Ebb and Flow of the Glamis Crowds

ChasingSand

ChasingSand

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As we all continue to see Glamis get busier and more crowded year after year, do you think it will ever die down again? Before my time (2008-2009) I heard it was a ghost town for a few years and then started to get busier as the economy bounced back.

For the folks who have been in this sport for 20+ years, do you see any slow down coming?
 
Interesting read from 1999-2000 that prompted BLM to raise their LEO Presence.


A quick search says:

  • 1960s: Glamis became a known hotspot for dune buggies and motorcycles.
  • 1970s–1980s: Visitation rose dramatically, leading to the need for formal management, with rangers assigned in 1978 and peak staff in 1990.
  • 1990s–Present: The site has maintained an average of over 1 million visitors per season, with holiday weekends (Halloween, Thanksgiving, New Year's) often drawing 100,000+ people at once.

2010 ~1.1–1.2 Million 2009/2010 season saw ~1.2M
2015 ~1.2–1.4 Million Steady, high volume
2020 ~1.2+ Million High use, COVID-era popularity
2025 ~1.2+ Million Currently averages >1.2M per season



Interesting stuff. Numbers don't appear to be much higher in the last 15 years...maybe just feels that way because the "Sand Fleas" got bigger?
 
Crusty said:
Interesting read from 1999-2000 that prompted BLM to raise their LEO Presence.


A quick search says:

  • 1960s: Glamis became a known hotspot for dune buggies and motorcycles.
  • 1970s–1980s: Visitation rose dramatically, leading to the need for formal management, with rangers assigned in 1978 and peak staff in 1990.
  • 1990s–Present: The site has maintained an average of over 1 million visitors per season, with holiday weekends (Halloween, Thanksgiving, New Year's) often drawing 100,000+ people at once.

2010 ~1.1–1.2 Million 2009/2010 season saw ~1.2M
2015 ~1.2–1.4 Million Steady, high volume
2020 ~1.2+ Million High use, COVID-era popularity
2025 ~1.2+ Million Currently averages >1.2M per season



Interesting stuff. Numbers don't appear to be much higher in the last 15 years...maybe just feels that way because the "Sand Fleas" got bigger?
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Plus the RVs that tow them in have to be bigger. A lot less truck campers and a T trailer these days.
 
This season Thanksgiving and the season before it was not as busy as years past. Christmas to New Years was pretty mellow up until maybe a day before New Years eve. Camp RZR seems to be the busiest weekend of the season now. President's weekend I was not there this year so no clue on the crowds.

MLK weekend this year almost felt like MLK weekends pre-covid.

Covid brought in a lot of people and it seems a lot of those people are slowly disappearing.
 
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Sand Shark said:
This season Thanksgiving and the season before it was not a busy as years past. Christmas to New Years was pretty mellow up until maybe a day before New Years eve. Camp RZR seems to be the busiest weekend of the season now. President's weekend I was not there this year so no clue on the crowds.

MLK weekend this year almost felt like MLK weekends pre-covid.

Covid brought in a lot of people and it seems a lot of those people are slowly disappearing.
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I would agree, the fringe people haven't been out there. My point is, same amount of camps but each camp is a bit smaller. Dunes have never been crowded, lots of peeps sitting at swing set or Olds all day long.

But 20 years ago, you would see almost nobody out past Brawley Slide, China Wall was a ghost town. Dune capable machines have certainly allowed people to go further out into the Dunes.
 
Cookie said:
I would agree, the fringe people haven't been out there. My point is, same amount of camps but each camp is a bit smaller. Dunes have never been crowded, lots of peeps sitting at swing set or Olds all day long.

But 20 years ago, you would see almost nobody out past Brawley Slide, China Wall was a ghost town. Dune capable machines have certainly allowed people to go further out into the Dunes.
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The attitude has changed too with insurance and warranties.

Hanging out at the hill isn't as amusing as it used to be. Used to be fun to hear an engine breathing its last breath (usually unknown to its owner mercilessly flooring it up the hill) before gasping a cloud of smoke halfway up the hill.
 
It seems busier mostly due to the amount of campers that are out there for long stretches of time. Every weekend it is difficult to find space on Gecko. If you were to get a head count you would see a lot less people. Actual riding activity in the dunes feels lower now.
 
Cookie said:
I would agree, the fringe people haven't been out there. My point is, same amount of camps but each camp is a bit smaller. Dunes have never been crowded, lots of peeps sitting at swing set or Olds all day long.

But 20 years ago, you would see almost nobody out past Brawley Slide, China Wall was a ghost town. Dune capable machines have certainly allowed people to go further out into the Dunes.
Click to expand...
China Wall got busy when that lake formed and people realized it was an easy ride in from Wash 24/25. I use to dune a Rhino to China Wall when I was not riding my quad. We would get a big run and see how far we could make it up (pre-whooped out bottom section). LOL!!!

We have a guy in our camp who use to jokingly say let's go to China Wall at midnight. We finally did and it is dark scary place at night. LOL!
 
Rockwood said:
The attitude has changed too with insurance and warranties.

