Trail Discussion: Ford Dry Lake, Palen Mts, Arlington Mine Rd

[mcneil]

Does anyone have any familiarity with this area, just north of I-10 between Desert Center and Blythe?

A friend of mine was launching a weather balloon and had it go down in this area. We have a GPS location, so I'm planning an expedition to get it back.

From what I can tell, BLM closed the lake bed to cross country travel about 8 years back, but there are still a lot of trails through the area.

Anyone out there know this area pretty well, and might be willing to entertain a phone call from me with some questions about the trails?

[jpflat2a]

looks like you're going for a hike
I drove across years and years ago
now it appears off limits due to "non-use".
http://www.duneguide.com/closed_areas_ford_dunes.htm

[Mitch]

Wow,

Screwed out of more PUBLIC LAND. Just a little here, a little there. A Desert Tortoise here, a Burrowing Owl there, and a Milk Vetch Plant over in that area. Closed due to under-use? Too funny, too sad. Have fun on your treasure hunt. Be careful.

Mitch

[jpflat2a]

you could contact the area BLM office for help and guidance
maybe they could assist you ?
but this could be a double edged sword...maybe charge you for a permit you didn't get to drop in unexpectedly...
I'm familiar with the area having spent 40 years in the Red Cloud area, just west of Desert Center.
There are a couple ways to get there, any AAA map (new or old) would prolly show the best routes.
Unfortunatley, most, if not all, of those routes will be closed
either by a sign from days gone by, or the new policy of no "open" sign, means it is closed.
Just recently, in that area in the last year, a desert wash/road route that we've used for years and years mysteriously now has a route closed sign right in the middle of it....it's not in the wilderness area, and nobody seems to know who gave the authority to install the sign; but it seems they can come out on their own (BLM) and do what they want without any public input.
sucks.

[mcneil]

I have some sympathy for land closures, especially seeing what these morons around LA do with every open piece of ground the can find.

But it really makes me mad when some road, marked on a map, paid for by tax $$, is somehow determined to be off limits.

Fortunately, the BLM office said that none of the roads shown on the topo map have been closed, just no cross country travel permitted. So it looks like I won't have more than a mile or two hike.

[explorer1]

I was out that way a few years ago and a few of the trails are closed, but there are a lot of old tank roads that might get you back to where you want to be. There are still tons of old tank trails that go throughout the whole valley from when General Patton trained his troops.

[jpflat2a]

Fortunately, the BLM office said that none of the roads shown on the topo map have been closed, just no cross country travel permitted. So it looks like I won't have more than a mile or two hike.

that's good news then
good luck