Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area

Johnson Valley offers a riding opportunity for every skill level. The South east portion of the riding area offers a large mass of hills known to rock crawlers world wide as the “Hammers.” This area is for experts and has gained the attention of off-roaders in recent years through an event called “King of the Hammers.” Experts only need apply. North of the Hammers offers a quality riding experience for novice and intermediate riders and some small dune riding experience.

Anderson Dry Lake on the western boundary of the area is used for casual riding for intermediate and novice riders. It is also used extensively as a staging area for competitive motorcycle events.

A recent expansion of the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Base has drastically changed the shape of Johnson Valley and will affect access to The Hammers and other popular areas in Johnson Valley. A significant portion of the center of Johnson Valley is now closed to all vehicle access. Some popular areas, such as the Hammers and Rock Pile, are now in a Shared Use area which will be closed to the public certain times of the year for military training exerscices. The boundaries on this edition of the map reflect an approximate boundary which is subject to change as the final boundary is surveyed. When traveling in Johnson Valley please honor all signs and fences and check with rangers regarding boundary changes.

Read Our Latest Articles