Hanging out at the hill isn't as amusing as it used to be. Used to be fun to hear an engine breathing its last breath (usually unknown to its owner mercilessly flooring it up the hill) before gasping a cloud of smoke halfway up the hill.
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The days of the drag quads racing all day and watching people jump the double behind Olds.

I remember thinking in the quad riding days it was a far ride from the Washes to the drags. Even when I had a Rhino it felt like a long ride. Now it seems like we get to the Gecko area pretty quick and can cover a lot of ground on a single ride.
 
Crusty said:
Interesting read from 1999-2000 that prompted BLM to raise their LEO Presence.


A quick search says:

  • 1960s: Glamis became a known hotspot for dune buggies and motorcycles.
  • 1970s–1980s: Visitation rose dramatically, leading to the need for formal management, with rangers assigned in 1978 and peak staff in 1990.
  • 1990s–Present: The site has maintained an average of over 1 million visitors per season, with holiday weekends (Halloween, Thanksgiving, New Year's) often drawing 100,000+ people at once.

2010 ~1.1–1.2 Million 2009/2010 season saw ~1.2M
2015 ~1.2–1.4 Million Steady, high volume
2020 ~1.2+ Million High use, COVID-era popularity
2025 ~1.2+ Million Currently averages >1.2M per season



Interesting stuff. Numbers don't appear to be much higher in the last 15 years...maybe just feels that way because the "Sand Fleas" got bigger?
Click to expand...
I wonder how they get these numbers. I would understand if only weekly passes were available, but with a season pass how do they know if I was there our not?
 
I sure hope so -but agree with multiple other comments - being able to finance a sxs makes the sport a lot more affordable for many families - which is awesome for them of course, just means crowds will continue to grow.

Sure wish I could go with all my family and friends a few times a month in the middle of the week - unfortunately that's just not practical.
 
Avoid holidays and it's nice. Summer, even better.
SxS's make up about 90% of rides out there so the whole place has a generic feel now. Everyone looks the same, sounds the same, rides the same.
I try to keep it real.

20250913_075328.jpg
 
I agree with the statements that its not busier then it has been. One thing that is consistent though is change - and that would be the destination spots. some are new, some come and go and some others stay the same and will never change. but one thing is for sure, the "feeling" of destination spots getting more popular. in reality i dont think they are, but the way they are shared, seen, and talked about all play on the busy feel. Also, a great amount of dirt bike and quad riders are now in a cage so, those areas become filled faster too. Theres lots of variables but iv seen decades now where the same group still goes out, but only the same 3-4 guys stay the same while the other 20-40 people associated to the original 3-4 guys filter in and out over the years. some never to return and always new people experiencing it to stay.
If it does drop in crowd population, that would be due to hard times and would likely be tied to the YoY Credit Card Purchases vs Cash purchases being recorded out there right now. Ive heard from multiple vendors I visit with each trip talk about that...
 
I don’t actually think there are more people riding the dunes than there used to be. What’s changed is how the area is being used.

Everyone complains about “sign and drive” now, but that’s how most of us bought bikes, 3‑wheelers, and quads back in the day. You signed the paperwork and took it home. Used machines were even more common — you could spend $2–3K and be riding the same weekend. That part really hasn’t changed as much as people make it sound.

What has changed is the presence out there. On group rides years ago, we’d regularly come across other riding groups and have to stop and wait while they passed. That happened a lot more often than it does now. Today, it feels busier, but not because everyone is riding nonstop.

Now there are people who basically live out there all season — long‑term campers, RVs, toy haulers set up for weeks or months at a time. That wasn’t common before. Most people rode, packed up, and went home.

So even if the rider count is similar, the dunes feel more crowded because there’s constant occupancy. More staging, more camps, more people staying put instead of moving through. To me, that’s why it feels different — not because riding has exploded, but because usage patterns have changed.

Curious if others who’ve been riding a long time see it the same way.
 
IFLY said:
Now there are people who basically live out there all season — long‑term campers, RVs, toy haulers set up for weeks or months at a time. That wasn’t common before. Most people rode, packed up, and went home.
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This is why it seems busier for sure. All the camping areas are packed on the west side, all of them all season. People just leave things out there for months at a time.
 
megadesertdiesel said:
Guestimation, just like the power companies. Over guestimate until we squeel.
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Exactly. Bigger numbers of people going out there equates to a bigger budget to manage those people. No need for an accurate count.



Cookie said:
This is why it seems busier for sure. All the camping areas are packed on the west side, all of them all season. People just leave things out there for months at a time.
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Agreed. Doesn't seem like there was any effort to discourage the ghost camping this year. Makes me wonder if next year the BLM will offer to set up camp for people. You can leave the rig there all season and the rangers will come by the day before you arrive, turn on the fridge, throw some chemical in the toilet, roll out the mat, set up your chairs, and even be there to accept delivery of your firewood.
 
Cookie said:
This is why it seems busier for sure. All the camping areas are packed on the west side, all of them all season. People just leave things out there for months at a time.
Click to expand...
Which then pushes more people who would’ve camped on Gecko to the washes.
 
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