BLM 173

Trail Overview

This one vehicle-wide trail starts on Artesian Trail and ends at Lake Shore Trail near Highway 86. The surface is loose sand, packed sand, and mud, creating varied traction conditions. The route winds through a maze of tight mud walls that is fun and challenging. You'll encounter lots of off-camber sections and lots of whoops throughout. After 1 mile, you climb up onto a ridge line where you have a great view of the Salton Sea spread out before you. The trail then drops into a tight maze with 10-foot mud walls creating an enclosed, technical environment. Some turns are very tight in the maze with the width just over one vehicle wide, demanding precise navigation. At mile 2.5, it cuts through another small canyon, adding more dramatic terrain. This is in the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Open Riding Area, the largest in California, where registered OHV and highway legal vehicles are allowed.

Photos of BLM 173

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Difficulty

This is a challenging trail with the tight maze of mud walls being extremely technical. Some deep off-camber sections up to 18 inches are serious obstacles requiring skilled driving and possibly spotting. The very tight turns in the maze with width just over one vehicle wide demand precision and leave no room for error. Four Wheel Drive, high clearance, and experienced driving are essential. The maze being hard to follow adds navigation difficulty on top of the technical challenges.

Technical Rating

BLM 173 can be accessed by the following ride types:

• High-Clearance 4x4
• SUV
• SxS (60")
• ATV (50")
• Dirt Bike