On this stage, the hard part is not the profile but the surroundings. From Glamis, the route first runs through the Imperial Sand Dunes: pale sand directly beside the road, open sightlines, almost no shelter and long asphalt sections with few junctions. After that, it leaves the dunes and follows Highway 78 farther northeast. The ground becomes firmer, but the landscape stays dry, with low hills, scattered access roads and long gaps between settlements. Near Palo Verde, the character changes clearly. Sand and gravel give way to irrigated fields, canals, tree lines and farm roads. The route follows the Palo Verde Valley north before Blythe appears as the main resupply point on the Colorado River corridor.
