Great weekend at Ocotillo!

Went with some friends and family out to Ocotillo Wells over the weekend. Camped off the 22 and Cross over trail. I rushed out there to save our favorite spot only to find out that the desert was empty the whole weekend! I think we were the only ones in the desert Thursday night when we got there. Weather was bitchen and no wind.

Thats our favorite spot as well - Be there Xmas to New Years day - Funny thing I was talking to old jeep club member and thay call that area OMG campground

It was dead forsure. Here is our ride from an area near the old desert rose to blow sand over to Devils slide. Ussually the most crowded area of Ocotillo

BTW this is my sons first creation with his new GoPro
http://youtu.be/Tat_fPFwuw0

NdaWind said:

Thats our favorite spot as well - Be there Xmas to New Years day - Funny thing I was talking to old jeep club member and thay call that area OMG campground

Click to expand...

Going to be out there too, but I think were staying in Truckhaven which I have never been to before. Suppose to be close to 22/Crossover, but less crowded.

dezertrider said:

It was dead forsure. Here is our ride from an area near the old desert rose to blow sand over to Devils slide. Ussually the most crowded area of Ocotillo

BTW this is my sons first creation with his new GoPro
http://youtu.be/Tat_fPFwuw0

Click to expand...

Great video! I'd like to get my son a GoPro for Xmas also. Dont know if you made it to Shell Reef, but there was a black Porsche 911 out there climbing hills and jumping. It was pretty crazy. Looked like it was some sort of rally car, but sure was crazy seeing it go up those steep hills! I thought maybe they were filming a new Jackass Movie!

Some one said they saw that thing a few weeks ago,

That was the logest ride we made. To many kids back at camp.

Beerme said:

Went with some friends and family out to Ocotillo Wells over the weekend. Camped off the 22 and Cross over trail. I rushed out there to save our favorite spot only to find out that the desert was empty the whole weekend! I think we were the only ones in the desert Thursday night when we got there. Weather was bitchen and no wind.

Click to expand...

Cool pics. You guys going to be out there New Years?

Droidage........

dezertrider said:

It was dead forsure. Here is our ride from an area near the old desert rose to blow sand over to Devils slide. Ussually the most crowded area of Ocotillo

BTW this is my sons first creation with his new GoPro
http://youtu.be/Tat_fPFwuw0

Click to expand...

Nice video Brian!! Tell the kid nice job on looking both ways!

RD

phuggit said:

Cool pics. You guys going to be out there New Years?

Droidage........

Click to expand...

sent you a PM

RiverDave said:

Nice video Brian!! Tell the kid nice job on looking both ways!

RD

Click to expand...

hahaha, I do have to talk with him about crossing one of the major washes. I noticed he just followed with out looking. Lots of wana be Robby Gordons bonzai down that wash.

Next trip out I am leading out and stoping then leaving it up to him to get us back. He needs to learn direction in the desert

Just found a pic of the porsche at Shell Reef! Crazy!

Thats the one

Looks like a good time!
I have been to Glamis and Dumont, but never to Ocotillo I guess one of these days we will have to drag the Teryx down there.

[video=youtube;UPrpJjjbI3g]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPrpJjjbI3g[/video]

Flyinbowtie said:

Looks like a good time!
I have been to Glamis and Dumont, but never to Ocotillo I guess one of these days we will have to drag the Teryx down there.

Click to expand...

IMO ain't worth going.. Never been to dumont, but looking forward to it.. Ocotillo is crowded, and small, with coppers and the riding isn't half as good as Parker Whig has none of the above.. The ride to shell reef is flat dirt roads to that hill in the vid, which is chaos with everyone jumping.. And the ride to anywhere else that is remotely cool is the same.. I can't imagine what the draw is.. In one day I toon my teryx all over it.. Been riding in Parker my whole life and still haven't seen 80%..

