Tatooine

A stop in the outer rim, on the planet Tatooine, during my journey to the Grand Canyon and Sedona.

Imperial Sand Dunes

Just east of Palm Springs along the 78 lies a playground for off-road buggies and the sand people of Tatooine. Walking though this vast oasis, I could hear the babbling of jawas, shrieking of the tuscan raiders in the distance, and wise words of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

I arrived at 5:30am just before sunrise.

Sand people always ride single file to hide their numbers.

- Obi-Wan Kenobi

Arriving from the east, I pulled into the first camping area and set out on foot to explore. I had no idea how far this sandy oasis stretched across the imperial valley. After a mile-plus walk in from the roadway, it was clear the sand stretched for miles.

Walking through the crisp, cold air, I explored further along the sands, examining mysterious foot tracks - trying to figure out what could have left such markings.

Nearly everywhere you look dune buggy tracks circled around and through sparse desert shrubbery that looked eager to become the world’s next tumbleweed.

A weekend at the dunes shredding the endless slopes, racing, and eventually retiring to cooking and campfires sounds like an adventure weekend in heaven.

Without the massive sand-scooping tires, Ruby was curbed while I explored by foot. The monstrous tires of this dune buggy looked every bit as fun as my bout with the Polaris Razor in Hilo, Hawaii. I am honestly dying to go back and do some ATVs or shred with a dune buggy.

The trek into the sand was limited to a couple miles and we returned to continue to the Arizona desert.

Next stop:
Grand Canyon & Sedona, Arizona

Grand Canyon National Park is simply remarkable. No photo can portray the vastness and beauty of this sensational landmark that millions visit every year. See more about the Grand Canyon and Sedona hiking adventure in my next article.