Honolulu Hills Raceway (United Motocross)

Honolulu Hills Raceway sits out in the desert hills above Taft, west of Bakersfield, and it is run by United Motocross, who took over the racing and riding programme at the venue. If you have heard the place called United Motocross or just UMX, this is it.

The big draw is that the sprawling main circuit has been split so more than one course runs at once. There is a National track, a full outdoor layout with the heavier jumps for faster amateur and pro-level riders, and a Vet track running a tamer version alongside it, which is a rare luxury: the quick guys and the vet crowd get their own dirt instead of sharing a lap. A Mini track sits up on the upper level east of the main parking area for youth and Stacyc riders, and United Motocross has added a flat track course to the property.

Open practice runs Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 1 PM, at $40 a rider. Summer and event weekends sometimes move that to 8 AM to 12 PM, and the venue runs on selected weekends rather than every one, so check their socials before you commit to the drive.

Two rules the operator does not bend on: NO pit riding, zero tolerance, and a helmet on at all times if you are on a bike. That applies in the pits, not just on the track.

This is a proper race venue as well as a practice day. It is an Loretta Lynn's Area Qualifier site, it hosts Over The Hill Gang rounds including the South vs Valley series with classes for 25 and over plus kids, and the desert around it makes it a fixture on the off-road calendar too, with AMA District 37 and NGPC grand prix racing including the Dirt Diggers MC Honolulu Hills Grand Prix. Race entry across the visiting clubs generally runs $40 to $60 depending on membership and class.

Come prepared for the desert. The staging and parking area is huge but it is remote and there is NO natural shade at all, so bring a pop-up canopy and more water than you think you need. Overnight camping is available on site, and the restrooms are porta-potties rather than a block.

Beyond the tracks there are miles of open hills and desert trail right outside the facility.