Beginner Off-Road Trails Near East Oakdale, California

Red Hills Recreation (BLM) area is a scenic day use only location. There are tons of hiking trails in the area, as well as the Serpentine Loop Trail which is a mild to moderate trail…
Learn more about Red Hills Road/Serpentine loop

This is a super pretty drive as it descends into the canyons and back up to the mountaintops. On your way to the lookout, you will drive through the Italian Bar/Lost Dutchman Mining Camp, which…
Learn more about American Camp Lookout

Lug Nut Ledge is a short but fun trail with moderate obstacles, including rocky sections, rutted sections, and water crossings. The namesake Lug Nut Ledge features a mild rock step that requires good tire placement…
Learn more about Lug Nut Ledge

This trail is a connector between the American Camp Lookout and the Forebay trail. Connect all these 3 trails for a fun weekend or day trip full of adventure and fishing/exploring! There is a creek…
Learn more about Forebay to American Camp

This trail starts just off Highway 120, located 2.7 miles east of the Groveland District Ranger Office, and begins as a 1.5-vehicle-wide gravel trail with some sand sections. Lined with Ponderosa pine trees and bushes,…
Learn more about Boneyard Road - FS 1S07

This trail climbs over 600 feet and drops almost 1,200 feet across just over 5 miles of diverse terrain that spans BLM land and Stanislaus National Forest, though it begins on private land requiring respectful…
Learn more about Wagner Ridge Road - FS 2S08

This trail is steep, overgrown, and narrow. Typically home to lots of poison oak and fallen trees but the reward at the end is totally worth it! Keltz Mine road takes you down to the…
Learn more about Keltz Mine

This a very easy trail and is mostly forest roads that zig-zag up the hill to the Forebay. This can be accessed from many ways whether it be from Columbia, Twain Harte, or Camp 9.…
Learn more about Stanislaus Forebay

This trail is a 3.5-mile out-and-back trail that drops almost 700 feet and climbs over 100 feet in just under 2 miles. The trail sometimes runs along shelf roads lined with trees and brush, providing…
Learn more about FS 2S37

As of May 26, 2023. This road is accessible by vehicles of higher clearance than sedans. This is due to the fire road are not as flat and maintained as Google Maps makes it out…
Learn more about Candy Rock Road

This trail drops over 800 feet in just over 4.5 miles, starting on Smith Station Road (FS J132). The route begins in a neighborhood area requiring respectful behavior, initially following a crushed granite gravel road…
Learn more about Jordan Creek Road - FS 2S17

This 5-mile point-to-point trail runs along HWY 120. The trail runs along the ridge of the Tolumne River Valley and gives excellent views of the valley below. The trail is mostly one vehicle with shallow…
Learn more about Tolumne Road/120 Bypass

As of May 26, 2023. This road is accessible by vehicles of higher clearance than sedans. This is because the fire roads are not as flat and maintained as Google Maps makes them out to…
Learn more about Candy Rock Road P.2

This trail climbs over 1,200 feet and drops 100 feet across just over 4 miles, creating a sustained and challenging ascent from Smith Peak Lookout Road 1S16 to Jordan Creek Road. The sandy surface varies…
Learn more about FS 1S15

This is a short dirt bike only trail that connects the ATV trail 16EV223 with the singletrack 16EV407, near the Deer Creek Staging Area. Taking this trail cuts off having to go back to Italian…
Learn more about 16EV243

This is a lightly traveled trail with a dirt floor. Uneven, rutted dirt trail with erosion. Potential water crossings up to a foot deep, in the winter, and in some spots the rut is 3ft…
Learn more about The Rut

This is a short spur off of 16EV223. It winds through the forest, and has a couple of downed logs on the trail. It probably doesn’t get ridden as much since it’s just a short…
Learn more about 16EV251

This trail starts right near the Deer Creek staging area, behind a gate that gets closed for seasonal use. It starts off pretty easy, being a decently wide single track, weaving between tons of cut…
Learn more about 16EV407

This is a quarter-mile-long spur that starts and ends off of the ATV trail 16EV223. The north end starts out in a dry grassy hilltop, then it descends through a forest of tall pines, manzanitas,…
Learn more about 16EV249

This trail climbs almost 500 feet in just under 3 miles, though the entrance on the Smith Station side is now closed due to private land restrictions. Access is available behind the Groveland Ranger Station…
Learn more about Smith Peak Lookout - FS 1S16

This short trail goes into a thick forested corridor as it departs from trail 16EV407. The trail is covered in a lot of bony and sharp loose rocks, climbing up a dry and sun-exposed hillside,…
Learn more about 16EV258

This trail climbs over 400 feet and drops almost 400 feet across almost 3 miles of forested terrain, starting near the junction of Forest Service Roads 2S28 and 1S15 and ending at FS1S29. The sandy…
Learn more about Smith Ridge - FS 1S28

The east end of this trail starts on the forest road 3N63, and it goes west for 1.5 miles, meandering through gradual hills and descents in a pine forest. There are a lot of downed…
Learn more about 16EV257

This is a short and easy trail that is easily accessible near the Deer Creek Staging Area, making it a good option for beginner riders not too far from the staging. It’s only .6 miles…
Learn more about 16EV272

This trail begins in Bucks Meadow just off Highway 120 and ends at Bull Creek Road, covering a primarily downhill route that drops almost 800 feet while gaining only 185 feet over just under 6…
Learn more about Bucks Meadow Road

This trail climbs over 600 feet and drops over 450 feet across just over 5 miles, but has become a 10-mile in-and-out trail due to the closure of the north side bridge, eliminating through-passage options.…
Learn more about Moore Creek Road - FS 1S29

This trail climbs over 200 feet and drops over 200 feet across just over 2.4 miles, starting conveniently just off Highway 120 within the Stanislaus National Forest. The first section features a previously paved surface…
Learn more about FS 1S22

This trail starts on the west side with a semi-steep hill climb up into the forest, then winds on a narrow path between a tight corridor of manzanita trees. It turns right at an intersection,…
Learn more about 16EV136

Discover an exciting off-road trail tailored to 4x4 vehicles, combining moderate terrain with thrilling elements. While mostly easy to navigate, you'll encounter occasional gentle inclines and 12-inch deep ruts, adding a dash of excitement without…
Learn more about High Times

The east end of this trail starts at the end of 16EV133 as more of a continuation of the trail, and it goes through a tight tree corridor on a ridgeline with a bit of…
Learn more about 16EV247