Glamis is an unincorporated community in Imperial County in southeastern California. The glamis dunes location sits along State Route 78, roughly 27 miles east of Brawley, 160 miles east of San Diego, and 51 miles west of Yuma, Arizona. The dunes run approximately 45 miles from north to south and up to 6 miles wide at their broadest point.
For anyone asking where is glamis sand dunes located in California specifically: the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area straddles both sides of Interstate 8 in the south and State Route 78 in the north. The main glamis camping and riding area centers on the Highway 78 corridor, with Vendor Row and the Glamis Store serving as the primary reference points for most visitors.
Glamis Dunes Rentals is located at 5775 E HWY 78, Brawley, CA 92227, on Vendor Row inside the recreation area.
A glamis camping pass is required for every primary vehicle from October 1 through April 15 each year. The BLM runs the fee program through the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area permit system. A primary vehicle is any street-legal vehicle used to transport you to the site. One permit covers one vehicle.
Permit pricing is set by the BLM. Weekly permits are available at $35 in advance or $50 if purchased on-site. Season permits run $150 and cover October 1 through March 31. Buying your glamis camping permit before you arrive saves money and means you can enter the fee area without stopping.
There are no glamis camping reservations. The camping is entirely first-come, first-served across all zones. On major holiday weekends, the most popular zones fill by Thursday evening. If you are planning a Thanksgiving or New Year’s trip, arrival on Wednesday gives you a reasonable chance of claiming space in your preferred area.
You can purchase your glamis camping pass online at isdpermits.net, on-site at the Cahuilla Ranger Station on Gecko Road, or at authorized retailers before your trip. Keep the permit displayed in your windshield at all times while in the fee area.
Glamis Camp RZR is an annual event run by Polaris at the Imperial Sand Dunes. It takes place in late October or early November and marks the official start of the Glamis riding season. The event is free to attend and includes RZR demo rides, on-site vehicle service, food trucks, live entertainment, and a vendor village at Vendor Row.
Camp RZR is not a campground and does not require a separate registration. Visitors attend and camp under the standard glamis camping permit system. The event draws tens of thousands of riders over a single weekend and represents the busiest early-season weekend at the dunes. If you are planning your first glamis camping trip and want to time it around a large event, Camp RZR is one option. If you prefer open terrain and a quieter experience, a non-event weekend in February or March is a better starting point.
Most glamis dunes camping visitors stay in toy haulers or RVs. The area is dry camping with no hookups. Water trucks and pump-out trucks circulate through the main camping zones on busy weekends, but you should arrive with full water tanks and plan to be self-sufficient. There is no fuel on-site. Fill up in Brawley or along Highway 78 before you arrive.
If you do not own a toy hauler or RV, Glamis Dunes Rentals provides on-site RV rentals that can be staged at your campsite. This removes the need to tow a rig and gives you a comfortable base camp without ownership.
These training videos are a starting point. The real learning happens when you arrive at Vendor Row and our team tailors the safety briefing to your specific vehicle, experience level, and riding plans. Call or text us at (760) 573-6825 with any questions before your trip.