Jhit I would like to do a buttercup run this season. Pick a weekend in Dec or Jan I plan to try as many places as possible this season.

Doc

That's a little far ahead for my group to be planning - but let me know when you'll be down there and we'll try to meet up!

If things go how we hope this season we'll be out there just about every weekend in December and January

I'm still trying to decide when the best date for a south dunes gathering would be to.

Well I definitely want to camp down there at least once this season. You guys pick a date and we'll see what happens.

Sounds good to me

I was hoping for an October date but there are already two October dune events I'm hoping to make. (Firewood guy's trip and the Poker Run/Halloween)

So I was thinking maybe early November but with everyone saving up for T-day that's usually a bad idea - then all of December is pretty rocky again because of the hollidays at the end.

So that got me thinking why not just have a big South Dunes gathering the weekend of the South Dunes cleanup and kill two birds with one stone?

I should be the first or second weekend in March so why don't we plan on it? Gives everyone lots of warning and it's a date we should all make plans to be there for anway.

I'm definitly game for that. I want to at least get one ride down there this season.

My season so far
oct11-13 glamis
oct17-21 San Felipe
Nov1-3 Dumont Could change this one

doc

I plan on doing T-Day at buttercup.
Less crazies...

We plan to go to the north dunes above the closure I was told it was pretty nice up there on t-day.

Doc

Yeah, I'm up for a gathering in the South Dunes!! I've never been to Pair A Dice, would like to try it. I've dune-ed pleanty of times at Buttercup, though.

Anyone thinking of the Nov. 8-11 (Veterans Day) weekend?

What do you mean by the north dunes doc?
What road gets you there?
I'm not quite sure I know where you are speaking of. I have never camped at buttercup or gordens well. I just want to avoid the chaos that surrounds Glamis on T-day.

The Doc is talking about "Mammoth Wash" It's an area located above the closures north of 78. To get there you apparantly go up the road along the tracks north of 78 and eventually there's a camping area.

It's not very big from what I hear and the dunes are more suited to bikes and quads than buggies from the reports I've heard. Also if you go stay away from the orchard on the north end as the owner gets extremely upset when people encroach onto his property. Apparantly a few years ago there was a problem with local kids going out there and tearing up his fence and partying in his orchards.

In the south dunes Buttercup is the area south of I-8 and north of Mexico. At the western edge there's a bridge that goes over I-8 and is open to OHV traffic. Then you can follow the road to dune buggy flats which is the big camping area at Gordon's well. Gordon's is the area between Patton Valley and I-8. The central closures start just over the top of Patton hill - but the sand highway along the western edge is still open so you can travel from Glamis to Gordons.

Thanks Jason,
In your opinion which place would be the best for a family t-day trip? Does the American Canal run through Buttercup/Gordens Well? I'm not into camping with a huge group when I am with the family, Generally camp by the canal in Glamis on non T-day trips. Are there equally secluded sites to be found at Buttercup/Gordens Well? Is there a store there? Sorry for all the questions but need to start getting my plans in order to be able to make it a smooth and fun t-day trip.

The canal run's on both the east and west side of the dunes, not much camping area right next to it though. On the west side you could get pretty close and the bridge is right there to get over to the Par-A-dice store at Gordon's Well. The far west side is the least crowded and pretty melow, I have been camping there for the last 10 years. Hope this helps.

I am going to Buttercup on the weekend of the 14th. Going to get some riding in and chill out at the canal during the heat.

Dunernr hit most of it.

There aren't really any secluded spots at Gordon's or Buttercup on big hollidays. The canal comes down the west side of the dunes then at Gordon's well it makes a turn and cuts through the center of the dunes so when you're north of I-8 the canal is on the west side but when you're south of I-8 it's on the east.

There is no longer any camping allowed west of the canal at Gordon's. Apparantly this closure was part of a deal made something like 10 years ago when the started lobbying for an OHV bridge across I-8. We got a paved bridge we have to share with street traffic but had to give up the only secluded camping in the south. At the time there was no TRT no ASA or any other group that would go to bat for us - but since it was a government project we're just seeing the results of it now.

The camping east of the canal but north of I-8 does get crowded on big weekends but I've never been there on T-day. Last easter it looked so crowded from the highway I was afraid we wouldn't find a spot. But we managed to find a place with no neighbors fairly quickly. The further north you go the more secluded it gets there. The flats get narrower as you go north and fewer people are capable of towing up to there. Apparantly it gets soft in places but try as I may I can't find any of the softspots some people have complained about in the flats. I think they're just MoHo drivers with heavy right feet

South of I-8 the camping is somewhat more spread out all along the highway. But it all gets pretty crowded on big weekends.

Another Option is the Ogilby campground accessible from Ogilby road just east of the dunes. But that's the only place I haven't tried camping yet.

Personally I like my Glamis camp spot best on big weekends. We camp in the "Garbage Flats" but deeper in than most people. The camps are WAY spread out so you have no neighbor issues and there are some great dunes right outside of camp. We just go down the sandhighway until the camps start getting thin then turn in down a "wash" kind of area and look for a spot with no one around. Lots of people are chicken about towing there but if you know how to drive in sand it's no big deal. There are 5th wheels and toy haulers out there by us and my landlord towes his trailer with a Crown Victoria!

I'll be at Buttercup for T-day. We usually camp near the old plank road. Only 3 years ago, it wasn't that crowded there, but since the bridge opening and more people at the dunes, it is getting more and more crowded. We always camp down at Buttercup for T-day, then we are off to Glamis for the rest of the year.

Tres, you can always find spots out at buttercup. Thats the only place I've ever been on T-day. Down by the plank road there is plenty of room. Even on big weekends. We're usually a decent size camp but mostly family. Then you can go to the store or the drags at Gordons. Only about a 10 minute ride. Maybe you and your familia can hook up with our group on T-Day. Thats one of my favorite weekends out there.

Thanks Rubberneck, I might just take you up on that. What area of Socal do you hail from?

I'm right on the Santee/El Cajon border.
Most of my group is from around here too. I saw most of them on Saturday night and they're all looking forward to the season. Even the ones that just go out there to relax.

You can count on us Doc,, We'll be there.