Camping fees: $10.00 per week or $30.00 for Annual Pass
Campground Fees are new to the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. All areas south of Highway 78 require camping fees.
Basically the procedure for paying is; after you have camped go to the nearest dispenser, pay your fee, display your ticket on the dash or windshield of you primary camp vehicle. The dispensers accept cash and major credit cards. Dispensers are located at; the El Centro BLM office, the ranger station on Gecko Road, each camping pad, Gecko and Road Runner Campgrounds and along the utility road next to the railroad tracks from approximately wash 3 to wash 17. The areas along Interstate 8 are placed in a similar fashion.
Parking pads and pit toilets are provided at Gecko and Roadrunner Campgrounds, south of SR 78 on Gecko Road. Additional parking pads are provided along Gecko Road. The south dunes have pit toilets and parking pads available along Grays Well Road and adjacent campgrounds. Vehicle camping is also permitted in all areas open to vehicle use. Most of the camping facilities have been constructed using grants from the California OHMVR Fund. Camping is a first come first serve basis and is prohibited on the shoulder of SR 78 or within 10 feet of Gecko Road.
If you have purchased an annual pass and if the ranger station is open you can exchange the annual pass ticket for a placard that can be hung from a rear view mirror. For the convenience of all visitors to the Dunes the instructions on the dispenser in six languages; Spanish, Italian, French, Asian 1, Asian 2 and English.
This year, a pre-purchase service will be available for season passes over the telephone using a credit card. The toll free phone number for the service is (877) 415-1381. However, there will be an additional $1.00 charge for the postage and handling fee and service will start on October 1st, 1999.
The reverse side of the placard states that more information may be obtained from the BLM El Centro office web page however no fee related information is available there.
For a complete explanation of the fees go to The TRT web site
For maps of the dunes and places to camp please go to the Map section.
