Leaderboard

The 20/21 dune season has finally come to a close. It was an interesting season for sure with the COVID and all. More so this season than ever were the dunes the perfect escape to normal for many people. It was one of the only outlets for recreation or getting out of the house and not feeling the pressures from the pandemic. No matter what is going on in the world, pandemic or not, Dumont always offers solitude and the perfect setting to turn your brain off. If that's not what your after, it's also the perfect place to party and go nuts with limited impact on others. Regardless of the type of dune trip you are after, I think we can all admit Dumont is great "reset" that all of our brains need from time to time. I hope everyone found that reset on every trip you managed to squeeze in this season. Although the season is over, we all still manage to get out and enjoy some part of the outdoors. So don't be a stranger. Pop in on the forum and let us know what you are up to. We don't shut the site down during the off-season, so please utilize it to keep it alive and fresh. Many people have turned to social media these days and we get it. It's easy and convenient, but please keep in mind we do this for the community and love you guys. Show us some support and we'll see you in the sand in October!

The 20/21 season is slowly coming to a close. Easter Weekend is the last official holiday of the season. It's never a super busy one, but it's a tradition for duners that haven't hung it up yet. Usually the temperatures are tipping into the 90's by this weekend, but the weather has been unseasonably cool this year. It's looking like we'll see low 80's for a daytime high. Daylight savings time has already kicked in so that means an extra hour of daylight to rip around those dunes! Easter Weekend no holiday pass is required, but you need at least a non-holiday season or weekly pass there usually aren't many vendors who show up this late in the season, but keep an eye on the forum. Drags at 3PM each day on the back stretch

Over the last two decades, there has been talk of getting some daily drags going at Dumont similar to what Glamis does. For those of you that aren't familiar with the Glamis drags, every day (usually Friday or Saturday late afternoon or just before sunset) hundreds of duners line up to mostly watch, but also participate in a rolling start style drag race near Gecko Road. It's completely informal but the turnout hasn't skipped a beat for decades. There's no flyer. There's no schedule. There's no post on the internet. It's just what happens. Glamis Drags near Gecko Road So as of New Years weekend, Dumont has attempted to revive a tradition that has never quite stuck. It's small, but it's a start... or another beginning we might say. Duners who have an itch to line up and give it their all are starting to line up on the back stretch of the sand highway between Comp and the North Pole. So far it's a small turnout, but it has happened more than once and it's been successful. The fastest sandcars, side x sides, bikes, or whatever it is, might be back there ready to claim some bragging rights. The next time you are at Dumont, especially on a holiday weekend, cruise back there to see if it's going on. Line up and hang out. That's what most people do at Dumont lately right? It's has started around 3PM and goes until sun down. Just don't forget to play it safe and be aware of those around you in the dunes. This is a new thing to most duners at Dumont so keep that in mind when reaching fast speeds in an area where there's usually nothing happening. Have fun and be safe. article feature image/ capture from Lindsay Stewart/ Facebook- Dumont Dune Riders Group

HWY127 is now fully open to through traffic with construction occurring in shoulder areas only from Monday through Friday 6AM-4PM. This portion of work is expected to continue through June 2024. NO FLAGGING IS REQUIRED AT THIS TIME BUT MAY OCCUR AS NEEDED TO COMPLETE REPAIR WORK. The route remains fully open to traffic during an outside of work hours. Crews continue shoulder repair work and an approximate 2 mi section of the route. Little Dumont Little Dumont is open. Photos of original storm damage/ Source: Caltrans District 8

Get those toys prepped and ready because Halloween is the official kickoff to the 20-21 dune season and it's right around the corner! Halloween (official) lands on lands on a Sunday, but the Dumont festivities will take place, as usual, on Saturday night of Halloween weekend. Be sure you decorate your camp and have plenty of candy to hand out as trick-or-treaters will show up in their best-dressed costumes. Friends of Dumont Dunes will also be hosting their annual truck or treat at vendor row Saturday night from 6-8 PM. As far as the rest of the weekend, get geared up to shred dune rides, shoot Comp or Banshee Hill, or swing by the North Pole to see everyone else out and about enjoying the start of dune season. Just keep in mind those razorbacks will be sharp. So do a couple of slow runs before hammering down and going big! Being a holiday weekend, vendor row will have a little of everything such as Dumont Halloween apparel, flags, food, ice, and firewood. You will need your holiday weekend pass so be sure to grab one at a participating vendor before you get there, otherwise it'll be $40 for a 7-day pass at the entrance pay machine (credit card only). The most important thing to remember is to stay safe and watch out for each other. Keep your head on a swivel as there are thousands of others out there doing the same thing as you. Brush up on your ways to stay alive. Don't become a statistic. We're not trying to scare you, but the main reasons fatalities or major accidents happen out there are 1) lack of experience, 2) drinking or using drugs while driving or riding, 3) not using safety equipment (belts, harnesses, or wearing a helmet) or 4) making a poor judgment call such as staying on the gas when you can't read the dunes (either midday & super bright when there are no shadows or at night). Most importantly: have fun, make some epic memories, and share them with the rest of the DDR community on our forum or social media.

