One of the many places to find AoxomoxoA

There is a plan by BLM to start a usage charge
for many offroad areas, El Mirage included.
You can get more information by visiting the
BLM / El Mirage website HERE

Information from the recorded message at El Mirage Dry Lake
(760) 388-4411 on December 19, 2007

User Fees Postponed to October 1, 2008
source www.corva.org
[update January 15, 2008]

Effective February 10 October 1, 2008 there will be
user fees charged at El Mirage as follows:

$15.00 for a daily pass
$30.00 for a weekly pass
$90.00 for a season pass

The charges will be per vehicle

[this was not stated on the recording so I called the BLM office in
Barstow, CA and got this information on 12/31/2007]

For a recorded announcement on weather conditions
and other information, please call (760) 388-4411

Corey Jensen Answers The Question:

“Where In The Heck is Elmer’s Garage?”

El Mirage Dry Lake, California

DIRECTIONS:

Elmer’s Garage (El Mirage Dry Lake) is in the southern Mojave Desert. 40 miles east of Palmdale (Hwy 14), 15 miles west of Adelanto (US 395), 25 miles west of Victorville (I-15). This is the High Mojave Desert. Nearly a mile above sea level. Arid. Vast. Exciting. Buy a map, carry water, and be sure you have plenty of gas.

From Los Angeles: Via Interstate 5 North Arriving at LAX: Follow the signs to Interstate 405 - Northbound. Approx 25 miles to junction with Interstate 5 - Northbound. Another 3 or 4 miles on I-5 to Highway 14 (The Antelope Valley Freeway). Approx 25 miles to Palmdale. Exit at Palmdale Rd/ #138-S. See Palmdale below. Updated 5/23/2004 Dan Rubesh If you already have gas/food/beer/water and want to bypass Palmdale.. Highway 14 East , take the ANGELES FOREST HWY exit toward PEARBLOSSOM HWY 0.1 miles Take the ramp toward PEARBLOSSOM HWY/LITTLEROCK/VICTORVILLE 0.4 mile Merge onto SIERRA HWY. 0.8 miles Stay straight to go onto PEARBLOSSOM HWY. 4.4 miles Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto PEARBLOSSOM HWY/CA-138 Take CA 18 East toward Victorville Continue to follow CA-18. Turn LEFT onto SHEEP CREEK RD/OLD PHELAN RD. Turn RIGHT on El Mirage Road Approx 2 miles EAST on El Mirage Road to Mountan View Road / El Mirage Access See Beyond the pavement below..

From Central California Via I- 99: Interstate 99 to Bakersfield. East on Hwy #58 over the Tehachapi Summit (4065 ft.) At Mojave head south on Hwy #14 to Palmdale. Exit at Palmdale Rd./#138-S See From Palmdale below. OPTION: One may, at Mojave, continue east on #58 to 4 Corners (Kramer Junction) aka “The Next Light” At the junction turn south (RIGHT) on #395. Approx 45 miles to Adelanto. Turn RIGHT at the first light (Chamberlain Way [formerly Crippen Rd.]) Go to the Adelanto to El Mirage section below.

From Bay Area & No. California Via I-5 South: Missing Bakersfield. Interstate - 5 South to the top of the grapevine Past Gorman to exit for Hwy 138 East. Exit and turn LEFT toward Lancaster/Palmdale. At the Hwy 14 Intersection - Turn RIGHT (south) to Palmdale. See below. You miss the Tehachapi summit & Mojave. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.

From Palmdale: From Highway 14, take the Palmdale Blvd / Hwy 138 S exit. Go East on Palmdale Blvd. Buy a map and get gas & beer. About 48th St. the highway takes a swing south. Use the Left Lane Exit to stay on Palmdale Blvd. Continue East on Palmdale Blvd. to 240th St. ( a “T” intersection) Turn LEFT, go approx 1 mile, then turn RIGHT onto El Mirage Road. Go approx. 7 miles to El Mirage Access Road. Wooden sign on the north side of the road marks the access. LEFT turn onto gravel road. See Beyond the Pavement below.

