Jawbone Canyon and Dove Springs OHV Areas are open for public use. The visitor center will remain closed at this time. The BLM encourages responsible, local recreation to avoid putting strain on communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please practice social distancing, don’t gather in large groups and clean your hands often. Social distancing recommendations may require that visitors spread out to less popular areas and avoid times of highest use, such as weekends. Visitors are encouraged to practice Leave No Trace principles. Please bring your own sanitary products, including toilet paper and hand sanitizer, and pack out all trash as services are limited.

The Jawbone Canyon Off-Highway Vehicle Area provides a wide variety of riding opportunities including cross country play, trail riding, and advanced technical hill climbing opportunities. Jawbone is also a great starting point to begin to explore the hundreds of miles of trail riding opportunities available in the area outside of the OHV Open Area.

STAGING AND CAMPING AREAS: The entire OHV area and surrounding public lands are open to primitive camping. Within Jawbone Canyon, there are a number of excellent primitive camping sites and OHV staging/off-loading areas. Most of the sites within the OHV area are accessible by 2-wheel drive vehicles with trailers.

TRAIL RIDING OUTSIDE THE OHV AREA: Outside of the OHV area and within the Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), motorized vehicle use is restricted to a specific designated road and trail network. All cross-country travel is prohibited in these areas, and the designated routes are marked with brown trail markers. You may only use the designated route network — all other trails are closed — even if you do not see a red closed sign.

REGULATION INFORMATION: Either “Green or Red Sticker” OHV registration is mandatory for ALL vehicles that are not “street legal.” Visitors from outside the state of California must have a valid permit/registration from an off-highway vehicle program in your home state. If you do not have a valid permit/registration from your home state, you will have to purchase a “Non-Resident OHV Permit” for California. This sticker can be purchased at the Jawbone OHV Station.

Explore Nearby

• Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch State Vehicular Recreation Area — State Park in California
• Red Rock Canyon State Park — State Park in Oklahoma
• Sequoia National Forest — National Forest in California
• Angeles National Forest — National Forest in California
• Death Valley National Park Dark Sky Park — Dark Sky Site in California