Thursday
After arriving at your campsite or lodging choice and getting set up, a quick trip to the Dunes might be in order. Dinner is informal and whatever you feel like doing. An informal campfire would be a good idea for Thursday evening at the campground.
Friday
Friday morning: Breakfast at your camp, Silver Sands restaurant, (next to Silver Sands Resort), or anywhere you like. Silver Sands restaurant is recommended for dining out, but they may not be able to accommodate our entire group at once. After breakfast, you may want to get your vehicle ready for the dunes. (IE: air down tires, check oil, or whatever you feel like doing to get it ready for a SandBlast!) Alcohol is prohibited in the dunes and parking area. There are restrooms, and pop/water vending machines available in the parking area. You can bring a cooler, but no alcohol or glass bottles. They will check!
After breakfast and vehicle preparations, we'll head out to the dunes for a SandBlast! We will be in contact with each other as to when we are going into the dunes, and we usually meet at the bottom of "Test Hill". (The first dune you come to, after the entrance trail through the woods, upon entering the ORV area). Now is a good time to use your CB's or FRS radios if you have 'em. Channel 10 on both. Vouchers are not required for today, but see the paragraph below for information on Saturday and Sunday voucher requirements.
Friday Noon (9pm for others, please read): You must get a "Dune Voucher" for Saturday and Sunday if you plan on going into the dunes with your vehicle. If you are planning on renting a vehicle, your rental choice should take care of all the arrangements. Contact them to be sure. There are two types of vouchers: "Dune Ready" Vouchers, (available starting at noon on Friday) and "Parking Lot Vouchers", (available starting at 9pm on Friday). "Dune Ready" vehicles are those that enter the state park ORV area from public highways and go straight into the sand dune off-road area without the need for the parking lot/staging area. "Parking Lot Vouchers" are for those who require a staging or parking area for their tow vehicles and/or trailers. Both types of vouchers are free to park visitors and are distributed from the Off-Road Vehicle Voucher Center located at the corner of Fox and Ridge Roads, to the east of the ORV entrance gate. See a map of the area by clicking here. The purpose of the voucher is simply to hold the ORV user's place in line, while staggering arrival times to avoid excessive lines.
Unless there is a special event going on, there is usually no problem getting into the dunes before Memorial weekend, but we still need to get the vouchers.
We suggest getting entrance times of 9am - 11am for "Dune Ready" and 8am - 9am for "Parking Lot Vouchers", but that is only a suggestion. If you think you will be sleeping in, get a later time.
The Voucher Center will remain open until at least 11 p.m. and re-open at 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. We will verify these hours of operation when we arrive Thursday.
Friday evening: Dinner at your campsite, cottage, motel, or a restaurant. Whatever everyone wants to do.
Later Friday evening: Campfire at Silver Lake State Park Campground, weather permitting. If the weather is foul, we can try to secure the use of the pavilion. It has a fireplace and a roof, so the weather does not matter.
Saturday
Same as Friday. The dunes will be crowded today, so be careful!
Late Saturday evening: Another campfire.
Sunday
Sunday morning: Breakfast, then break camp or vice versa, and head home for most of us. Stay longer if you wish!
Monday
For those that stay an extra night.
