Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Avenal, California

Beginning at the BLM gate southwest of New Idria Dam, this trail winds around the westerly side of the lake and canyon above the former mining town of New Idria. Descending 1,200 feet in elevation, the route will take you along an unpaved dirt path through several areas of switchbacks and narrow she...
Learn more about New Idria Dam to Ghost Town

Aurora Cutoff R14 is a narrow two-track trail that traces the top of a ridge, leading you toward the historic Aurora Mine. This scenic route offers plenty of opportunities to explore single-track trails branching off to either side, inviting you to venture deeper into the area's rugged beauty. The m...
Learn more about Aurora Cutoff R14

R1 Clear Creek Road lives up to its namesake by following the crisp, flowing waters of Clear Creek as it twists and winds through the canyon toward the hills. This trail provides an enjoyable adventure, rated as a 2, making it accessible for many vehicles. Be aware that there is no cell service alon...
Learn more about R1 Clear Creek Road

Fun loop around Rockfront OHV. This loop shows you everything Rockfront has to offer the Central Coast of California;steep climbs, jumpy fast double track, and lots of dust! This loop also brings you to Baja Campground. Enjoy the double track with anything from a moto to a full-sized 4x4.
Learn more about Ride around Rockfront

San Martin is a short trail dotted with many campsites along the San Martin Ridgeline. The trail stays mostly above the fog line, offering beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. The trail dead-ends at a High Clearance 4x4 trail leading to the cliffside. There are also plenty of places to turn around ...
Learn more about San Martin

Surrounded by chaparral in the Los Padres National Forest. This trail can be closed due to weather. Please check the LPNF website. The best time to go is in the spring to see the flowers and green hills. There is a first come first serve campground at the base of the mountains.
Learn more about Bates Canyon

La Gloria Road is a graded, well-maintained dirt road that connects the Salinas Valley and US-101 with SR-25 in San Benito County. It is the closest connecting road between Eastern and Western Pinnacles (there is no road through Pinnacles). Access starts at the intersection with Camphora-Gloria Road...
Learn more about La Gloria Road

The majority of the road is smooth and graded. However, there are sections that can have sticky mud, washed out from seasonal creeks that have a potential for high clearance. Carrizo Plain can get very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. The best time to go in the spring to check out the ...
Learn more about Elkhorn Road

Located in the Los Padres National Forest. This road follows a ridge line to McPherson Peak that has a telecommunication tower ending up over 5,700 ft. From there, you can continue on foot to backpacking trails. This is mostly untouched land, surrounded by chaparral shrubs with oak trees. There are...
Learn more about McPherson Peak - FS 32S13

Poso Flat Road climbs 1,300 feet and drops 400 feet over just over 3.3 miles before terminating at the paved road of the same name. The trail winds through a landscape of oak trees and open grass meadows, giving it a pastoral and open feel distinct from the denser pine forest trails in the surroundi...
Learn more about Poso Flat Road

Chute Springs FS 23S68 departs from Highway M504 and runs along a shelf road high above the valley and canyon below through Sequoia National Forest. The trail is lined with oak and pine trees, green grass, and other bushes, with overgrown grass encroaching on the trail in sections. Evidence of the 2...
Learn more about Chute Springs - FS 23S68

Deer Creek FS 23S04 departs from Pine Flat Road through grassy meadows and rolling hills lined with oak trees. Power lines run parallel to the trail and serve as a useful navigation reference along the route. The trail is currently closed approximately 1 mile in with a posted closure sign. Do not pr...
Learn more about Deer Creek Mill - FS 23S04

Starvation Creek FS 23S65 winds through rolling hills within Sequoia National Forest through what was once a mature forest, now heavily impacted by the 2021 Windy Fire. Most of the trees along the route are burned, giving the landscape an open and stark character. Overgrown grass has taken over much...
Learn more about Starvation Creek - FS 23S65

Horse Meadow Creek FS 22S04 departs from Highway M504 and cuts through a large pine forest within Sequoia National Forest, reaching Horse Meadow a couple of miles in. The meadow provides a natural destination and a pleasant open contrast to the dense pine forest along the approach. Dispersed camping...
Learn more about Horse Meadow Creek - FS 22S04

