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Stoddard Valley
From Dirtopia, The Off-Road Encyclopedia
 Photo: A Jeep in Stoddard Valley | |
| Off-Road Information | |
| Other Names: | Stoddard Wells |
|---|---|
| Terrain: | Desert |
| Off-Road Use: | Open use |
| Difficulty: | |
| Camping: | Open |
| Geography | |
| County: | San Bernardino County, California |
| Nearest Cities: | Barstow, CA |
| Map Links: | Google Map Yahoo Map |
| Satellite Map: | Google Satellite |
| Special Map: | |
| GPS Coords: | 34.773429, -117.017901 |
| Google Earth: | |
| Climate: | |
| Area Size: | |
| Elevation: | 2,800 to 5,000 ft. |
| Last Visited: | {{{lastvisited}}} |
| Open/Closed/Date: | {{{openclose}}} |
| Season(s): | {{{seasons}}} |
Located in the Mojave Desert of Southern California, Stoddard Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area offers a diverse landscape for off-highway vehicle recreation. It is characterized by steep rocky mountains, rolling hills, open valleys, and winding sandy washes.
Elevations range from 5,000 feet on Stoddard Peak, to 2,800 feet at Turtle Valley. Vegetation consists of creosote scrub, annual grasses, wild flowers and the Joshua tree; a symbol of the Mojave Desert.
Most area visitors ride motorcycles or ATVs, or tour the area in four-wheel drive vehicles. The easily accessed areas off Sidewinder Road (Outlet Center Drive exit on I-15) are used extensively for OHV free play.
This area is used extensively for competitive racing events by permit. There are many occasions for hiking, rock scrambling, rock hounding, and plant, bird and wildlife watching. The desert tortoise, a state and federally listed threatened species, are found within the riding area.
Stoddard Valley is also the site for Cal4wheel's High Desert Round-up event every memorial day. The event has been run for over 2 decades and includes many runs throughout the valley ranging from difficult trails which require lockers to trails which can be run by stock SUVs.
Directions
The triangular-shaped riding area is formed by Interstate 15 and California Highway 247 (Barstow Road), immediately south of Barstow. Most visitors access the area to the east, off Interstate 15 at the Outlet Center Drive Exit (Sidewinder Road) or at the Hodge Road Exit, to the south on I-15.
From Barstow, take California Highway 247 (Barstow Road Exit from I-15) and go south 10 miles, turn either on Stoddard Wells Road or on to the access road behind the Slash-X Cafe. All entrances are dirt roads.
Maps and GPS Coordinates
Stoddard Valley Coordinates: 34.773429° -117.017901°
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
- Find nearby Geocaching locations
- Find this location with Google Earth
