes SRMA, 79°, 6 mph. Hackberry Lake Off-Highway Vehicle Use Area, 95°, 8 mph. Hayfield Draw OHV Area, 93°, 3 mph. Haystack Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 81°, 11 mph. Head Canyon OHV Recreation Area, 84°, 6 mph. Hog Canyon OHV Trail System, 61°, 7 mph, active alert: Flood Watch. Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area, 91°, 4 mph. Hungry Valley SVRA, 58°, 11 mph. Jawbone Canyon OHV Area, 59°, 1 mph. Johnson Valley OHV Area, 69°, 4 mph. Killpecker Sand Dunes Open Play Area, 79°, 6 mph. Knolls Off-Highway Vehicle Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA), 86°, 15 mph. Little Sahara Recreation Area, 79°, 23 mph. Little Sahara State Park, 99°, 10 mph. McCullough Peaks OHV Area, 79°, 11 mph. Mescalero Sands North Dune Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 81°, 11 mph. Millican Valley OHV Trail System, 59°, 0 mph. Moon Rocks OHV Area, 69°, 11 mph, active alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Nellis Dunes OHV Area, 82°, 16 mph. North Sand Hills OHV Area, 73°, 7 mph. Northwest OHV Park, 98°, 7 mph, active alert: Heat Advisory. Oceano Dunes / Pismo Beach, 74°, 7 mph, active alert: Beach Hazards Statement. Ocotillo Wells SVRA, 87°, 4 mph. Pipestone OHV Area, 61°, 8 mph, active alert: Red Flag Warning. Poison Spider / Gold Bar, 87°, 6 mph. Rabbit Creek OHV Trail, 70°, 7 mph. Radar Hill OHV Area, 54°, 15 mph. Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 70°, 8 mph. Red Sands Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 90°, 5 mph. Rice Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 64°, 20 mph, active alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Robledo Mountains OHV Trail System, 93°, 7 mph. Rosita Flats OHV Area, 91°, 11 mph. Samoa Dunes, 63°, 2 mph. Sand Flats Recreation Area, 87°, 6 mph. Sand Mountain Open Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 79°, 17 mph. Sand Mountain Pipeline Designated Dispersed Camping Area, 79°, 17 mph. Sand Mountain Recreation Area, 73°, 5 mph, active alert: Red Flag Warning. Seep Springs OHV Area, 88°, 9 mph. Shoshone OHV Trail System, 72°, 5 mph. Shotgun Creek OHV Staging Area, 50°, 7 mph. Silver Lake ORV Area, 75°, 10 mph. South Cow Mountain OHV Management Area, 63°, 10 mph. St. Anthony Sand Dunes, 79°, 11 mph. St. Helen Motorsport Area, 75°, 9 mph. Standard Wash OHV Area, 86°, 17 mph. Stoddard Valley OHV Area, 68°, 6 mph. Table Mesa Recreation Area, 99°, 5 mph. Virtue Flat Off-Highway Vehicle Area, 63°, 0 mph. Weiser Dunes, 68°, 0 mph. Whitewash Sand Dunes Open OHV Area and Trail System, 84°, 0 mph. Winnemucca Sand Dunes, 72°, 6 mph.

