Rally-Raid
2027 King of the Hammers
Why You Should Go
Rock crawling and flat out desert racing in the same race, with the whole crowd camped beside the course
Format
Two Week Race Festival
Crowd
Off road racing fans camped across the lakebed, no figure published
Vibe
Desert camp city built around rock crawling and racing
About This Event
King of the Hammers combines desert racing and rock crawling in one race, on the Johnson Valley lakebed in the California desert. For two weeks a temporary city called Hammertown goes up on the dry lake, with the teams, the pits and the spectators camped side by side.
1What to Expect
Two weeks, two parts. King of the Motos runs 21 to 24 January, then King of the Hammers week runs 28 January to 6 February.
The motorbike weekend has the King of the Grand Prix on Saturday 23 January, a night Grand Prix from 6:00pm that evening, and the King of the Motos race on Sunday 24 January.
Toyo Tires Desert Challenge races fill the first weekend of the main week: the Limited class race on Saturday 30 January, with the Sylvania Class 11 night race at 5:15pm, and the Unlimited class on Sunday 31 January.
Show all 5
Qualifying and Power Hour sessions run Monday 1 to Wednesday 3 February, plus the KOH Kids youth race on Tuesday evening.
The three big races close it out: the Can-Am UTV Hammers Championship on Thursday 4 February, the Yokohama Every Man Challenge on Friday 5 February and the Race of Kings on Saturday 6 February, each running 8:00am to 6:00pm.
2Best Way to Experience It
- Race of Kings day, Saturday 6 February, is the four wheel drive headline race.
- The first weekend of the main week has the Desert Challenge desert races, and the Monday to Wednesday sessions are qualifying for the last three race days.
- The organiser calls the schedule provisional and subject to change.
About the Venue
3Nearby Accommodation
While you're in the area
Experiences near Hammertown
4Logistics
Getting thereDriving, Public transport, Rideshare and taxis, Best value route, Gates and reentry
Driving
- Hammertown is reached only by Boone Road, off Highway 247 (Old Woman Springs Road).
- From I-15, take the Bear Valley Road exit in Victorville and head east to Highway 247, about 55 miles on the organiser's figure, then turn north onto Boone Road, a graded dirt road, for about 5 miles.
- From I-10, take Highway 62 toward Yucca Valley, then Highway 247 northwest for about 25 miles to Boone Road.
- Unofficial access roads cross live sections of the racecourse.
Public transport
- No bus, train or shuttle to Hammertown is published by the organiser.
Rideshare and taxis
- The organiser publishes no rideshare drop off point at Hammertown.
Best value route
- Driving in by Boone Road is the only access route the organiser publishes.
Gates and reentry
- Gates open at 12:00pm on Thursday 21 January.
- Spectators get a spectator area map at the Boone Road front gate.
Tickets and entryTickets, Bringing things in
Tickets
- 2027 tickets are sold through the organiser's Flicket ticket page, linked from kingofthehammers.com.
Bringing things in
- Fireworks, drones and laser pointers are not allowed.
- There is no rubbish collection, so everything packed in is packed out.
- The speed limit is 15 mph on Boone Road and in Hammertown.
Staying overCamping
Camping
- Open camping is allowed anywhere that does not block a road, for up to 14 consecutive days.
- During race week, camps must be at least 200 feet from the racecourse.
5Frequently Asked Questions
?Suitable for kids?
Children are kept in safe areas at all times under the organiser's rules, and the KOH Kids youth race runs on Tuesday 2 February.
?Bringing the dog?
Dogs are allowed on a lead.
?Where can you watch?
Only in the marked spectator areas during race hours, shown on the map handed out at the front gate.
6Cost Breakdown
| 2027 prices | Price |
|---|---|
| Ticket prices not yet published |
Last verified: 5 November 2026Official link: kingofthehammers.com
Tags
Off Road and 4x4CampingMulti Day EventNight EventOff Road RacingRally RaidMotorbikesRock Crawling
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