Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Foresta, California

Branching off Forest Service Road 1S12, Forest Service Road 2S01 functions as a useful connector route that provides throughput to a broader web of backcountry trails within the Stanislaus National Forest. The surrounding landscape features a dynamic mix of mature ponderosa pines, dense oak scrub, a...
Learn more about FS 2S01

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 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

FS 1S12H branches off FS 1S12 in the Groveland Ranger District of Stanislaus National Forest, functioning as a short out-and-back spur rather than a through-connector, since it dead-ends at a single dispersed campsite. There are no through-connections or scenic overlooks along this stretch, just a n...
Learn more about FS 1S12H

Set within an open conifer and hardwood forest recovering from the 2013 Rim Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest, Aspen Valley - FS 1S74 provides a pleasant, sun-dappled mountain drive. Accessed off Evergreen Road near the western approach to Yosemite, this 1.1-mile route follows a deteriorating a...
Learn more about Aspen Valley - FS 1S74

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

Sawmill Mountain Road - FS 1S03 is accessed directly from Evergreen Road near a scenic meadow bordering Yosemite National Park. It functions as a through-route rather than a dead-end spur, serving as one of the primary access roads deep into this section of Stanislaus National Forest. There are no d...
Learn more about Sawmill Mountain Rd - 1S03

FS 1S24 is a 3.2-mile, two-way dirt and gravel road, marked by a numbered post at the junction with the main road. The first stretch is easy driving, smooth dirt and gravel through open forest with wide views. Past a fork with a spur road, the road narrows, and grass and brush grow in close on both ...
Learn more about FS 1S24

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 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

Located within the Stanislaus National Forest near Hardin Flat, FS 1S71 is an obscure out-and-back single-track spur branching off into the surrounding woods. Set within a recovering burned forest landscape shaped by the 2013 Rim Fire, the surrounding terrain is filled with standing charred snags an...
Learn more about FS 1S71

FS 1S25A branches off the main FS 1S25 road and opens into a quiet, 1.6-mile single-track through dense, shaded forest. The first short stretch is the narrowest part of the drive, with a bit of grass and brush pressing in close enough to brush the sides of the vehicle, though nothing that demands sp...
Learn more about FS 1S25A

FS 1S89 branches off the main FS 1S25 road and settles into a calm, single-lane track over firm, packed dirt. The road climbs gradually as it works north, narrowing slightly the further it goes, with scattered small rocks and light debris across the tread here and there. Tall pines line both sides f...
Learn more about FS 1S89

Set within an open, scenic coniferous forest managed by the Stanislaus National Forest near the western boundary of Yosemite National Park, FS 1S25 climbs steadily up toward an elevation near 5,000 feet. Accessed directly from Evergreen Road, this inviting route serves as a main connector to numerou...
Learn more about FS 1S25

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

FS 1S24A branches off the main FS 1S24 road, a 1.1-mile, single-track spur of dirt and gravel through open, fire-affected forest with wide views on all sides. The road drops steadily toward the river, with minor to moderate ruts, some up to 18 inches deep, along the way. It ends at a private, isolat...
Learn more about FS 1S24A

Branching off Forest Service Road 1S12, Forest Service Road 2S01 functions as a useful connector route that provides throughput to a broader web of backcountry trails within the Stanislaus National Forest. The surrounding landscape features a dynamic mix of mature ponderosa pines, dense oak scrub, a...
Learn more about FS 2S01

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

Branching off Forest Service Road 1S12, Forest Service Road 2S01 functions as a useful connector route that provides throughput to a broader web of backcountry trails within the Stanislaus National Forest. The surrounding landscape features a dynamic mix of mature ponderosa pines, dense oak scrub, a...
Learn more about FS 2S01

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