Jawbone Canyon OHV Area

Phone:
Email:
Address:

Bureau of Land Management Ridgecrest Field Office Ridgecrest, CA 93555

Latitude/Longitude:
35.312571, -118.050022
Directions:
Jawbone Open Area is located off State Highway 14, approximately 20 miles north of the intersection of State Highway14 and 58 in the town of Mojave. A left turn from State Highway 14 onto Jawbone Canyon Rd., when traveling from the south. Traveling from the north, it is a right turn onto Jawbone Canyon Rd.
AUTO TOURING
BIKING
CAMPING
HIKING
HORSEBACK RIDING
HUNTING
OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE
WILDLIFE VIEWING
PHOTOGRAPHY

Jawbone Canyon OHV Area

Jawbone Canyon and Dove Springs OHV Areas are open for public use. The visitor center will remain closed at this time. The BLM encourages responsible, local recreation to avoid putting strain on communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please practice social distancing, don’t gather in large groups and clean your hands often. Social distancing recommendations may require that visitors spread out to less popular areas and avoid times of highest use, such as weekends. Visitors are encouraged to practice Leave No Trace principles. Please bring your own sanitary products, including toilet paper and hand sanitizer, and pack out all trash as services are limited.

Jawbone Canyon OHV Area

The Jawbone Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Area provides a wide variety of riding opportunities including cross country play, trail riding, and advanced technical hill climbing opportunities. Jawbone is also a great starting point to begin to explore the hundreds of miles of trail riding opportunities available in the area outside of the OHV Open Area.

STAGING AND CAMPING AREAS: The entire OHV area and surrounding public lands are open to primitive camping. Within Jawbone Canyon, there are a number of excellent primitive camping sites and OHV staging/off-loading areas. Most of the sites within the OHV area are accessible by 2-wheel drive vehicles with trailers.

TRAIL RIDING OUTSIDE THE OHV AREA: Outside of the OHV area and within the Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), motorized vehicle use is restricted to a specific designated road and trail network. All cross-country travel is prohibited in these areas, and the designated routes are marked with brown trail markers. You may only use the designated route network -- all other trails are closed -- even if you do not see a red closed sign.

REGULATION INFORMATION: Either "Green or Red Sticker" OHV registration is mandatory for ALL vehicles that are not "street legal." Visitors from outside the state of California must have a valid permit/registration from an off-highway vehicle program in your home state. If you do not have a valid permit/registration from your home state, you will have to purchase a "Non-Resident OHV Permit" for California. This sticker can be purchased at the Jawbone OHV Station.

Jawbone Canyon OHV Area

Quicklinks

Off-Highway Vehicle Use

The following partial list of regulations and tips should help OHV users and other recreationists appreciate and enjoy the use of these public lands.

  • OHVs owned by California residents must be registered with the California DMV and must display a valid “Green Sticker” or “Red Sticker”.
  • If you are NOT a resident of California and your OHV is not registered in your home state, you are required to have a NON-RESIDENT Green Sticker OHV permit.
  • On the ground, motorized vehicles should yield to non-motorized craft and aircraft.
  • OHVs must be equipped with an approved muffler, brakes, and spark arrester.
  • It is illegal for anyone who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs to operate an OHV.
  • It is illegal to bring, dispose of, or possess any glass container, empty or not, within the open area.
  • It is illegal to bring, dispose of, or possess any firewood containing nails, screws or other metal hardware within the open area.
  • NO PALLETS!
  • It is illegal to possess and/or discharge fireworks.
  • Persons on an ATV under 14 years of age must be supervised by a parent or guardian.
  • All persons, regardless of age, who operate an ATV on Public Lands must wear an approved safety helmet; Carrying passengers is prohibited on ATVs; Remember—Safety First, Every Ride, Every Time!