Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near El Portal, California

This 4-mile out-and-back trail starts at Ferguson Ridge and features dramatic elevation changes, dropping almost 2,000 feet and climbing over 350 feet across 2.5 miles of challenging terrain. The single vehicle-wide trail skirts along the ridge, providing beautiful views of the surrounding mountains...
Learn more about Gimasol Ridge - FS 3S007

Nutmeg is a challenging 3.7-mile trail that features significant elevation changes, climbing over 700 feet and dropping over 700 feet throughout its length. This single-track trail winds through diverse terrain, offering spectacular views of surrounding hillsides, valleys, and distant mountains. The...
Learn more about Nutmeg - FS 3S06

This sandy trail climbs almost 400 feet and drops over 400 feet in just under 2 miles, offering stunning views of the valleys below and mountains across the landscape within the Stanislaus National Forest. The single vehicle-wide trail presents significant challenges with overgrown bushes encroachin...
Learn more about Ferguson Gulch - FS 3S023

This trail climbs over 900 feet and drops almost 800 feet across just under 6 miles, creating a challenging route with significant elevation changes throughout the journey. The track winds up and down hills along ridgelines and shelf roads, providing spectacular 360-degree views of the surrounding m...
Learn more about Ferguson Ridge - FS 3S004

Sweetwater Ridge climbs almost 500 feet and drops almost 800 feet over just 3.6 miles, though this 7-mile out-and-back trail starts at Feliciana Mountain Road. The trail begins as a gravel surface and transitions to sand as it progresses, maintaining a single vehicle width throughout while providing...
Learn more about Sweetwater Ridge - FS 3S012

This trail is a challenging off-road adventure known for its steep inclines, deep ruts, and rugged terrain. The path climbs sharply from the base, demanding both driver skill and a well-equipped 4x4 vehicle. Traction becomes a significant concern, especially after rain or snow, when the trail become...
Learn more about The Stairway

This sandy and dusty trail winds through canyon terrain, dropping 1,600 feet and climbing just over 400 feet across just over 5 miles of diverse landscape. Starting at the Stairway Trail and Sweetwater Trail junction and ending at Highway 140, the route traverses through the Sierra National Forest, ...
Learn more about Feliciana Mountain Road - FS 4S012

Buffalo Gulch begins from Feliciana Mountain Road and winds for nearly 2 miles along a narrow shelf road. The track is one vehicle wide, composed of hard-packed sand, and sees a gentle gain of 120 feet before dropping more than 250 feet toward the end. The route provides excellent views of the surro...
Learn more about Buffalo Gulch - FS 4S11

This 15.1-mile point-to-point trail takes you up Packard Canyon to the Old Yosemite Coulterville Road. The trail starts with low brush and sparse trees that climb to more dense forest. There are a few areas that are narrow as you negotiate washed-out sections of the trail. There are many possible tu...
Learn more about Packard Canyon Road

This is a scenic, 9.5-mile single-lane dirt road that rapidly gains elevation as it climbs through the forest impacted by the 2022 Oak Wildfire. The route offers dramatic, expansive views due to the lack of tree cover, but the terrain is now highly exposed. The surface is primarily dry, packed red d...
Learn more about Footman Ridge - FS 5S025

Branching off from Buffalo Gulch Trail, this 3-mile out-and-back route offers big views and a fun ridge-line drive. The sandy track drops more than 700 feet and gains just 90 feet over 2 miles, making it a steady descent out and climb back. The trail averages about 1.5 vehicles wide as it runs along...
Learn more about Ponderosa Way

This trail climbs over 200 feet in just over a mile, connecting Bull Creek Road South to Bull Creek Road North through scenic terrain within the Stanislaus National Forest. The route is lined with grasses, scattered brushes, and some larger trees, creating a pleasant natural corridor that follows al...
Learn more about Briceburg Road - FS 2S05

This 1.2-mile spur is a short, intense climb that dramatically departs from the easier roads below to reach a great viewpoint of the surrounding Sierra and the valley below. Branching off Dobler Meadow, the trail immediately tilts upward, becoming a steep, loose, and rocky two-track that winds throu...
Learn more about Signal Peak - FS 4S031A

FS 2S64 is a through-connector linking Trumbull Peak Road and Packard Canyon Road, giving it a real purpose beyond a simple loop or dead end, and it sees use from drivers heading toward the historic Trumbull Peak lookout tower and its wildflower-covered slopes overlooking the Merced River Canyon. Th...
Learn more about FS 2S64

