Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Freeport, California

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Shirttail Canyon

Total Miles
23.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Cement Creek

This trail has great views throughout with a spectacular view of Lake Berryessa at its highest elevation point. Expect to drive dirt, gravel and mud along the out and back trail. There are also many…
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Total Miles
11.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa

Volcanoville

Volcanoville is a good beginner trail that can be completed by most stock 4x4 SUVs, as well as many AWD vehicles with AT tires and at least 8 inches of clearance. The trail does get…
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Total Miles
2.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Devilhead Road

This is an easy fire road in dry weather and a fun mud run in wet weather. The road doubles as the southern entrance to Knoxville OHV and further on, Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.…
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Total Miles
3.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa

Dunnigan Hill

The main connector between the north and south entrances of the Knoxville OHV area. Very active with power sports vehicles, as many marked and unmarked trails crisscross this trail. An easy trail with good views…
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Total Miles
14.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa

Bear Valley Road Trail

Easy dirt trail with connections to the Berryessa Snow Mountain Monument area Trails with wildflower sights in Spring and the main road to The Wilbur Hot Springs. Beautiful scenery of the Bear Valley in Lake…
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Total Miles
13.9
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Mitchell Mine

Mitchell Mine is a nice, easy in-and-out summer trail for a leisurely stroll through the forest. It's also a good trail for beginners to get used to how their vehicle feels while off-road. The surface…
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Total Miles
2.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Walker Ridge Road to Indian Valley Reservoir Road

Walker Ridge Road is one of the main entrances to the Indian Valley Reservoir (CDFW), and the Walker Ridge Recreation Area (BLM). The road is gravel and accessible by most high clearance vehicles. There are…
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Total Miles
9.2
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Cold Spring

This trail will take you to a wetland area where multiple springs emerge from the mountainside. There is a dispersed camping area at the end where it turns into some hiking trails that give an…
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Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Boman Lake

The first part of the trail is paved. About 2/3rds of the way in, it becomes rocky and dirty. High clearance is recommended. There is one tricky hairpin about 1 mile from camp. Other than…
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Total Miles
16.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su

Bartlett Springs Road

Bartlett Springs Road begins southeast of Mendocino National Forest and boasts excellent views. This route passes through BLM land, and there are plenty of offshoots from the trail. There are also opportunities for camping, hiking,…
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Total Miles
9.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp / Wi

Airola Meadow Loop

Nice views along a graded in the begging logging road. The road becomes ungraded but really good all the way back. Some brush, nothing to pinstripe your rig. Early season, may want to bring a…
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Total Miles
3.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Buck Ranch

Easy graded logging road in the beginning 1st mile, then it becomes decent rocky terrain, some small climbs, nothing hard. Once you take off from the green route on OnX, this is a really easy…
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Total Miles
2.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Bailey Ridge

A 5-mile stretch of connecting forest service roads. It is a particularly useful trail if you are driving a non street legal vehicle and camping at Black Springs or off of 7N23. The trail features…
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Total Miles
4.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Berdoo Canyon Road

This is a fantastic trail that can be run in either direction. The trail is relatively easy, but there are a few obstacles that can give you trouble if you don't have enough clearance and…
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Total Miles
23
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Wrights Lake Rd - 11N26A

This is a smooth, out-and-back dirt trail that's single lane. The trail has very little change in elevation and can be driven with a 2WD SUV. A wide turn-around circle is located at one mile…
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Total Miles
0.9
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Soda Creek Logging Camp

From Hwy 4 side the all-day adventure was on ungraded logging roads. They still log here on these roads so please drive slow and be aware of logging trucks possibly coming at you. You will…
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Total Miles
17.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Deer Lake, Gold Valley

Total Miles
37.9
Tech Rating
2 Moderate
Best Time
Su

Rowdy Cow

This is a lightly traveled dirt road with some ruts, loose rock, slight inclines, and narrow passages due to brush. Other challenges include snow in the winter snow and water crossings up to a foot…
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Total Miles
3.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Letts Lake

This trail is a little less than 4 miles and leads to Letts Lake and campground. As the only lake in the lower half of Mendocino NF, it is worth visiting. There are four campsites…
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Total Miles
3.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Sapps Hill

An easy trail with a few mud holes after a summer thunderstorm. There are plenty of places for dispersed camping along the route, and if you drive all the way to the end, you will…
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Total Miles
0.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Pine Tunnel

This trail is lined with pine trees and features a baby rock garden. It is no longer maintained by the Forest Service and ends where it is blocked by multiple fallen trees. Dispersed camping can…
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Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Old Tamarack

This trail was once known as "Tamarack OHV 4x4" and has been closed since 2014. The start of the trail is still open and leads to a dispersed campsite before it is blocked by many…
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Total Miles
0.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Elephant Lake

This trail follows the South Fork of the John Day River and crosses a very remote area. It's a great area for camping and hiking. Destinations include Blacks Canyon, Izee Falls, and several historical sites.…
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Total Miles
3.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Eel's Cliff

This route will take you from Upper Lake all the way to Eel River/Lake Pillsbury. It begins with great views of the valley, plenty of camping and resting spots in-between, and ends with your choice…
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Total Miles
46.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

The Rut

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…
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Total Miles
2.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su

Fruit Smuggler

Dirt trail with potential for loose rocks, sandy washes, and water crossings less than a foot deep. Potential for mud holes and trail obstacles up to 12" including ledges and short, steep grades. One vehicle…
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Total Miles
3.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su

Eagle Meadows

This is an awesome out and back trail with amazing cliff views, creek crossings, beautiful trees and several great camping spots. Plenty of shorter trails splinter off the main roads, offering endless adventure. This route…
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Total Miles
11.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su

Bonta Creek - NF23N33

Graded Forest Service road above the CA-70 highway in Graeagle, California that accesses Bonta Ridge, Penman Saddle, and other points to the North in the Plumas National Forest. There is a great brewery - the…
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Total Miles
7.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Mendo-Lake Road

An easy scenic route over mountain ridges through South Cow Mountain OHV that connects lakeport to Ukiah. This is the main dirt road through cow mountain that has multiple harder trails off either side and…
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Total Miles
12.4
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa