05 Mar Tread Lightly! Impact Report: 2024 King of the Hammers Cleanups

Project: 2024 King of the Hammers Cleanups
Location: California

Description: This project was funded by Can-Am Off-Road. Can-Am has committed to funding trail stewardship projects in partnership with Tread Lightly! to help maintain and improve access to public lands and off-road trails.

King of the Hammers has historically been known as one of the toughest off-road races in North America, drawing spectators and competitors from across the globe for two weeks of intense off-road racing action. The 2024 event was no exception and drew a crowd of over 90,000 to the Johnson Valley OHV Area, eclipsing the population of nearby Barstow, Yucca Valley and Palm Springs combined. With the influx of wheelers, gear heads, campers, overlanders and racing enthusiasts also come their impact.

For eight years, Tread Lightly! and the KOH organizers have been steadily working to remind enthusiasts to “do their part” by packing out what they pack in through eventwide cleanups, signage and announcements to participants throughout the event. 

This year, with the support of Can-Am and 81 hardworking volunteers, Tread Lightly! was able to collect and properly dispose of 8,375 pounds of refuse over seven days during daily desert cleanups. The spectator areas, Backdoor, Chocolate Thunder, and Turkey Claw were outfitted with trash receptacle stations that made it easier for race fans and enthusiasts to do their part to keep Johnson Valley clean.

This year the team saw a large downward trend in the amount of trash on the ground around the spectator areas. Instead, spectators were utilizing the receptacles and packing out what they packed in when those receptacles were at capacity. Thank you to every participant who embodied a sense of responsibility to Protect The Fun for future King of the Hammers. 

Thank you to the partners who made this possible:

• Can-Am Off-Road
• King of the Hammers
• Bureau of Land Management
• 4Fest Events
• Ladies Offroad Network
• Sak-It

“We’re pleased to have partnered with Tread Lightly! again for the eighth year in a row. TL! sets the standard when it comes to driving change and showing folks how they can help make a difference to ensure the long-term sustainability and protection of our playgrounds. Their cleanups removed thousands of pounds of trash during and after KOH. We’re grateful for that, and look forward to continuing our relationship going forward.”-Mike Jams, Chief Executive Officer of Hammerking Productions, King of the Hammers

“Preservation of our playgrounds starts by being mindful of our immediate environment. We thank Tread Lightly! and all the volunteers who were at King of the Hammers this year for their daily cleanup efforts of Johnson Valley.  Leaving our playgrounds welcoming for the next riders, is the essence of our Responsible Rider program.”-Valerie Windsor, Sponsorships & Experiential Marketing Manager at BRP

 Want to get involved in your own Tread Lightly! project? Find upcoming activities, events, and grant opportunities at treadlightly.org.