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Wildflowers are in full bloom at the Pryor Mountain Wilderness Study Area! Located on the border of Wyoming and Montana, this scenic area’s rugged, isolated portions of the Pryor Mountain Range may be tough to get to but the view is worth it. Some areas are only accessible by ATV, horseback or on foot. In less than 13 miles, the landscape transitions through a wide spectrum of geologic and biotic features, ranging from desert environments to those found in sub-alpine mountainous settings. Opportunities for nature photography, rock climbing, hiking, backpacking, nature study, and scenic viewing are outstanding. Pryor Mountain is approximately nine miles north of Lovell, Wyoming. Before venturing into this wilderness study area, make sure to check in with the Bureau of Land Management’s Billings Field Office and grab a map. Photo by Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management, @mypubliclands.

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Swirling sandstone with smooth edges makes for a striking contrast in this remote section of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona. Home to extraordinary formations, this area, known as White Pocket, is only accessible by ATV’s or 4-wheel-drive vehicles. Please bring plenty of your own water, proper hiking footwear, and a #TeamPublicLands mindset, that will leave this place for others to enjoy. Photo by Jessica Fridrich (www.sharetheexperience.org)

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The @mypubliclands Basin and Range National Monument in Nevada is a vast and rugged landscape that redefines our notions of distance and space and where opportunities for solitude abound. 

About two hours north of Las Vegas, this newer 704,000-acre monument created in 2015, provides for all types of outdoor recreation, including climbing, hiking, bicycling, camping, hunting, OHV riding (except in the Worthington Mountains Wilderness) and more. 

Photo by Bob Wick, BLM. Photo description: A large stone arch is stretched out across a desert landscape. A moon can be seen through the window of the arch.

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The Shoshone Mountains are one of the longest ranges in the Silver State. Located in the vast, high-desert of central Nevada, this range stretches 66 miles long and encompass 400 square miles of public lands. Nearby is the Shoshone OHV trail system with about 50 miles of maintained routes for off-highway vehicles that are open year round. Photo by William O'Neill, Bureau of Land Management.

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I love putting the ‘recreation’ in Outdoor Recreation Planner!

With a title of “Outdoor Recreation Planner” how can I not have fun? The words ‘recreation’ and ‘outdoor’ are in my title! Growing up in rural Wisconsin, I didn’t even know such a position existed. The one thing I did know was that I belonged in the outdoors! My journey with the BLM has been diverse and has led me down many roads to get me to where I am today. I have had the pleasure of working as a seasonal firefighter, volunteering and eventually working as a Pathways student intern to help prepare me for my job as an Outdoor Recreation Planner. 

Currently I work at the El Centro Field Office in California. One of the most widely known areas of our field office is the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. This off-highway vehicle recreation mecca is known by locals as the “Sand Capitol of the World”. People flock from all over the world to experience the large expanses of sand dunes to recreate. I have the joy of working to connect people with this recreation area so they can continue to enjoy what they love. Every day I am doing something different and I get to meet and work with amazing people.  One day you may find me teaching about how the sand dunes were formed and the next day I am riding a sand rail to help lost or injured visitors. I work with partners, volunteers, local businesses and other BLM offices to improve this recreation area and educate visitors of the amazing recreational opportunities in and around the Imperial Sand Dunes. My family always told me to find a job I love and I’ll never work a day in my life! Working and recreating in the sand dunes has converted this Wisconsin woman from the snow to sand! 

For more information about the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (ISDRA) follow us on Facebook at: facebook.com/BLMImperialSandDunes.

-Michelle Puckett

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Located in the southeast corner of #California, the Imperial Sand Dunes are the largest mass of sand dunes in the state. Formed by windblown sands of ancient Lake Cahuilla, the dune system extends for more than 40 miles in a band averaging 5 miles wide. Widely known as “Glamis” and a favorite location for off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts, the dunes also offer fabulous scenery, opportunities for solitude, and a home to rare plants and animals.

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McQueen later told William Nolan– “In the fast sections, it was not unusual for us to get airborn for 50 to 70 feet over road dips.  The Boot rides so smooth you can overdo things.  Even in bad, choppy sections it’ll do 60 or so, and if you slam into a big rock at that speed you can crack an axle or worse.

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A Tale of Two California Desert Dune Systems Friday night was a full moon, so I decided to camp out at the BLM managed Cadiz Dunes Wilderness instead of staying in a motel. I was treated to an experience of solitude and silence – no one else was there, except finally a pack of coyotes thought things were too quiet and began their musical howling. The moon brightly illuminated the dunes but left just a few stars showing to remind me that it was not daytime. About 100 miles north of Cadiz Dunes Wilderness is the Dumont Dunes OHV Area. The area is a very popular recreation destination, and Presidents Day Weekend is prime time for everyone to come out and ride. The image shows what looks like a small city (and is), as many thousands of visitors escape from their routines for the weekend to ride the dunes. Photo: Bob Wick, BLM-California

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Even Peppermint Patty knows that motocross is cool!

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🎥 Trailer for motorcycle documentary Cycles South. 🎥

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#mypubliclandsroadtrip Watches the Sunset from the Dunes at Hackberry Lake.

The Hackberry Lake Off-Highway Vehicle Use Area offers over 55,000 acres of rolling stabilized dune lands and cliffs, just 20 miles outside of Carlsbad, New Mexico.  The area is open to dune buggies, motorcycles and other OHVs - with scenic views in a family-friendly environment.

CLICK HERE to meet Jesse and JoAnn Perry, BLM volunteers who have visited the area with family for over 30 years.

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Next stop on the #mypubliclandsroadtrip in BLM Colorado is Wolford Mountain Recreation Area, a place visited by off-highway vehicle enthusiasts and rock crawlers from far and wide.

Do you know what rock crawling is? It’s an extreme form of off-road driving over rough terrain like boulders, piles of rock and mountain foothills. Rock crawlers drive slowly and carefully, attempting to clear objects that sometimes seem impassable.

Wolford Mountain Recreation Area is a multiple-use area with a number of primitive trails as well as opportunities to camp, fish and hike. An open OHV play area and an extreme 4x4 trail offer energizing rides for the most daring riders. Routes for hikers and bikers cut through the recreation area along with other, tamer trails for ATVs, motorcycles and other off-road vehicles. In the winter, you can even check out some designated snowmobiling trails!

Ready to plan a visit? Learn about diverse recreational opportunities at Wolford Mountain and about Wolford Mountain’s off-highway vehicle trails.  When visiting BLM lands, please use only designated routes and stay on the road.

Photos by Vanessa Lacayo, Public Affairs Specialist, BLM Colorado