Aden Hills Off-Highway… 93° 7 mph Alkali Lake OHV Area 95° 8 mph Amargosa Big Dune 95° 9 mph Aurora Open OHV Area 84° 23 mph Bangs Canyon OHV Trails 88° 8 mph Barnwell Mountain… 95° 6 mph Blue Creek OHV Area 91° 11 mph Boulders OHV Staging Area 98° 3 mph Buttercup Valley 101° 9 mph Cameo Cliffs/Hook and OHV… 82° 5 mph Chappie/Shasta Off-Highway… 70° 0 mph Cinder Hills OHV Area 82° -- Copper Basin Dunes OHV Area 86° 17 mph Coral Pink Sand Dunes 61° 7 mph Crescent Sand Dunes 75° 21 mph Cross Bar Ranch Off-Road Park 102° 10 mph Crossroads OHV Area 89° 17 mph Dove Springs OHV Area 67° 1 mph Dumont Dunes 81° 0 mph Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area 84° 6 mph El Mirage OHV Area 68° 8 mph Escondido Draw Recreational… 91° 14 mph Fort Sage Off-Highway… 71° 22 mph Fossil Creek OHV Trail 70° 7 mph Gemini Bridges 84° 0 mph Glamis / Imperial Sand Dunes 96° 12 mph Glenwood Open OHV Area 84° 23 mph Gordon's Well 101° 9 mph Grand Valley Open OHV Area 88° 8 mph Greater Sand Dunes SRMA 79° 6 mph Hackberry Lake Off-Highway… 95° 8 mph Hayfield Draw OHV Area 93° 3 mph Haystack Mountain… 81° 11 mph Head Canyon OHV Recreation… 84° 6 mph Hog Canyon OHV Trail System 61° 7 mph Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area 91° 4 mph Hungry Valley SVRA 58° 11 mph Jawbone Canyon OHV Area 59° 1 mph Johnson Valley OHV Area 69° 4 mph Killpecker Sand Dunes Open… 79° 6 mph Knolls Off-Highway Vehicle… 86° 15 mph Little Sahara Recreation Area 79° 23 mph Little Sahara State Park 99° 10 mph McCullough Peaks OHV Area 79° 11 mph Mescalero Sands North Dune… 81° 11 mph Millican Valley OHV Trail… 59° 0 mph Moon Rocks OHV Area 69° 11 mph Nellis Dunes OHV Area 82° 16 mph North Sand Hills OHV Area 73° 7 mph Northwest OHV Park 98° 7 mph Oceano Dunes / Pismo Beach 74° 7 mph Ocotillo Wells SVRA 87° 4 mph Pipestone OHV Area 61° 8 mph Poison Spider / Gold Bar 87° 6 mph Rabbit Creek OHV Trail 70° 7 mph Radar Hill OHV Area 54° 15 mph Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Area 70° 8 mph Red Sands Off-Highway… 90° 5 mph Rice Canyon Off-Highway… 64° 20 mph Robledo Mountains OHV Trail… 93° 7 mph Rosita Flats OHV Area 91° 11 mph Samoa Dunes 63° 2 mph Sand Flats Recreation Area 87° 6 mph Sand Mountain Open… 79° 17 mph Sand Mountain Pipeline… 79° 17 mph Sand Mountain Recreation Area 73° 5 mph Seep Springs OHV Area 88° 9 mph Shoshone OHV Trail System 72° 5 mph Shotgun Creek OHV Staging Area 50° 7 mph Silver Lake ORV Area 75° 10 mph South Cow Mountain OHV… 63° 10 mph St. Anthony Sand Dunes 79° 11 mph St. Helen Motorsport Area 75° 9 mph Standard Wash OHV Area 86° 17 mph Stoddard Valley OHV Area 68° 6 mph Table Mesa Recreation Area 99° 5 mph Virtue Flat Off-Highway… 63° 0 mph Weiser Dunes 68° 0 mph Whitewash Sand Dunes Open… 84° 0 mph Winnemucca Sand Dunes 72° 6 mph

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Sand Mountain Recreation Area

A 600-foot dune and a Pony Express station

LocationChurchill County, Nevada — 25 miles south-east of Fallon on U.S. 50
Entry points1 verified
Size4,795 acres · dune 3.5 miles long, 1 mile wide, 600 feet high · 23 miles of designated trail
Conditions73° · 5 mph

Trip check

Before you go

  • Permit required — 🔴 This is a fee area, unusual for Nevada. Buy through Recreation.gov before you travel, confirm current pricing before you go.
  • A 600-foot dune is a long way down. This is the biggest single dune in the Great Basin and it draws 50,000+ riders a year, expect traffic on the faces at weekends.

Guide

About this area

The largest single dune in the Great Basin — 3.5 miles long, a mile wide and 600 feet high — 25 miles south-east of Fallon. 4,795 acres with 23 miles of designated trail around the open dune, and 50,000 to 70,000 visitors a year. The 1860 Sand Springs Pony Express Station sits on the site.