From South L.A. & San Diego: Take Interstate 15 North past San Bernadino towards Victorville. Approx. 6 miles before Victorville, exit to Highway 395 N. North 8 miles to Chamberlain Way [formerly Crippen Rd.] in Adelanto (Note: Chamberlain Way [formerly Crippen Rd.]is the last light.) See Adelanto to Elmer’s & Beyond the Pavement below.

From Las Vegas: Take Interstate 15 South. Approx 3 hours to Victorville. There are 2 exits north of Victorville (before crossing the Mojave River) Stoddard Wells Rd. and “E” St. DO NOT exit at either of these. Cross the Mojave River and immediately EXIT: This is “D” St. At the bottom of the exit, turn LEFT (Trivia Note: You are now on the old Rt #66) Follow along this road for 1 mile to the junction with Air Base Rd. Turn LEFT onto Air Base Rd. Follow Air Base Rd.approx. 5 miles to Adelanto. Turn RIGHT at the light onto #395 If you miss the exit off I-15... Just about any of the Victorville exits will do...Head west to #395 For instance, exit and turn Right on Palmdale Rd/ Hwy #138, Right again on US 395. Left turn at Chamberlain Way [formerly Crippen Rd.] in Adelanto.

ADELANTO to EL MIRAGE (Elmer’s Garage) Once on #395... Go north to Adelanto To the last light in Adelanto (Chamberlain Way [formerly Crippen Rd.]) Left turn at Chamberlain Way [formerly Crippen Rd.] To Koala Rd. (the end.) Now RIGHT on Koala Rd. follow to El Mirage Rd. Approx. 6 miles to El Mirage. Access road is on the right, at the top of a small rise. [Mountain View Road] Go to Beyond The Pavement .

BEYOND THE PAVEMENT: [Updated 5/27/06] Mountain View Road is paved now.. All the way out to the Visitor Center Follow Mountain View Road approx. 2-3 miles until the cross-road with a yield sign. Turn left at Bella Vista Rd. This is the smoothest route onto the lake bed. Drive toward the far end of the lake bed (approx. 3-4 miles) and look for my VW van (License “KITE CHI”) on the right side somewhere out there. [WindWiz footnote: As you go up the right hand side of the lake bed, watch the left side for the SECOND windsock. The aircraft tiedowns (aka Walt's Cove or Walt's Bay) where we usually make camp are located about straight across the lakebed from the second windsock.. Camp location tends to vary slightly from one event to the next, but if you have a GPS the co-ordinates of 34° 39.194N , 117° 36.618W should get you in the area..] If you insert the above co-ordinates in to Google Earth or Google Map you can get map info..

FINDING YOUR WAY OFF OF EL MIRAGE DRY LAKE: Drive to the bottom of the lake (where you came in) staying to the right side until you get to the line of telephone poles. Turn left and follow them as they point to the access (marked by a couple of stakes with reflective tape) on the lake shore. Be careful of being too far left when coming upon the line of telephone poles as they do bend off to the left.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Adelanto has 1 motel. Try the Days Inn at 760-246-8777 Victorville has many motels at many prices. Bring sunscreen and plenty of water. A hat would be wise. It can be plenty HOT! Daytime temperatures can be from 60-70 in winter to 120+ in the summer, Night time temps are typically 60+ in the summer and can get to low 30's in the winter Safety equipment is at the discretion of the users. There are NO services on the lake bed. However, there are some pretty nice permanent outhouses now. Clean and stocked.

BUGGY OR DIE!!

Click HERE for a Mapquest map to Elmer's

 

Skytiger 26 pasted across the front of my old VW van, ready to launch. El Mirage, circa '94

Pit area at Buggy Boogie Sprang Thang, '94 at El Mirage

Fall Thang 2003, Sunday

Walt's Cove is now on the official BLM map of El Mirage

Sadly, there are some illiterate assholes that visit Elmer's too... And just what part of "Carry out your own trash" is so fricken' hard to understand??? More evidence of the Great American Asshole at El Mirage

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Last updated Tuesday January 15, 2008

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