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New Road Opens in Imperial Sand Dunes as Off-Roading Season Kicks in to Gear
Tracks left in the sand at the Imperial Sand Dunes | Photo by dionysia via Flickr
The largest mass of sand dunes in California just became more accessible with the opening of a new road today. The Bureau of Land Management opened the newly constructed Wash Road in the Imperial Sand Dunes near the southeastern corner of the state. The 15 MPH corridor, which leads to camp sites, parallels a road on a Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way no longer accessible to the public.
BLM officials say the cooler weather has signaled the arrival of off-roading season. Last weekend, 25,000 people visited the recreation area with 100,000 expected over Halloween weekend.
The Imperial Sand Dunes are about 40 miles in length, 5 miles in width. From the desert floor, some dunes rise as high as 300 feet.
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