7 replies to this topic

[DaleS]

Being camped near the Imperial (Algodones Dunes also) Dunes, I took some pictures today to post in this group. The Plank
Road was used from 1915 to 1927 when they build US 80 through the dunes.

http://i479.photobuc...it_99/Plank.jpg

Driving the frontage road to the plank road today, which some was US 80 before I-8, you can see the road sanded over
from winds we had last week.

http://i479.photobuc...t_99/Plank2.jpg

About 4 miles west of Winterhaven, CA (across the river from Yuma, AZ) on old US 80 is the old Butterfield Stage
Stop at Araz.

http://i479.photobuc...wit_99/Ariz.jpg

Dale

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

Dale,

I have hoped to see the planks one day, but never have. Can you give some specific directions or coordinates

Keep the Show on the Road!

Dave

[mobilene]

Great stuff!!! Man. One more thing to add to the list of things to see.

[DennyG]

Good stuff. You're now in an area that I'm slightly familiar with. My one visit was in 2003 and I've been wondering ever since if the walls of that adobe stage coach stop were still standing. I recall standing there and being amazed that an unprotected slab of mud could stand as long as it had. It appears unchanged.

But it can't last forever and neither can that bit of plank road. KtSotR, if you really want to see it, I recommend sooner rather than later. It's on Gray's Well Road near Exit 156. N32° 42.6110' W114° 55.4658' is in the neighborhood.

I found the road with the help of a book by Eric Finley that I've just learned is out of print. I bought my copy at Desert View Tower and it's possible they might still have a copy or two. Even if they don't, the tower is well worth a stop. It's about 75 miles west of the dunes near In-Ko-Poh park.

Anyone interested in my five year old visit can find it here.

[Keep the Show on the Road!]

Anyone interested in my five year old visit can find it here.

Denny,

Your photos and description are terrific....but you provided a bad link with "localhost" in the URL. It works if you substitute www. for local host, but better you fix it than me!

Keep the Show on the Road!

Dave

[DennyG]

Oops. Thanks for the find. I think I've straightened it out.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, that's not the first time and it won't be the last.

[DaleS]

If you want to visit the Plank Road, be sure not to it in the summer time. Like it was 99 degrees yesterday, Oct 18 th.
Which is hotter than normal, but I have seen 108 this time of the year.

As I went in off Grays Well Road, I was asked to buy a permit to camp on the dunes. I told them I was sight seeing
and didn't have to buy any (stinking) permit.

It is very crowded on long weekends in the winter time, like 200,000 on Thanksgiving weekend on the whole dunes
area From Gray's Well to Glamis.

[Dave Reese]

When I first read this link, I thought of something like the streets in the city of Ketchikan, AK