Christmas Valley is somewhat of a diamond in the rough. Unlike the scenic coastal dunes with plenty of greenery and bodies of water, the Christmas Valley sand dunes are located in the rugged high desert of central Oregon. The area consists of around 11,000 acres of open sand, though most of the dunes are pretty small. High winds constantly dry out and shift the sand, making it extremely soft. Summer temperatures easily reach the triple digits and in the winter can drop well into the teens. Holiday weekends see a fairly good sized crowd, but its remote location keeps this somewhat of a well kept secret – one we feel is definitely worth a visit.
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Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Michigan is small, crowded to the point that it is difficult to get in on holiday weekends, and closes at dusk meaning no night riding or camping in the dunes. Years ago they stopped allowing motor vehicles within a couple hundred feet of the beach and have a number of annoying and overprotected rules and regulations.
But...it's still packed all summer long requiring them to limit access on most weekends because they are the only ride-able dunes east of the Mississippi River, where most of the US population resides. I will not deny that based on the merits of the riding area alone it does not necessarily deserve to push one of these other locations off this top 10 list. That said, it deserves an honorable mention for being the only option within a reasonable distance for a huge part of the nation's population.
Great article! I was at Sand Hollow this past weekend. Had a blast, only took the paddles this time because we were riding for just a few hours. If you plan to ride all day keep your dirt tires on so you can venture around the trail system.
Here in Necochea, Argentina have one of the best dunes of the south atlantic coast.
The only thing bad about Glamis is that the heat is only tolerable a few months of the year. Otherwise, it is amazing! If you make it out there, get away from the crowds and camp as far awa from the main road as possible. I've ridden all day on the best dunes there and only seen a couple of people. The area that was formerly closed due to a rare milkweed is open again and most people either don't know it or just don't venture out that far. Plenty of fresh sand to ride on!