Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Ballard, California

Explore All Beginner Trails Near Ballard, California

Bates Canyon

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…
Learn more about Bates Canyon
Total Miles
7.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp

Ride around Rockfront

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…
Learn more about Ride around Rockfront
Total Miles
12.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Wi / Fa

Quatal Canyon

Quatal Canyon Road is a moderate offroad route in California's Los Padres National Forest that offers remote backcountry access and rugged, scenic terrain for high-clearance 4WDs, dual-sport motorcycles, and side-by-sides. It is a fun, mostly…
Learn more about Quatal Canyon
Total Miles
14
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Elkhorn 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…
Learn more about Elkhorn Road
Total Miles
27.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Wi / Fa

Tecuya Mountain Run

Fun trail that takes you to the top of Tecuya Mountain with great 360-degree views of the area. Access via Cold Springs Canyon trail (20W04) for a great uphill warm-up. Once leaving the peak of…
Learn more about Tecuya Mountain Run
Total Miles
5.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa

Alamo Mountain Loop

Alamo Mountain Loop is a great escape from the crowds and heat of summer. At over 7,000 feet, this easy forest drive runs parallel to Hungry Valley State Recreation area. Camping is available, as well…
Learn more about Alamo Mountain Loop
Total Miles
18.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Edison Road (9N01) / Picnic Peak

This trail is usually well taken care of and is a very easy trail. 2WD will get you to the end and back, but you may slip, and/or traction control may kick on due to…
Learn more about Edison Road (9N01) / Picnic Peak
Total Miles
3.8
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Tataviam Trail

It is a flowing trail accessible only to dirt bikes and quads. This one-way-only trail gives you a nice piece of mind that no one will be coming the other way around a corner. The…
Learn more about Tataviam Trail
Total Miles
1.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Wi

North Roadrunner Trail

Fun quad and dirt bike-only trail in the north area of Hungry Valley. Riding this trail south to north, you will pick up where the main section of Roadrunner meets Rattler Trail. Most of the…
Learn more about North Roadrunner Trail
Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Liebre Mountain

Total Miles
17.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa

The Highest Peak of the Sierra Pelona

Take a quick, but pretty drive up to Burnt Peak. At 5,791' above sea level, this is the highest peak of the Sierra Pelona, which is one of the lower elevation ranges within California's Transverse…
Learn more about The Highest Peak of the Sierra Pelona
Total Miles
5.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Su

Maxwell Road

This is an off-road connector between Lake Hughes Road and the Liebre Mountain and Sawmill Motor Way (USFS Route 7N23). It takes you through the western Sierra Pelona Range, which is the lower elevation mountain…
Learn more about Maxwell Road
Total Miles
9.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

San Francisquito Motorway

This is a relatively easy dirt road just outside Santa Clarita. It is usually low-traffic, and the main road doesn't even require 4x4. There are however several side trails (mostly short) that are steep, rutted,…
Learn more about San Francisquito Motorway
Total Miles
5.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Lower City Highline Road

This is an easy dirt road following the power lines into Santa Clarita. The trail offers nice views of the surrounding mountains and has many small side roads, mostly leading to powerline pads. It's fairly…
Learn more about Lower City Highline Road
Total Miles
3.2
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

City Highline Road

This non-technical dirt road follows the power lines along the hills of San Francisquito Canyon. There are some neat views of the California aqueduct, and tons of little side roads. Most of the side roads…
Learn more about City Highline Road
Total Miles
9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Tule Divide

The Tule Divide is an easy, pretty drive through the Sierra Pelona Range. The trail mostly follows Burns Canyon Road and other forest routes, which can be linked to local trails for more off-road enjoyment…
Learn more about Tule Divide
Total Miles
13.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Lake Hughes Truck Trail

This easy route begins just east of Lake Hughes in remote northern Los Angeles County, California, and connects the area to the Tule Divide trail. The drive is a mostly uneventful climb with pretty views…
Learn more about Lake Hughes Truck Trail
Total Miles
3.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Wi / Sp

Jawbone to Lake Isabella

A long scenic route crosses the sprawling high desert from Jawbone OHV Area, climbs above 8,000 feet across the Piute Mountain Range inside Sequoia National Forest, and then descends quickly to Lake Isabella. There are…
Learn more about Jawbone to Lake Isabella
Total Miles
46.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Sp / Su / Fa

ATV Trails Near Ballard, California

Ride around Rockfront

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…
Learn more about Ride around Rockfront
Total Miles
12.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Wi / Fa

Quatal Canyon

Quatal Canyon Road is a moderate offroad route in California's Los Padres National Forest that offers remote backcountry access and rugged, scenic terrain for high-clearance 4WDs, dual-sport motorcycles, and side-by-sides. It is a fun, mostly…
Learn more about Quatal Canyon
Total Miles
14
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Alamo Mountain Loop

Alamo Mountain Loop is a great escape from the crowds and heat of summer. At over 7,000 feet, this easy forest drive runs parallel to Hungry Valley State Recreation area. Camping is available, as well…
Learn more about Alamo Mountain Loop
Total Miles
18.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Edison Road (9N01) / Picnic Peak

This trail is usually well taken care of and is a very easy trail. 2WD will get you to the end and back, but you may slip, and/or traction control may kick on due to…
Learn more about Edison Road (9N01) / Picnic Peak
Total Miles
3.8
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Tataviam Trail

It is a flowing trail accessible only to dirt bikes and quads. This one-way-only trail gives you a nice piece of mind that no one will be coming the other way around a corner. The…
Learn more about Tataviam Trail
Total Miles
1.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Wi

North Roadrunner Trail

Fun quad and dirt bike-only trail in the north area of Hungry Valley. Riding this trail south to north, you will pick up where the main section of Roadrunner meets Rattler Trail. Most of the…
Learn more about North Roadrunner Trail
Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

UTV/Side-by-Side Near Ballard, California

Ride around Rockfront

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…
Learn more about Ride around Rockfront
Total Miles
12.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Wi / Fa

Quatal Canyon

Quatal Canyon Road is a moderate offroad route in California's Los Padres National Forest that offers remote backcountry access and rugged, scenic terrain for high-clearance 4WDs, dual-sport motorcycles, and side-by-sides. It is a fun, mostly…
Learn more about Quatal Canyon
Total Miles
14
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Alamo Mountain Loop

Alamo Mountain Loop is a great escape from the crowds and heat of summer. At over 7,000 feet, this easy forest drive runs parallel to Hungry Valley State Recreation area. Camping is available, as well…
Learn more about Alamo Mountain Loop
Total Miles
18.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Edison Road (9N01) / Picnic Peak

This trail is usually well taken care of and is a very easy trail. 2WD will get you to the end and back, but you may slip, and/or traction control may kick on due to…
Learn more about Edison Road (9N01) / Picnic Peak
Total Miles
3.8
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Liebre Mountain

Total Miles
17.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa

Maxwell Road

This is an off-road connector between Lake Hughes Road and the Liebre Mountain and Sawmill Motor Way (USFS Route 7N23). It takes you through the western Sierra Pelona Range, which is the lower elevation mountain…
Learn more about Maxwell Road
Total Miles
9.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa