Old Plank Road, Historic road trail in Imperial County, US

The Old Plank Road is a historic trail in Imperial County that runs through sand dunes. The route was constructed from parallel wooden planks and wooden ties to allow vehicles to cross the difficult desert landscape.

Between 1915 and 1926, this wooden road served as the main automobile route across sand dunes in Imperial County, connecting San Diego to Yuma. The project arose from the need to establish reliable infrastructure in the region.

The road's name comes from the 13,000 planks shipped from San Diego to Holtville for its 1915 construction. Volunteers and paid laborers laid the first planks on February 14, 1915, finishing on April 4. A 1,500-foot replica built in the early 1970s from surviving fragments stands at the monument west of the Sand Hills interchange, beside an interpretive display.

The trail runs through open desert terrain, so visitors should bring water and sun protection while being prepared for uneven ground. Interpretive signs along the route explain the construction and help with orientation.

The route required a special traffic system with alternating one-way directions to allow vehicles to pass on the narrow wooden planks. Designated turnouts were marked with old tires hanging from posts to signal passing areas to drivers.