Last week heavy rains near Dumont Dunes caused flash flooding on highway 127 causing the road to be filled with dirt, rock and debris. The road was impassable and was closed in both directions. Crews worked quickly to get it reopened on Aug 30th but mother nature had different plans. More heavy rain on Sept 1st came and flooded the road again. This time some some motorists were trapped for hours. John Edington reported his friend got caught in it that night just north of Baker and didn't make it to dry ground until 3:00. Crews will be working on getting it reopened asap. We'll update you as soon as it gets reopened, but check with Caltrans for the absolute latest. Closures are also usually updated pretty quickly on Google Maps Traffic layer. (featured photo: Michael Battaglia, photo below: John Edington) photo 9/2/23: Debbie Baker 9/5/23 UPDATE The brand new Dumont entrance road is fine and so is the river crossing. It's just a ~9'x24' section of highway 127 near the little dunes that is badly damaged. The 127 remains closed from Shoshone to Baker until the highway is repaired.

There will be a Dumont cleanup held on St Patrick's Day weekend, March 18th at 8AM. Roadrunner Powersports will provide a free barbecue lunch consisting of hot dogs, hamburgers, & basic side dishes in addition to water and sports drinks for hydration. Barstow BLM will provide the dumpster, trash bags, and tools. Bring plenty of friends, sunscreen and whatever you plan on driving around Dumont to help clean up the best dunes on Earth!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! It is a week-long dune trip for some groups when friends and families gather at the dunes to prepare their annual feasts. Catch the waterpumpers in action as the Dune Masters and Sand Pipers clubs compete in their annual hill climbs and drag races. Friday: Drags on the back stretch start at 10:00 AM Saturday: Hill Climbs on the steep, left side of Comp start at 10:00 AM And don't forget, Santa will be at the North Pole on Saturday, 11/26/22, from 10am-1:30pm only

The Bureau of Land Management Barstow Field Office has implemented a much more convenient way to purchase your Dumont Dunes pass. You can now go to Recreation.gov and get your pass online before you even head out for the season. The fees will remain the same. There is a small service fee, but the total still comes to the same for the pass. Purchase on Recreation.gov: https://www.recreation.gov/activitypass/e210305d-b769-11eb-87ed-16dbf55c498d NOTE: Here is what you can do if you purchased a pass through recreation.gov and they sold you a pass with the incorrect (last years) dates. Per the BLM, all season passes receipts will be honored and exchanged for the 2022-2023 season. They are still trying to figure out the system. No need to worry about a refund. As long as you have your receipt that you paid through recreation.gov, BLM will exchange for a hard copy season pass at the gate. For those who have not purchased a season pass but plan to buy yours through recreation.gov, I would wait until October 1st to purchase. Hard copy season passes will still be available through off-site vendors sometime over the next few weeks. Dumont Dune Annual pass season is Oct. 1-Sept. 30 Weekly passes are $30 Non-holiday annual pass is $90 The annual pass that includes holiday weekends is $120 The holiday weeks are: Halloween: Oct. 25 - Oct. 31, 2022 Thanksgiving: Nov. 22 - 28, 2022 New Year's: Dec. 27, 2022 to Jan. 2, 2023 Martin Luther King Jr.: Jan. 10-16, 2023 President's Day: Feb. 14-20, 2023 More pass information on our passes page. https://www.dumontduneriders.com/invision/passes/ BLM press release https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-implements-online-pass-purchase-option-dumont-dunes-and-el-mirage-highway-vehicle?fbclid=IwAR1_lZ-9Ml2cFlzC57x_5BZwHM-gkc8EzknsCXbfBjMgCpRxHNKj4Wt9Gok

The 2nd big holiday weekend of the season, Thanksgiving, is right around the corner. Thanksgiving is usually pretty chill but semi-crowded. It's a weekend (or week for some) to gather with friends and family out in the sandbox and spend time with each other. Most people will deep fry a turkey or make a feast for camp. A tradition that has been happening for 52 years is taking place again. The annual "waterpumper" hill climbs and drag races will be happening Friday and Saturday. The Dune Masters and Sandpipers clubs will be meeting again for another year! The schedule is as follows... The following events are only open to members of the club, but you are welcome to watch! Friday 10AM: Drags on the back stretch of the sand highway heading towards North Pole. Saturday 10AM: Hill Climbs on the left, steep side of Comp Hill Learn more about the history of the waterpumper.