Trip planner
Choose a base, add the salt flats and print the plan.
GREAT SALT LAKE DESERT · BLM SALT LAKE FIELD OFFICE
Big sand,
hard boundary.
Nearly 36,000 acres of dunes, hills and mud flats 80 miles west of Salt Lake City. The edge of the riding area is also the edge of an active bombing range.
Live Conditions
Weather and fuel update live when their feeds respond. Fees and access come from the managing agency.
Weather & Wind
Live forecast
Tap for the National Weather Service forecast Heat & Sand
July highs near 93°F
Long-term average at the nearby climate station Riding Read
Read the wind
Strong gusts turn open sand into blowing sand Gas Prices
AAA Utah average
A statewide average, not a local station price Entry Fee
$10
Digital day pass · $80 annual Boundary
Stay inside
The area borders an active bombing rangeKnolls at a glance
- Managed by
- BLMSalt Lake Field Office
- Size
- Nearly 36,000 acresDunes, hills and mud flats
- Day pass
- $10Bought on Recreation.gov
- Annual pass
- $80Digital pass
- From Salt Lake City
- 80 milesWest on I-80
- Visitors
- About 35,000A year, as of 2018
Sources: BLM: Knolls OHV Special Recreation Management Area, BLM: Knolls pass purchases move online, Deseret News, April 13, 2018. Checked September 10, 2026.
Stay inside the boundary
BLM's own warning for Knolls is blunt: stay within the boundaries, because the OHV area borders an active bombing range. Know where the edge is before you start riding, and turn back well short of it.
Never ride past the area boundary
If you are unsure where you are, stop and regroup rather than exploring.
Source: BLM: Knolls OHV Special Recreation Management Area. Checked September 10, 2026.
Explore the Knolls guide
Passes and fees
The $10 digital pass and the half-hour rule.
Riding Knolls
Dunes, hills, mud flats and the rules that apply.
Desert camping
What BLM allows and what to bring.
Weather by month
Climate averages and the forecast on the day.
History
Lake Bonneville, the railroad and the name.
Common questions
How much does it cost to ride at Knolls?
BLM charges a $10 day-use fee, sold as a digital pass on Recreation.gov. An $80 annual pass is also available.
Is the Knolls OHV area next to a bombing range?
Yes. BLM warns riders to stay within the boundaries because the Knolls OHV area borders an active bombing range.
Check the managing agency before you tow
This is an independent planning guide. Fees, hours, closures, fire orders and riding boundaries change. Confirm the current details with the BLM Salt Lake Field Office.
FREE DUNE GUIDE USA ARCADE
A little sand.
A lot of adventure.
Explore the network’s available virtual dune adventures. Pick a ride and practice finding camp before the real weekend begins.
Enter the free Arcade →Virtual adventures do not replace current maps or riding rules.
CAMP COMPASS · FREE SAFETY TOOL
Mark camp.
Find your way back.
Save your actual camp before riding. Camp Compass uses your phone’s GPS to show the distance and direction back, even without cell service.
Install it while connected. Stop somewhere safe before using the phone; a bearing does not identify a safe or legal route.
Open Camp Compass → See how it works →