- Suspended or Revoked License – You cannot operate a motor vehicle when your driving privilege is suspended or revoked. This includes any off-highway motor vehicles.
- Safety Equipment Required – While operating an ATV or ROV on any public lands, you must wear a DOT-approved safety helmet. Helmets and other safety equipment are strongly recommended while operating or riding in all types of off-highway vehicles. Serious injuries and fatalities can be prevented by the proper use of all available protective equipment.
- Whip and Flag – To assure that your ATV is visible, you must have attached to your ATV a whip pole, rod, or antenna with a height at least 8 feet up from ground level with a flag attached within 10 inches of the top. The flag shall be of red or orange solid color and at least 6 inches by 12 inches in size with a shape of a pennant, triangle, square or rectangle
- Passengers Prohibited – When operating an ATV on public lands, you cannot carry a passenger unless the vehicle is designed and manufactured to carry a passenger.
- ATV Safety Certificate Requirements
- 18 years and older: A safety certificate is not mandatory to operate an ATV; however, it is strongly recommended
- Ages 14-17: All riders ages 14 to 17 must possess an ATV Safety Certificate, or be under the direct supervision of a parent, guardian, or other adult who has completed an ATV safety course and has an ATV Safety Certificate in their possession (38503 CVC).
- Ages 13 and under: If you are age 13 and under, you MUST: (1) be under direct supervision of an adult at all times; (2) you must meet all requirements of CVC 38503 Safety Certification and CVC 38304 & 38304.1, which require you to have the ability to reach and operate all vehicle controls; and (3) you or your parent, legal guardian, or person who is authorized by your parent or legal guardian to supervise you, must possess an ATV Safety Certificate.
- ROV Requirements
- An operator of an ROV must be at least 16 years of age, or be directly supervised in the vehicle by a parent or guardian, or an adult authorized by the parent or guardian.
- A DOT-approved safety helmet is required for the operator and passengers of the ROV.
- A seat/shoulder belt or safety harness is required to be worn when the ROV is in motion.
- The operator of an ROV with a model year of 2014 or later shall not allow a passenger to occupy a separate seat location not designed and provided by the manufacturer for a passenger.
- The operator of an ROV shall not allow a passenger unless the passenger is seated upright with back against the seatback and can grasp the occupant handhold with the seatbelt/ safety harness properly fastened.
OCOTILLO WELLS STATE VEHICULAR RECREATION AREA
Rules and Regulations
It is your responsibility to know ALL rules and regulations that are in effect at Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area. The following is an abbreviated list. For additional information and to review the District Superintendent’s POSTED ORDERS, please visit the park’s Discovery Center, or contact a Park Ranger at (760) 767-0166. For a complete listing of OHV laws, please refer to the California Vehicle Code available at any DMV office.
- Alcohol – You may possess and consume alcoholic beverages only within your established campsite. You are not allowed to carry or consume alcoholic beverages while on trails, roads, or in any area outside of your campsite.
- Animals – In order to protect the wildlife, you are not allowed to capture, disturb, harm, hunt, injure, kill, molest, net, or poison any type of animal.
- Archaeological/Historical Sites – These resources are an irreplaceable part of California’s heritage. Please help us preserve our cultural past and do not deface, disfigure, injure, or remove any object of archaeological/historical interest.
- Passengers Prohibited – When operating an ATV on public lands, you cannot carry a passenger unless the vehicle is designed and manufactured to carry a passenger.
- Campfires – To protect our desert environment, campfires are allowed only within your established campsite. They should be contained with either stones or a metal container. See Firewood Restrictions.
- Camping – Open camping is allowed for up to 30 days per year in most areas of the park. Camping is prohibited at Blowsand Hill, Shell Reef, Devil’s Slide, and the 4×4 Training Area. Camping on State Park-managed lands east of Poleline Road is limited. See Restricted Use Areas.
- Commercial Activity – Except by permit from the Department of Parks and Recreation, you are not allowed to solicit or sell any edibles, goods, liquids, merchandise, services, or wares. You are not allowed to organize, conduct, or participate in any activity, or distribute flyers for any commercial advertising. See Special Events for permitting process.
- Containers – Glass beverage containers are prohibited outside of your campsite. Please do not break glass containers; the injury you prevent maybe be your own or loved one’s.
- Curfew – If you are under age 18, you cannot enter or remain in Ocotillo Wells SVRA between the hours of 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM unless you are with your parents; are part of a group with a responsible parent, guardian or supervisor; or you have written permission from your parent or guardian to be in the park.