RD

That Porsche thing is crazy, never seen that before, but those cars are so overbuilt it's not a surprise. We stay away from Ocotillo Wells most of the time now for the same reasons Dave mentioned. Too many rangers and crowds now. You're only allowed to have alchohol in camp, nowhere else, they will make you pour it out if they see it. Actually, lot of the glamis crowd has migrated to OW and they are a little different than the crowds, say 10-15 years ago. Crossing San Felipe wash is a dangerous deal on a crowded weekend with all the crazies and dust. We go out on bikes during the week for a day now.

BTW, there is a good trail just off the East end of Shell Reef (where the Porsche was), heads north and ends up at the Pumpkin Patch. Small double track going over the mud hills. Also some good climbs on shell reef and devil's slide.:thumbsup

Beerme said:

Going to be out there too, but I think were staying in Truckhaven which I have never been to before. Suppose to be close to 22/Crossover, but less crowded.

Click to expand...

From 22 at Crossover you go up the hill on 22 and the is a road going in there for off road vehicles. With your campers you'll want to go in from the 86s side or camp up on the plateau on 22 just west of Crossover trail, its windy up there though. Just as many campers there as any other place in the desert that weekend.

We'll be out there Thursday afternoon (22 at Crossover) in the MoHo below. Says Friendship on the side - stop by for a cold one :drnkfr

RiverDave said:

IMO ain't worth going.. Never been to dumont, but looking forward to it.. Ocotillo is crowded, and small, with coppers and the riding isn't half as good as Parker Whig has none of the above.. The ride to shell reef is flat dirt roads to that hill in the vid, which is chaos with everyone jumping.. And the ride to anywhere else that is remotely cool is the same.. I can't imagine what the draw is.. In one day I toon my teryx all over it.. Been riding in Parker my whole life and still haven't seen 80%..

RD

Click to expand...

Sorry Dave there is no way you explored the entire area in one day.

NdaWind said:

Sorry Dave there is no way you explored the entire area in one day.

Click to expand...

Dezertgirl went more places then you Dave in your own car. Yes it is alot more crowded then when I started going 13 years ago. All the rookies camp in the common areas and its a cluster fuck foresure. Its not hard at all to find a spot that is not hard to get too and be all by yourself. We also stay off the trails on the holidays where all the Robby Gordon wanabies are.

NdaWind said:

Sorry Dave there is no way you explored the entire area in one day.

Click to expand...

Dave is still pissed because the Rangers at Shell Reef checked to see if we were drinking beer. Somebody ratted us out and called them to check our coolers.

30+ years of going to that area and I have never been pulled over in the jeep or quads (the quads cooler sits in plane view). We did have a ranger come by cause the ranger thought one of the kids wasn't wearing a helmet, he was embarrassed cause she was in one of those electric plastic kiddies jeep toy. I really don't mind rangers being around out there, seen enough life flights coming to the rescue because of the rangers. When your hurt and that far away from civilization every minute can count.

The support out there is awesome. The once Volunteer fire department is now manned by San Diego fire fighters and they roll around in at least three Ford Rapture's for quick response.

I really like the Jr. Rangers that set up shop at all the popular places to educate everyone on the area. The kids check them out at every stop.

dezertrider said:

The support out there is awesome. The once Volunteer fire department is now manned by San Diego fire fighters and they roll around in at least three Ford Rapture's for quick response.

.

Click to expand...

Those Ford Raptures will come in handy when the end of days is upon us LOL


This Tapatalk post was created on an overpriced Apple product and is approved by RDP Nation

Plenty of areas to ride without going on the main trails, I have been out there on busy weekends and found trails/washes with no one in them. Lots of nice trails on the south side of 78 towards plaster city. we will be out there from the 26 to the 2nd

11 rigs headed out tomorrow, should be there by 10 am. Holly road off the 22 is where we camp. Should be an excellent weekend.

Similar and less crowded riding is available in Plaster City. Not so many destinations, but there are some cool locations and hills to play on.

