Originally published in January 2009. This trip report has been updated with full-size photos, improved formatting and additional historical context.
Three days, 125 miles and a nearly stock Polaris RZR S made our January 2009 trip to Glamis one to remember. The weather was nearly perfect, the dunes were smooth for the first two days, and the RZR S performed flawlessly everywhere we took it.
I met up with several friends driving sand cars and also connected with the Bailey family. Steve and Jeff both had Polaris RZRs, which gave us a capable group of similarly equipped UTVs for exploring the dunes.
I also learned that the Baileys were serious about hospitality. Other than the carne asada I brought from Ramey’s Meat, incredible food seemed to appear from every direction. There was no chance of losing weight with the Bailey family nearby.
Three Days in a Stock Polaris RZR S
I spent the entire weekend driving our 2009 Polaris RZR S long-term test vehicle. We covered approximately 125 miles during three hard days of duning, and the machine ran flawlessly.
The only major change for Glamis was a set of paddle tires. Otherwise, the RZR S was essentially stock. Its ability to follow modified UTVs and full-size sand cars through the dunes was particularly impressive for an out-of-the-box machine.
Introduced for the 2009 model year, the RZR S widened the original 50-inch RZR platform and added substantially more suspension travel. It helped demonstrate that a production side-by-side could be much more than a utility vehicle or casual trail machine. Read more about its place in the evolution of the sport in our history of the Polaris RZR.
Riding the Glamis Dunes
We went on several rides with Steve in his RZR S and Jeff in a long-travel RZR. Mike and Jeff often led the group in their sand cars. The RZRs fell behind in a few of the fastest sections, but for most of the rides we stayed surprisingly close.
Polaris RZRs on top of Oldsmobile Hill.
Osborne Overlook and the Surrounding Dunes
Riding the dunes near Osborne Overlook.
A Polaris RZR follows a sand car through the dunes.
Taking a break during a January 2009 ride at Glamis.
Flag Pole, China Wall and Lizard Hill
Mike led us on a memorable ride from Pad 2 to the Flag Pole, China Wall and Lizard Hill. These established Glamis landmarks gave the group destinations to connect across the open dunes.
UTVs and sand cars gathered at the Glamis Flag Pole.
A stop at the Flag Pole during our ride from Pad 2.
The group at China Wall.
Sand cars and RZRs parked along China Wall.
Our January 2009 group at China Wall.
Polaris RZR S Action Photos
I took Charlene from Side x Side Action Magazine for a ride. While we were stopped in the dunes, she grabbed my camera and captured the following action photos of the RZR S.
The 2009 Polaris RZR S carving through the Glamis dunes.
Our nearly stock RZR S was fitted with paddle tires for the trip.
The RZR S climbing through the soft Glamis sand.
Dune riding in the 2009 Polaris RZR S.
The widened RZR S chassis felt at home in the dunes.
Crossing the Imperial Sand Dunes in the RZR S.
The stock RZR S delivered an impressive weekend in the dunes.
The RZR S completed approximately 125 hard dune miles without a problem.
UTVs at Glamis Flats in 2009
Glamis Flats offered a snapshot of the UTV market in early 2009. Alongside the Polaris RZRs were Yamaha Rhinos, Kawasaki Teryx models and the Arctic Cat Prowler 1000. These machines represent several of the platforms that defined the early growth of recreational side-by-sides.
Hapa’s Arctic Cat Prowler 1000 at Glamis Flats.
One of the modified UTVs displayed at Glamis Flats.
A modified Kawasaki Teryx at Glamis Flats.
A Kawasaki Teryx dune build at Glamis.
A custom Yamaha Rhino at Glamis Flats.
Long-travel suspension was already a popular Yamaha Rhino modification.
A Kawasaki Teryx representing TeryxForums.net.
A long-travel Yamaha Rhino and Polaris RZR at Glamis Flats.
For more background on the machines visible in these photos, see the history of the Yamaha Rhino, the history of the Kawasaki Teryx and the history of the Polaris RZR.
Manufacturers and Aftermarket Companies at the Dunes
Yamaha offered Rhino demo rides at Glamis.
A Redline Performance Products Riot on display.
Elka Suspension at Glamis in January 2009.
The Montclair Motor display at Glamis Flats.
Helping Clean Up Glamis
Part of the weekend included helping remove trash from the recreation area. With the number of visitors Glamis receives, packing out trash and leaving camps and riding destinations cleaner remains essential to protecting continued OHV access.
Volunteers participating in the Glamis cleanup.
Trash collected during the cleanup effort.
Make Sure Your OHV Is Properly Registered
One memorable scene from the weekend was a beautiful sand car being impounded by the Imperial County Sheriff. It reportedly lacked both current registration and a vehicle identification number. I also watched officers stop a Yamaha Rhino, so enforcement was not limited to sand cars.
Registration and nonresident permit requirements can change. Before bringing a UTV or sand car to California from another state, check current requirements with the appropriate California and federal land-management agencies and carry the vehicle’s registration and ownership documents.
A sand car stopped by law enforcement at Glamis in January 2009.
Registration enforcement at Glamis during our trip.
The sand car was reportedly impounded because it lacked registration and a VIN.
A Look Back at Glamis in 2009
This weekend proved how capable the original RZR S was with little more than a set of paddle tires. It could not match a full-size sand car in every high-speed section, but it covered 125 hard miles, followed the group across the major dune destinations and never gave us a mechanical problem.
The trip also captured an interesting moment in UTV history. Yamaha Rhinos and Kawasaki Teryx models were still everywhere, but the wider, longer-travel Polaris RZR S was helping push recreational side-by-sides toward the dedicated sport machines that dominate Glamis today.
Planning your own visit? Explore our guide to destination rides in Glamis, or browse more firsthand adventures in the UTVGuide.net Trip Reports archive.