At a glance

Quick facts

Best season
Spring and autumn — summer is very hot and exposed
Managing agency
BLM Carson City District
Permit status
Permit required

Rules

Rules

Specific to Sand Mountain Recreation Area

  • This is a fee site. $40 buys 1 to 7 days, $90 buys the year, purchased through Recreation.gov.
  • Off the open dune, vehicle travel must stay on the designated trail system, 23 miles of it.
  • Primitive camping is allowed at the base of the dune. During large events camping is restricted to the camping area only.
  • The Sand Springs Pony Express station dates from 1860. It is protected, look, do not ride on it.
Show all 7 area-specific rules
  • OHVs from 1976 onward must be registered. Non-residents may ride on a valid out-of-state registration, but check current rules before you travel.
  • Source: Nevada Off-Highway Vehicle Program — www.blm.gov
  • 🪖 Helmet required for everyone on a straddled OHV.
Standard OHV rules (2)

Common equipment, registration and trail-use rules still apply.

  • Ride to the highest safety standard, not the legal minimum. A helmet, eye protection, a flag and proper gear are what get you home.
  • 🗺️ BLM publish free georeferenced PDF maps that show your live GPS position with no cell service, download the map for this area before you leave tarmac.

Permits

Permits & registration

Permit required

Day pass
$40 day pass, valid 1 to 7 days.

🔴 This is a fee area, unusual for Nevada. Buy through Recreation.gov before you travel, confirm current pricing before you go.

Where to buy

  • Recreation.gov, buy before you travel — https://www.recreation.gov
BLM Carson City District official page (current closures & alerts)

Permit rules change. Confirm with the managing agency before you ride.

Trip support

Fuel, food & local help

Pump gas & diesel

  • Fallon, NV — the last real townfuel

    25 MILES NORTH-WEST on U.S. 50 · Full services. There is no fuel at Sand Mountain and nothing much on U.S. 50 east of it.

Marketplace

Rigs and vehicles

Elsewhere

These listings are not nearby and their sellers have not said they ride here.

$25,000

2014 MB 5 Seat Sand Rail

2014Orange, CA
StandardUsed
SaleDune Buggy

2014 MB 5-Seat Long Travel Sand Rail Clean, well-built 5-seat long travel sand rail with a great combination of performance, reliability,...

Dune Buggy6 days ago
$7,000

Polaris RZR 200 EFI

2025Orange, CA
StandardUsed
SaleSXS/UTV

FOR SALE: 2025 Polaris RZR 200 EFI – 50 Hours $7000.00 Excellent RZR 200 EFI with only 50 hours. Well set up, runs great, and has a ton o...

SXS/UTV6 days ago
$45,000

2 seat Potter Sandcar LS2/2d

2006Prescott, AZ
StandardUsed
SaleDune Buggy

This has been a great car! Got it in 2015-2016 Potter is still in business, had someone call them recently and ask about a 930 to 934 conve...

Dune Buggy2 weeks ago
Show more
$4,000

J&J aluminum sand car

1987Victorville, CA
StandardUsed
SaleDune Buggy

Aluminum A-arm J&J sand car with bench seat. Recently rewired, new Tach, console and gauges, rear disk brakes. Trans has close ratio gears...

Dune Buggy2 weeks ago
$16,000

2008 Sand Limo Squirt

2008Hooper, UT
StandardUsed
SaleSand Cars

2008 Sand Limo Squirt sand car NO TRADES! I can help with delivery to ID, CA and NV $16K -Powered by a 2.2 Ecotec motor from CBM w...

Sand Cars1 month ago
$57,000

2024 Can-Am Maverick R XRS

2024Mesa, AZ
StandardUsed
SaleSXS/UTV

2024 Can-Am Maverick R EVO E85 setup (pump, tubes, exhaust etc) TMW shorty cage TMW Bumper Triple R Lights (bumper, hood, pillar, light ...

SXS/UTV1 month ago
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