Imperial Dunes

On our return from San Diego, we visited an area we had noticed on the trip out. Among the vast deserts of the southwest, I was surprised to find the Imperial Dunes Recreation Area, a desert that looks more like the Sahara than the arid brushlands we expect to see in Arizona, California and Nevada.

The Imperial Sand Dunes, sometimes called the Algodones Dunes, are the largest mass of sand dunes in California. This dune system extends for more than 40 miles along the eastern edge of the Imperial Valley agricultural region in a band averaging five miles in width. Rising to heights of over 300 feet above the surrounding desert floor, the dunes are a well-known landmark to local residents and the thousands of highway travelers who pass by them every year. Summer temperatures often rise above 110°F and annual rainfall averages less than two inches.

This area might be familiar to moviegoers who enjoyed the film Return of the Jedi, third in the Star Wars Trilogy series of movies.

The Imperial Dunes are an active recreation area, frequented by Off Highway Vehicle enthusiasts. Be prepared for the persistent roar of dune buggies and the challenge of getting a nature photograph without a dune buggy or its tracks in the sand.