NdaWind said:

From 22 at Crossover you go up the hill on 22 and the is a road going in there for off road vehicles. With your campers you'll want to go in from the 86s side or camp up on the plateau on 22 just west of Crossover trail, its windy up there though. Just as many campers there as any other place in the desert that weekend.

We'll be out there Thursday afternoon (22 at Crossover) in the MoHo below. Says Friendship on the side - stop by for a cold one :drnkfr

Click to expand...

Thanks for the offer of the Beer, I did not see the post until today. We ended up staying on a road off of the 86, north of Marina Dr. All new territory for me and what a blast! Had over 20 rigs at our campsite, the majority being SXS. Pefect riding for all expertise. The kids especially enjoyed the ride up to the "phone booth" and the notches at night were a blast.

Never saw a single ranger the whole time!

Beerme said:

Thanks for the offer of the Beer, I did not see the post until today. We ended up staying on a road off of the 86, north of Marina Dr. All new territory for me and what a blast! Had over 20 rigs at our campsite, the majority being SXS. Pefect riding for all expertise. The kids especially enjoyed the ride up to the "phone booth" and the notches at night were a blast.

Never saw a single ranger the whole time!

Click to expand...

Pretty sure that's where we were for New Years, my first trip out there and it was a good time.

Heading out this weekend for first time with a group of OW veteranos. I'm hoping RD is wrong, but being I"ve been on Ca. side of Parker off roading for 16 years and have'nt covered 80%, I figure he might have some weight to his statement. I've always heard dust bowl from my G peeps but sand is a lot different anyways.

Oh well, will see for myself....:skull

We'll be out there too. Camping off of S22 w/o the Truckhaven training facility. Hopefully no wind...

Droidage......

Headed out this weekend as well - Pole line road

phuggit said:

We'll be out there too. Camping off of S22 w/o the Truckhaven training facility. Hopefully no wind...

Droidage......

Click to expand...

Have a great time lucky dogs! :moon:I was going to go out, but heading to the river next weekend for maintenance and boat service!

W/of the training facility is my favorite, love the cul-de-sacs right off cross over :champagne:

OW is getting some decent rainfall today. Riding should be bitchen.

We'll meet up with you next time Rick.

Droidage......

leaving at 10 tonight, high wind warning but with 14k l b trailer snd 3 axles, should be good:thumbsup

Had a good weekend, camped north of 22 across from Truckhaven.

Plenty of room, good hill trails to north, had fun putting the 4 in the truckhaven obstacle course. Trails north were like Earp, just less brush. I'll go back, was lot I did'nt see as did'nt go too far south.

did you see any rangers on the north side of the hwy?

no rangers north and the few i saw at truckhaven were going code 3 to accidents with fire trucks, much fewer than what im used to in glamis

Im sunburned. Great weekend, Saw only one ranger on a dirt bike

Just got home and unloaded. It was a great weekend, X2 on getting sun burned. Very proud of my oldest son. He worked his training wheels, so they had to come off. He never stopped and rode the hills and washes w/o the training wheels.

Droidage......

We camped off pole line this time other than the wind great weekend. Didn't seem to have as many folks as normal big holiday weekend. Only saw Rangers and Sheriff when we also saw fire trucks.

:thumbsup

phuggit said:

Just got home and unloaded. It was a great weekend, X2 on getting sun burned. Very proud of my oldest son. He worked his training wheels, so they had to come off. He never stopped and rode the hills and washes w/o the training wheels.

Droidage......

Click to expand...

NdaWind said:

Sorry Dave there is no way you explored the entire area in one day.

Click to expand...

dezertrider said:

Dezertgirl went more places then you Dave in your own car. Yes it is alot more crowded then when I started going 13 years ago. All the rookies camp in the common areas and its a cluster fuck foresure. Its not hard at all to find a spot that is not hard to get too and be all by yourself. We also stay off the trails on the holidays where all the Robby Gordon wanabies are.

Click to expand...

I have been to ocotillo about 5 times now.. And judging from the maps, on one of the trips with my Teryx we covered a pretty big portion of it.

RD