On Saturday, March 15th, the Otero Native Plant Society will have a field trip to the Red Sands OHV area. All fieldtrips are free and open to the public. If you been to White Sands, but haven’t been to Red Sands, you’ll be in for a treat. Wear walking attire, bring drinking water, and sun protection. FYI, shoes might get sand inside. Note that there are no facilities (restroom, shade, drinking water, etc.) at the area.

Location description from BLM: “the landscape within the Red Sands Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Area is primarily mesquite coppice dunes that range from one meter to several meters in height. There are over 100 miles of trails that have been developed by users… there are no facilities on site; however, the area used as the staging area during races, accommodates primitive camping locations. The area provides extensive opportunities to enjoy Motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle recreation… no fees… open year round.”

We will be meet to carpool and/or rally at 9 a.m. at the Travis C. Hooser Ballfields at 2139 S Walker Ave, on the south end of Alamogordo. From there we can travel to the US-54 South, and while the entrance to the area is past mile marker 45, proceed slowly because the signage is small and low to the ground. The area OHV area is kind of a maze, and is the reason why we’re caravanning. We’ll pick a hiking spot once inside. Please note that driving further than the parking areas (where dirt bikes are riding), the sand is not drivable. The area can be found on Google Maps.