Increased permit fees for Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area in effect October 1st
Cynthia White
EL CENTRO, Calif. (KESQ) – Off-roaders and RV enthusiasts will be paying more for recreation at Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area (ISDRA) for the 2025 season, starting October 1st.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) fees are for primary, street-legal vehicles used for transportation to ISDRA.
The adjusted permit fees are:
$55 for off-site weekly permits
$70 for on-site weekly permits
$185 for season permits
Last year’s weekly permit fees were $35 for off-site and $50 for on-site, with $150 for season permits.
BLM officials say the permits are required between October 1 and April 15 each year, and are an important revenue source for ISDRA’s operation, management, and maintenance.
They add that the recreation fees support essential services including emergency medical, search and rescue, and law enforcement, along with maintenance for roads and facilities, and trash collection/removal. Fees also improve recreation opportunities and experiences for visitors.
Permits are not required for day use at Osborne Overlook, Plank Road Cultural Resource Site, Buttercup Ranger Station, or the Watchable Wildlife Area.
The BLM reinvests all recreation fees collected at sites directly back into the local recreation program to expand and improve recreational opportunities as authorized by the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act of 2004.
BLM reports that the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area is one of the most popular off-highway vehicle areas in the United States, attracting the highest concentration of visitors of any BLM recreation area nationwide with more than 1.2 million visitors each year.