This trail starts just off Briceburg Road (FS 2S05) and ends at Old Yosemite Coulterville Road. The road then becomes paved. The route climbs almost 300 feet and drops almost 500 feet over 3.5 miles of varied landscape. As a county-maintained road, only street-legal vehicles are permitted on this ro...
Learn more about Bull Creek Road North

This trail starts right off Bull Creek Road and maintains a width of 1 to 1.5 vehicles throughout its length. The very sandy and dusty surface runs parallel to a creek, providing pleasant water sounds and views during the journey. Lined with bushes and various types of trees, the route creates natur...
Learn more about FS 3S10

This trail climbs 1,450 feet and drops over 1,000 feet in just over 6 miles, creating dramatic elevation changes throughout the journey. The very sandy and dusty surface winds up and down hillsides through terrain with sparse, low trees and bushes that provide limited shade. Starting from Bull Creek...
Learn more about Ponderosa Way North - FS 3S02

Burma Grade climbs almost 1,400 feet in 3 miles. The trail starts at Bull Creek Road and ends at Bull Creek Road South. To access it, take Briceburg Road behind the Briceburg Visitor Center and cross the bridge. The trail is managed by the BLM. The road is hard-packed dirt, about 1.5 vehicles wide, ...
Learn more about Burma Grade Road

Starting from Highway 140, this rugged track drops nearly 1,500 feet and climbs less than 300 feet in under 4 miles before connecting with Ponderosa Way at the top. The trail averages 1 to 1.5 vehicles wide and is made up of uneven gravel and sand, giving it a rough, bumpy feel throughout. At about ...
Learn more about Buffalo Gulch Road

FS 1S16Y starts right off Highway 120 and runs as a single-lane out-and-back spur through dense, quiet forest, terminating at a multi-group campsite rather than connecting through to another route. There's no wide shoulder or passing room to speak of, just a narrow corridor pressed close by trees on...
Learn more about FS 1S16Y

This 4-mile out-and-back trail starts at Ferguson Ridge and features dramatic elevation changes, dropping almost 2,000 feet and climbing over 350 feet across 2.5 miles of challenging terrain. The single vehicle-wide trail skirts along the ridge, providing beautiful views of the surrounding mountains...
Learn more about Gimasol Ridge - FS 3S007

Nutmeg is a challenging 3.7-mile trail that features significant elevation changes, climbing over 700 feet and dropping over 700 feet throughout its length. This single-track trail winds through diverse terrain, offering spectacular views of surrounding hillsides, valleys, and distant mountains. The...
Learn more about Nutmeg - FS 3S06

This sandy trail climbs almost 400 feet and drops over 400 feet in just under 2 miles, offering stunning views of the valleys below and mountains across the landscape within the Stanislaus National Forest. The single vehicle-wide trail presents significant challenges with overgrown bushes encroachin...
Learn more about Ferguson Gulch - FS 3S023

This trail climbs over 900 feet and drops almost 800 feet across just under 6 miles, creating a challenging route with significant elevation changes throughout the journey. The track winds up and down hills along ridgelines and shelf roads, providing spectacular 360-degree views of the surrounding m...
Learn more about Ferguson Ridge - FS 3S004

This 4-mile out-and-back trail starts at Ferguson Ridge and features dramatic elevation changes, dropping almost 2,000 feet and climbing over 350 feet across 2.5 miles of challenging terrain. The single vehicle-wide trail skirts along the ridge, providing beautiful views of the surrounding mountains...
Learn more about Gimasol Ridge - FS 3S007

Nutmeg is a challenging 3.7-mile trail that features significant elevation changes, climbing over 700 feet and dropping over 700 feet throughout its length. This single-track trail winds through diverse terrain, offering spectacular views of surrounding hillsides, valleys, and distant mountains. The...
Learn more about Nutmeg - FS 3S06

This sandy trail climbs almost 400 feet and drops over 400 feet in just under 2 miles, offering stunning views of the valleys below and mountains across the landscape within the Stanislaus National Forest. The single vehicle-wide trail presents significant challenges with overgrown bushes encroachin...
Learn more about Ferguson Gulch - FS 3S023

This trail climbs over 900 feet and drops almost 800 feet across just under 6 miles, creating a challenging route with significant elevation changes throughout the journey. The track winds up and down hills along ridgelines and shelf roads, providing spectacular 360-degree views of the surrounding m...
Learn more about Ferguson Ridge - FS 3S004