Glen Helen Raceway

Glen Helen Raceway is the crown jewel of West Coast motocross, a 256-acre canyon facility carved into the foothills on the northwest edge of San Bernardino, and one of only two tracks in the United States that hosts both the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship and the FIM MXGP of USA every single year. The Glen Helen National was first held in 1986 and the venue has been on the Pro circuit ever since, making it the longest-running active stop on the calendar. The track sits on land owned by the Glen Helen Regional Park, and the elevation is the dirt itself, Mt. Saint Helen's, the famous drop that hits in the second half of the National lap, is one of the most filmed jumps in the sport. Four tracks operate on the property. The 1.5-mile National Track is the pro layout, wide-open with sweeping turns, big rhythm sections, and elevation gains that humble riders coming in from flatter Midwest dirt. The Arroyo Vet Track on the west side of the property is a tighter, more technical loop that gets used hard during open practice. There's a Short Course for kids and beginners, and an E-Bike / Stacyc loop for the youngest riders. The dirt is hardpack with decomposed-granite pockets and natural sand drainage, it grooms beautifully and holds up through hot SoCal summers as long as the watering trucks keep up. Practice runs Tuesday 9am to 5pm, Thursday 8am to 7pm, Saturday 6am to 8pm, and Sunday 6am to 3pm. The pit area can hold a thousand-plus riders on a busy weekend, with hot showers in the restroom block (a rarity at U.S. motocross tracks), a real concession stand serving full breakfast on race weekends, and primitive dry camping that fills up months ahead of the National. The campground has been temporarily closed in some seasons due to county fire restrictions, verify before driving in. Glen Helen has hosted the U.S. World Championship Motocross since 1991 and remains the international face of American motocross. Founded by Bud Feldkamp and operated since 1985 by the Maeda family, the facility also runs a kart track, a paintball field, and a winery on adjacent land, making it one of the few moto venues where non-riding family members have something to do all weekend. From the Inland Empire it's a 30-minute drive; from Los Angeles, about 75 minutes; from San Diego, two hours via the 15. The property sits at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains, so you can ride in shorts in winter and hit Big Bear for snow the same weekend. If you ride in California even casually, Glen Helen has to be on your bucket list, the dirt, the history, and the sheer scale of the operation make it the rare track where the hype is fully earned.