- Drones—No person shall launch, land, or operate a powered unmanned aircraft or unmanned aerial system (UAS) within Ocotillo Wells SVRA.Firewood Restrictions – You cannot transport, possess, or burn pallets made of wood, fiber, or plastic. Only wood and untreated wood products—free of metal, petroleum products, or other toxic substances—are permitted for campfires. It is unlawful to collect firewood in the park.
- Fireworks & Explosives – For the safety of all, you are not allowed to possess, discharge, or cause to be discharged any firecrackers, model rockets, fireworks, explosives, improvised explosive devices, or substances harmful to the life and safety of others.
- Geocaching – Ocotillo Wells SVRA proudly supports geocaching in most areas of our park. For more information about geocaching at Ocotillo Wells SVRA, please stop by our Discovery Center, or contact (760) 767-5393 for more information. For authorization to establish a geocache, contact Andrew.Ahlberg@parks.ca.gov.
- Geological Features – The natural terrain around us took eons to create. You are not allowed to destroy, disturb, mutilate, or remove any natural feature(s).Litter – In order to maintain the scenic beauty of our park, you are not allowed to drop, leave, or scatter any items such as bottles, broken glass, cans, or other litter on open ground. You are not allowed to rummage through trash containers, or disturb existing trash. Burning of trash and importing trash is prohibited. See Recycling.
- Marijuana Laws – Ocotillo Wells is a public place, and any use of marijuana in public places is still illegal. Adults 21 and older in California may use marijuana recreationally only in private locations. It is illegal for any occupant to ingest any marijuana in a vehicle, or for anyone to possess an open container of marijuana in a vehicle.
- Peace and Quiet – To ensure peace and rest for all, you are not allowed to behave in a manner that disturbs other persons. Quiet time is between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am. Generators can only be operated between the hours of 10:00 am and 8:00 pm.
- Pets – Each year, numerous pets are lost in our park. Please take these simple steps to protect your pet: Keep all pets under your direct control and on a leash no more than six feet long; ensure your pet has an identification tag with your current contact information on it; never leave your pet inside a vehicle, even with the windows partly open; and never leave your pet unattended.
- Plants and Deadwood – In order to preserve the fragile desert habitat, you are not allowed to ride over, burn, cut, pick, destroy, dig up, disturb, remove, or mutilate any tree or plant, or portion thereof, either willfully or negligently.
- Recycling – Facilities for recycling are available adjacent to all trash containers in the park. Vegetable oil recycling is available at the Discovery Center.
- Restricted Use Areas – Much of the area east of Poleline Road is managed by OW for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and subject to WECO route restrictions. In that area, you must stay on designated trails or roads. You may not create new trails or roads. Camping is limited and prohibited in signed areas.
- Sky Lanterns – The release of sky lanterns is prohibited. See Campfires and Litter.
- Special Events – Any use outside the normal use of the SVRA may require a special permit. Examples include commercial activity, filming, photography, organized rides, or large groups. Please call (760) 767-5393 for more information.
- Waste Disposal – All chemical toilets shall be used in a clean, sanitary and orderly manner. You are not allowed to dispose of waste, water, sewage, or effluent from sinks, portable toilets, or other plumbing fixtures onto the ground or in any park restroom facility. There are facilities (dump stations and potable water) available in the nearby communities of Ocotillo Wells, Salton City, and Borrego Springs that can handle the proper disposal of waste.
- Weapons, Firearms and Traps – It is unlawful to possess or discharge across, in, or into any portion of Ocotillo Wells SVRA any weapon, firearm, bow and arrow, or any device capable of injuring or killing any person or animal. Hunting is not allowed in the park.
STATE LAWS THAT APPLY TO ALL OFF-HIGHWAY MOTOR VEHICLES ON PUBLIC LANDS
- Registration Required – All vehicles participating in off-highway motor vehicle recreation must: (1) be registered through the Department of Motor Vehicles, and (2) properly display the current identification plate or sticker (green, red, out-of state, or street licensed).
- Basic Speed Law – No person shall operate an off-highway motor vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable or at a rate which will endanger the safety of other persons or property.
- Prima Facie (At First Sight) Speed Limit –The speed limit within 50 feet of any campground, campsite, or concentration of people or animals is 15 miles per hour.
- Driving Under the Influence (DUI) – Laws pertaining to driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs are exactly the same for off-highway as they are for on-highway. NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE!
- Open Container Law – It is illegal to possess an open container of an alcoholic beverage while riding in or operating an off-highway motor vehicle on public land.
- Headlight/Taillight – One white headlight and one red taillight must be operational and turned on when operating off-highway motor vehicles from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise.
Ocotillo Wells SVRA 5172 Highway 78 Box 10 Borrego Springs, CA 92004 (760) 767-5391