Johnson Valley
Johnson Valley OHV Area covers 96,000 acres of BLM public land in San Bernardino County, California, approximately 55 miles southeast of Barstow via Highway 247 near the small desert community of Johnson Valley. The landscape spans elevations from 2,300 feet at the Melville Dry Lake basin floor to 4,600 feet on the Hartwell Mountain ridges, a 2,300-foot relief gradient that creates the terrain variety that has made Johnson Valley one of the most technically prestigious OHV destinations in the western United States. Johnson Valley's national profile comes primarily from King of the Hammers, the annual winter ultra-endurance race that combines high-speed desert racing on the dry lake beds with extreme rock crawling in the mountain canyon systems. King of the Hammers has transformed Johnson Valley from a regional OHV area into an internationally recognized motorsports venue that draws competitors and spectators from 50+ countries each February. Outside of the KOH event week, Johnson Valley operates as an open-access BLM recreation area: the combination of open desert riding on the flat lake beds, moderate trail riding through the scrub desert, and technical rock crawling in the canyon terrain is accessible to the full range of vehicle types: ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes, dune buggies, and full-size 4x4s. No day-use permit fee currently applies. The high-desert winter climate (October through April) is the primary riding season; summer temperatures at the lower elevations regularly exceed 110°F. The nearest services are in Yucca Valley and Twenty-nine Palms, approximately 25-35 miles south.