Algodones Dunes

Entry from http://www.americansouthwest.net.html -

The far corner of southeast California is for the most part barren desert, extremely hot for much of the year and largely devoid of any plant life. There are few roads and very little settlement, but one substance that is abundant is sand, which collects in the wide valleys between isolated mountain ranges and blows around in the strong, prevailing westerly winds. The largest accumulation is an area of 8 by 40 miles called the Algodones Dunes, a vast pile of pure, golden sand, center of which has absolutely no vegetation and presents a stark, elemental scene of just 2 parts – cloudless blue sky above and unbroken sandy mounds beneath. The shifting sands and bright sun impart an unusual soft, bluish tint to the dune surface.

Location: Approaching from the east along I-8, the surroundings become ever more sandy once past Yuma and over the Colorado River, and the interstate crosses the leading edge of the dunes 8 miles later. They extend a few miles south, across the border with Mexico but most lie to the north, although the immediate vicinity is a closed area – a section of the Yuma Proving Ground – and is used by the military for weapons testing. At the far end, the dunes narrow and merge with salt flats around the Salton Sea.

You’ll Love It! I spent many week-ends running dune buggys with my Dad & Mom, Uncle & Aunt, Cousins and friends! The sand is so soft it is like touching silk.