This is the primary dirt road running through the Jose Creek Basin in the Sierra National Forest and connects the north end of Jose Basin Road to Auberry Road/Highway 168. It is wide enough in most places to allow vehicles to pass each other. Depending on the weather, there could be occasional muddy...
Learn more about Jose Basin

Pine Flat FS23S05 departs from Pine Flat and climbs its way toward the White River, gaining over 700 feet and dropping over 300 feet across 3 miles along a shelf road above Capinero Creek. The trail is lined with oak trees and some pine trees throughout, giving it a warmer and more open character th...
Learn more about Pine Flat - FS 23S05

Jack Ranch FS24S05 departs from Capinero and climbs 366 feet in just over 3 miles along a shelf road tracing the White River through Dark Canyon. The route is enclosed by very thick pine trees within Sequoia National Forest throughout. Small waterfalls appear along the trail, and the White River Cam...
Learn more about Jack Ranch - FS 24S05

Despite the significant elevation loss of 1,100 feet, the hard-packed dirt and gravel surface is well managed and the switchbacks are gradual enough to keep this accessible to street legal vehicles. The single vehicle width and shelf road character require steady attention, particularly through the ...
Learn more about Capinero - FS 23S05

Rector Line (Forest Service Road 9S006) is a rugged backcountry route in the Sierra National Forest, best suited for high-clearance 4x4 rigs and seasoned drivers looking for a remote challenge near Shaver Lake. This trail stands out for its mix of decomposed granite, embedded rock, and steep, off-ca...
Learn more about Rector Line 9S006

Forks FS 23S62 branches off Parker Forks and climbs aggressively through Sequoia National Forest pine trees before transitioning onto a shelf road with a deep embankment dropping hundreds of feet to the valley floor below. Evidence of the 2021 Windy Fire is visible throughout. Note that the final th...
Learn more about Forks - FS 23S62

Aurora Cutoff R14 is a narrow two-track trail that traces the top of a ridge, leading you toward the historic Aurora Mine. This scenic route offers plenty of opportunities to explore single-track trails branching off to either side, inviting you to venture deeper into the area's rugged beauty. The m...
Learn more about Aurora Cutoff R14

R1 Clear Creek Road lives up to its namesake by following the crisp, flowing waters of Clear Creek as it twists and winds through the canyon toward the hills. This trail provides an enjoyable adventure, rated as a 2, making it accessible for many vehicles. Be aware that there is no cell service alon...
Learn more about R1 Clear Creek Road

Fun loop around Rockfront OHV. This loop shows you everything Rockfront has to offer the Central Coast of California;steep climbs, jumpy fast double track, and lots of dust! This loop also brings you to Baja Campground. Enjoy the double track with anything from a moto to a full-sized 4x4.
Learn more about Ride around Rockfront

San Martin is a short trail dotted with many campsites along the San Martin Ridgeline. The trail stays mostly above the fog line, offering beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. The trail dead-ends at a High Clearance 4x4 trail leading to the cliffside. There are also plenty of places to turn around ...
Learn more about San Martin

Aurora Cutoff R14 is a narrow two-track trail that traces the top of a ridge, leading you toward the historic Aurora Mine. This scenic route offers plenty of opportunities to explore single-track trails branching off to either side, inviting you to venture deeper into the area's rugged beauty. The m...
Learn more about Aurora Cutoff R14

R1 Clear Creek Road lives up to its namesake by following the crisp, flowing waters of Clear Creek as it twists and winds through the canyon toward the hills. This trail provides an enjoyable adventure, rated as a 2, making it accessible for many vehicles. Be aware that there is no cell service alon...
Learn more about R1 Clear Creek Road

Fun loop around Rockfront OHV. This loop shows you everything Rockfront has to offer the Central Coast of California;steep climbs, jumpy fast double track, and lots of dust! This loop also brings you to Baja Campground. Enjoy the double track with anything from a moto to a full-sized 4x4.
Learn more about Ride around Rockfront

San Martin is a short trail dotted with many campsites along the San Martin Ridgeline. The trail stays mostly above the fog line, offering beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. The trail dead-ends at a High Clearance 4x4 trail leading to the cliffside. There are also plenty of places to turn around ...
Learn more about San Martin