[ward]

Thought I'd start a thread to list potential "Fat Friendly" sand & dune destinations and info on rules & regs., camping, etc... Got a line on a cool "Swath" that's legal to ride? Post it up! I'll start. Found this last night on the web; http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/upper_snake/recreation_sites_/St__Anthony_Sand_Dunes.html

Over 10,000 acres, wow! They have a significant winter OHV closure area, I've got a call in to see where bicycles stand as far as that area and other boundries.

 

[ward]

Beverly Dunes WA

This is the place I rode a couple weeks ago. Only 1 1/2 hrs. from where I live.http://www.aworc.com/orv-area/Beverly-Dunes.html
300+ acres in the OHV area, much more legal riding to the west in the Crab Creek Wildlife Area.... probably not the best place to go on busy OHV weekends, but plenty lonely in the winter and on weekdays.

My ride video:

 

[tscheezy]

The beach from Narrow Cape to the mouth of the Sacramento River on the NE corner of Kodiak Island is great. To get around the capes definitely time your ride with a minus tide (Kodiak district tide tables). 0' is ok, -1' is better, -2' is luxurious.

Lots of buffalo in the area, foxes, bears, bald eagles, sitka black tail deer, tons of marine mammals, and the coho fishing in the Sacramento is superb in late August through Sept. It's all state land so you do need a permit to do recreational dredge mining, but everything else is pretty much wide open.

One of these days I'll get some summer shots. In the mean time....

 

[ward]

Oregon Dunes Recreation Area

Here's the Gov's. page on the Oregon coastal dunes. Our trip there was my 1st and only time to ride really BIG dunes. Really fun! I rode mostly in Non-Motorized areas down there. I talked to 3 different ranger's (well, maybe one of them twice) and they were all "cautiously tolerant" of what I was doing since there are not (yet) any rules against it - with the exception of some "No Bikes" signs on some of the tourist access trails, state park trails,etc. Quote from one of the ranger's: "If there get's to be hundreds of you, we'll have to take a look at it".

http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/tripplanning/oregondunes/

My OR dune's edit, one of my very first vid's. Shot with the old "Sportzshot" system

 

[ward]

Incredibly beautiful beach's you guy's have up there TSC!

 

[ward]

Christmas Valley Dunes OR

8000+ acres of shifting sand in Oregon's high desert. All leftovers from mount Mazama's most recent eruption (that formed Crater Lake). Interesting place, on my list for sure. Same travel distance for me as Oregon's coastal dunes.

http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/site_info.php?siteid=85

http://www.duneguide.com/sand_dune_guide_christmas_valley.htm

and a cool fly over video (powered parachutes)...

 

[Self Motivated]

Nauset Beach - Cape Cod, MA

This was where I first runned the big wheels:

http://youjustgofaster.blogspot.com/2010/12/muklukutopia.html

I hope to get back out there and do some more exploring on more beaches. I imagine it may be possible to ride around the entire Cape.

 

[SADDLE TRAMP]

Ward: thanks for this thread, even though I am a non fat bike rider who lives not far from the Oregon Dunes area, I have been searching for something to offer that might be helpfull to our fellow readers. Nothing so far.

While topo/sat maps are usefull, they don't really offer what is needed; what will it look like when I get there info. Darn, if those Dragonflies were not so expensive, videos could be made to better show that. Must play the lottery!?

At any rate, here is my two cents of advice to first timers looking for those 500' dunes. Pay close attention to any landmarks if you put in away from a main area access. While you really can't get LOST one can get turned around and loose their perspective of where to return. Yeah, and don't break a neck in an endo; come back again!

 

[ward]

Yes, Sand Rat brings up a good point. Be careful out there! especially if your riding by yourself. Not such an issue in smaller areas of dunes,like those at Beverly WA. But in larger areas, with bigger dunes, believe it or not, you can get into trouble. I was surprised at how many folks the rangers at the OR dunes said they had to "assist" every year. Even though those dunes are only a few miles wide at they're widest point, and they hug the coast, they are flanked by thick (very thick, jungle like) forests,"thickets", swamps, areas of water saturated sand (behaves like quick-sand... you probably wont sink all the way in, but you may lose your shoes), and storms that blow in very quickly... wind driven rain, blowing sand and thick fog can mess you up and even pin you down for a while out there. Most non-injury rescues out there have to do with hikers who have got off coarse and ran out of water. The local rangers told me "take allot of water"! (I also took my filter bottle). Now days you can study areas like this on MSR maps and Google Earth before you go and plan your escape routes- very helpful! I did go over the bars and bury my head in the sand once... tweaked my neck a bit too. Had to sit around for a bit and shake that one off. Best to have a partner, but it doesn't always work out that way... especially w/ fat bikes.

Since my recent wind "experience" at Beverly Dunes, I've decided to take a dust mask w/ me on dune rides as well.

 

[Velobike]

Scotland = paradise.

Wild camping allowed. Right to go anywhere on foot, bike, or horse.

Restrictions are basic commonsense which I summon up as you don't intrude on someone's home, or go through crops, and when in doubt, what is good manners to do..

 

[martinsillo]

Well guys, I hope to bring good news about riding our bikes in the Beach/Dunes of South Padre Island after this weekend, I haven't found any official rules on the web about Bicycles and other than the little that the Beach Patrol guy said to me the other day there is nothing clear to me about what is doable and what is not on a Bicycle there.

There is a rule I found for drivers though (Texas beaches are considered as Highways), that I wish doesn't apply for Bicycles in SPI:
- No driving on or behind the dunes or mudflats behind the dunes.

Padre Island is separated from SPI by a canal, Padre Island is a National Park and has it's rules for bicycles

Bicycles may be ridden on park roads, gulf beaches, and in parking areas. All other areas, including the Malaquite Beach Visitor Center pavilion and Novillo Line camp are prohibited. Bicycles must be ridden on the right-hand side of traveled roads, in the same direction of travel as all other vehicular traffic, and in general, conform with all vehicle traffic regulations.

Determination: Bicycles driven in grasslands, over dunes, or through mudflats cause damage to natural resources.

I understand from that, that the beach riding is still allowed there (60 miles!) but from what I've heard riding on the dunes would be great too!

I remember someone (can't remember who right now) who did a trip to a sandy place and bicycles weren't allowed there too...I remember a talk with the ranger and a nice comment about the tires.

a bit OT but, how hard would it be to "promote new rules/change the rules" in your local beach/dune park to allow "specialized" bicycles to go freely in the now prohibited areas?

They could be afraid they would then need to deal with a bunch of bikers going to the park, but is not like we are millions right now....and even if we were really millions I think bikers in general are willing to take care of the environment.

 

[MtbHoopster]

Very useful thread here! Maybe we can resurrect it! Thanks for the info on new to me sand areas especially the ones in WA and OR fairly close to me in Idaho. I'll throw one out there; Bruneau Dunes State Park. It's about 90 minutes SE of Boise and 20 minutes south of Mountain Home. I take my fatty out there almost every time it rains out there. It has a big, steep dune which I only conquer when it's very damp; smaller more rounded dunes and several areas of sand 1/2 pipes, dips, short steeps and bowls to play on. Even some designated sand hiking/biking trails with markers. Sand boarding/sledding is allowed but no ATV's allowed on the sand. 2 really nice campgrounds with water and electric too! Here's some pics and I've posted more on the Daily and Sand/Beach threads on the Fat Bike page. Let me know if you wanna go and I'll join you if I can!