You may be hearing a fair amount of acronyms over the next few weeks – OHV, KOH, BLM. That’s because one of the biggest off-road events in the United States is coming into the Morongo Basin this weekend, creating a community of thousands of off-road enthusiasts that will populate the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle area – also referred to as OHV land.
OHV use is big here in the Southern California as we are lucky to be surrounded by thousands of acres of public lands. However, off-road recreation is only one of the many uses that the BLM allows on the land they manage, with each area’s permitted activities being tailored to the landscape and where it is situated.
While Johnson Valley and areas in the Mojave are clearly designated for OHV use, that doesn’t give off-roaders unlimited use of the land. Johnson Valley itself shares over half of it’s acreage with the Marine Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, which can close off large parts of the desert for training exercises.
There are also limits and regulations on what you can run in the open desert. If the vehicle you are riding or racing doesn’t have a California license plate, you need to display the appropriate red or green sticker that means your vehicle has been inspected and allowed to operate off-road. If you are from out of state, your vehicle still needs to comply with California rules and regulations regarding off-road vehicles.
But while all OHV areas are BLM land, not all BLM land is open to off-roading. Unincorporated areas such as Wonder Valley, Morongo Valley, and Landers can have BLM land that also borders private property and public roads, and off-roaders who illegally use public lands that aren’t designated for off-road use can create a real headache for those private property owners who live next to protected BLM land.
Illegal off-roading was the target of Operation Dust Devil in 2023 – a joint operation between the San Bernardino Sherriff’s department and the county to try and curb illegal off-roading in residential areas, alongside a larger effort to educate riders about the abundant and legal land that’s available for kicking up some dust without ticking off neighbors.
There are other activities that the BLM allows on its lands. According to their website, over 99% of the BLM lands are open to hunting, fishing, and recreational target shooting. Sunfair Dry Lake on the edge of Joshua Tree has an all-volunteer gun range nestled in its northern hills, where gunshots and the sound of targets being hit can be heard on a casual drive over the dry lake.
Camping is also another popular use for BLM land, and on busy weekends Sunfair can commonly be found populated with cars and tents that couldn’t find camping in the National Park.
All of this can make BLM land sound incredibly busy with activity – and on certain weekends and during events like King of the Hammers – it is. But perhaps the best feature that BLM land possesses is it’s ubiquity. California has 15 million acres of public lands, ensuring that with just a little exploration, you can find a secluded spot in our state that lets you experience its varied beauty on foot, bike, canoe, horseback, and vehicles.
Respecting the land that surrounds us along with the other people we share it with ensures that the incredible privilege of accessing these public lands is something that will continue well beyond our lifetimes.
BLM OHV areas and vehicle requirements: https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/OHV
BLM California Maps: https://www.blm.gov/maps/frequently-requested/california
