For current conditions and closure status of the El Mirage Dry Lake Bed, please visit the Friends of El Mirage or call (760) 388-4411.

Overview

The El Mirage Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreation Area is located in the Mojave Desert on the western edge of San Bernardino County near the Los Angeles County Line. This off-highway vehicle riding area attracts a variety of activities including motorcycles, ATVs, trucks, cars, buggies, land yachts, model airplanes, model rockets, ultra-light aircraft, gyrocopters, parasails, and full-sized aircrafts. The areas of interest include the El Mirage Dry Lake Bed, the Shadow Mountains, the El Mirage Basin, and the Twin Hills area that make up the 24,400-acre project area of public and private land. Elevation ranges from about 2,800 feet at the El Mirage Dry Lake to over 3,800 feet in the Shadow Mountains. Please see below for more information about OHV activities

Get more information about our OHV Ambassador & Junior Ranger Programs at our Visitor Center. Call (760) 388-4411 for more information or stop by any day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Entrance Fee

• Each vehicle driven into the area will be required to have a pass. Passes can be a Daily, Weekly, or Season Pass (valid from Oct 1 to Sept 30th).
• Daily Passes are valid from day of purchase until noon the next day. El Mirage does not accept Veterans, Senior, Adventure or National Park Passes due to the recreational activities that are operated in this area. You can purchase a pass from the staff at the Visitor Center, or from the kiosk outside of business hours. A separate permit is NOT required for any vehicles towed into the area. However, if a towed vehicle is later driven in or out of the area a permit will be required.
• Permits are available for sale on-site using a fee machine. The on-site fee machines take cash and credit cards. Please bring exact amount for the pass, the machines do NOT make change. The fee machines at El Mirage sell daily, weekly and annual passes. Permits can also be purchased at the Barstow Field Office, 2601 Barstow Road, Barstow Calif

Permit Pricing: $15 for a one day permit $30 for a weekly permit

Film Permits

El Mirage has long been a popular location for the motion picture industry. Many major movies have been filmed at El Mirage including Terminator, Star Trek, There Will Be Blood, Tommy Boy and many more.

To apply for a filming permit, please visit the Bureau of Land Management’s Film Permits page.

Off-Highway Vehicle Use

• OHVs owned by California residents must be registered with the California DMV and must display a valid “Green Sticker” or “Red Sticker.”
• If you are NOT a resident of California and your OHV is not registered in your home state, you are required to have a NON-RESIDENT Green Sticker OHV permit.
• On the ground, motorized vehicles should yield to non-motorized craft and aircraft.
• Spins, donuts and drifting are prohibited at any time.
• OHVs must be equipped with an approved muffler, brakes, and spark arrester.
• It is illegal for anyone who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs to operate an OHV.
• It is illegal to bring, dispose of, or possess any glass container, empty or not, within the open area.
• It is illegal to bring, dispose of, or possess any firewood containing nails, screws or other metal hardware within the open area.
• NO PALLETS!
• The El Mirage OHV Area is a NO SHOOTING AREA. This includes BB guns, paint guns, and bow & arrows.
• It is illegal to possess and/or discharge fireworks.
• Persons on an ATV under 14 years of age must be supervised by a parent or guardian.
• All persons, regardless of age, who operate an ATV on Public Lands must wear an approved safety helmet; Carrying passengers is prohibited on ATVs.

The El Mirage OHV riding area is located west of Adelanto, California, between US Highway 395 and the Los Angeles County line. Most visitors enter from US Highway 395 near Adelanto by taking Chamberlaine Way (formerly Crippen Avenue) west to Koala Road. Turn right on Koala Road and follow the signs toward the town of El Mirage. At El Mirage Road, turn left. Just east of the town of El Mirage, take Mountain View Road north to enter the El Mirage OHV Recreation Area. A sign located at this intersection will direct you to the recreation area.

If you are coming from Palmdale, take Palmdale Boulevard eastbound and turn north (left) at 240 th Street . Turn east (right) at Avenue P. At the San Bernardino County line, Avenue P becomes El Mirage Road. Follow El Mirage Road through the town of El Mirage. Just east of the town of El Mirage, take Mountain View Road north to enter the El Mirage OHV Recreation Area. A sign located at the intersection will direct you to the recreation area.