Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Gardnerville, Nevada

This graded dirt county road begins at the Johnson Lane OHV Park located east of Minden, NV. As the road gradually ascends, it traverses alluvial plains covered in sage and low canyons with juniper trees. Rising to 7,000 feet at Sunrise Pass, the road takes you to the heart of the Pine Nut Mountains...
Learn more about Sunrise Pass Road

Located in the Johnson OHV park, this trail has views of Minden, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Pine Nut Mountains. A man-made dirt pile is meant to block the trail at 4.82 miles. At this point, along the ridge, there is a small area where you can turn around. The dirt trail is a double-track trai...
Learn more about Pine Nut Mountains Vista Trail

This trail leads you to panoramic views of the Carson Valley and the Sierra Front. I prefer to start at the Johnson Lane Staging Area and travel North, but either direction is okay. The trail has a few challenges. You will encounter soft sand and loose rocks on some of the steep climbs, so have appr...
Learn more about Hot Springs Mountains Senic Trail

This trail starts off on a wide graded dirt road. Then turning Northeast you proceed up a narrow double track trail. This portion of the trail ascends up a flat topped ridge which is lined with Juniper trees. There are several small arroyos to cross along the way. The arroyos are usually dry, but ca...
Learn more about 1947 Bunker Trail

Named by the BLM, P-10 is a North/South trail passing along the East side of the Carson Valley. On the North it intersects Sunrise Pass (BLM R-09), and in the South intersecting with Pine Nut Road II (BLM P-11). P-10 is an easy trail, consisting of dirt, sand, and some rocky sections. There is a min...
Learn more about P-10 Trail

Traveling East from the Carson Valley, P-16 Trail will take you into the heart of the Pine Nut Mountains. It is a one-lane winding mountain trail that gains altitude as you go East. The trail is lined with Juniper trees and Pinion Pines, with some open areas, and offers grand views of the Sierra Fro...
Learn more about Pine Nuts P-16 Trail

This trail is commonly mapped as the Kingsbury Stinger Trail in apps, but according to the sign posted at the trail, it is not. It is Forest Service Trail 18E46, and we will refer to it as Lower Kingsbury Stinger Alternate. This trail allows you to out-and-back Kingsbury Stinger, but from a differen...
Learn more about Lower Kingsbury Stinger Alternate - FS 18E46

This trail has beautiful scenery that includes tree-filtered views of Lake Tahoe, Aspen groves, grassy meadows, a couple of small year-round streams, and the classic Sierra Nevada Mountain Forest. It is recommended for 4WD or AWD vehicles with higher clearance. Both ends of the trail offer paved sta...
Learn more about Logan House Loop 14n33

This trail can be dusty. Head size sharp rocks on hard pack with occasional tree roots. Trail is roughly a 3 (any 4x4 should make it). Saw Jeeps, SxS, and ATVs on this day. There are a few small drop-offs on the South end of the trail that could be challenging if traveling North. The trail does not ...
Learn more about Genoa Peak Summit

"East Summit Loop" starts from the main staging area and heads east, skirting the edge of "Off The Trailer." The trail heads up to the "Cable Road" and follows it through the whooped section to the east, where you will pass the first of a few great vista points. The trail continues up to a second vi...
Learn more about East Summit Loop

This road takes you to the Utopian Mine located in the Pine Nut Mountains in Carson City County, Nevada. The graded dirt road is wide and flat for the first four miles. As you cross into Carson City County, the road is named Bruinswick Canyon Road. Turning on to a double-track side trail for the las...
Learn more about Utopian Mine Trail

This track is set up with the beginner in mind. The outside loop is the easier path with gentle turns and a smooth surface. The inside loop, however, makes things a bit trickier. There are optional small jumps and even a sand and rock obstacle to cross. The track is short but a great learning spot r...
Learn more about Beginner Track

"West Summit Loop" starts off heading southeast from the main staging area. The trail takes you past "Headlight" and up to the "Cable Road," where it overlaps to the South for a bit, then turns up the hill. The trail traverses back and forth, getting steeper as you approach Golden Eagle Rock, a grea...
Learn more about West Summit Loop

The "Tot Lot" is a small dirt bike track for kids. There is a bench seat for the adult who wants a place to sit while they watch the kids. There are signs clearly posted that this is not a race track. There is no passing on the "Tot Lot." There is also a sign at the entrance that shows you what dir...
Learn more about Tot Lot

The "Sand Training Area" is an open riding zone where you can explore without the restrictions of a trail. The area changes from time to time, but there are some whoops to ride and some berms. This area is usually very busy with families and kids playing on dirt bikes and quads. If you are crossing ...
Learn more about Sand Training Area

"Off The Trailer" is a 22-acre open play area right next to the main staging area. This is a place to test your rig and skills in an open riding zone where you are not constrained to a single trail. The best part about this area is that you are right next to the staging area if anything goes wrong, ...
Learn more about Off The Trailer

This dirt road access is gated and seasonally open, with a semi-paved parking area just outside the edge of a nearby residential neighborhood. The surface starts with gravel and quickly turns to well-graded, hard-packed dirt. With only a slight incline at the start and minor dips throughout, with ve...
Learn more about High Meadows Road - FS 12N21

D5 starts off pretty soft and sandy as it heads up the hill. There are a few different routes for D5, and they all have signs telling you that you are on the trail. The trail is confusing to navigate, but the trail itself is fairly easy with not much more than sand and bumps to negotiate. There are...
Learn more about D5

"Easy Rider Trail" starts off heading up from "Cable Road" onto a sandy trail. This is a great access point to watch the action on the harder trails. "Double Waterfall" ends in "Easy Rider Trail" and if someone is struggling with the waterfall at the top of "Double Waterfall" this is a great way to ...
Learn more about Easy Rider Trail

High Meadows is a more relaxed and flowing trail in the area. The biggest challenge on the trail is the loose sand that is common to the area, but most sections were not too deep, and made carrying speed fairly easy. This is a great trail for all skill levels and has some great banked corners for ha...
Learn more about High Meadows Trail

This graded dirt county road begins at the Johnson Lane OHV Park located east of Minden, NV. As the road gradually ascends, it traverses alluvial plains covered in sage and low canyons with juniper trees. Rising to 7,000 feet at Sunrise Pass, the road takes you to the heart of the Pine Nut Mountains...
Learn more about Sunrise Pass Road

Located in the Johnson OHV park, this trail has views of Minden, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Pine Nut Mountains. A man-made dirt pile is meant to block the trail at 4.82 miles. At this point, along the ridge, there is a small area where you can turn around. The dirt trail is a double-track trai...
Learn more about Pine Nut Mountains Vista Trail

This trail leads you to panoramic views of the Carson Valley and the Sierra Front. I prefer to start at the Johnson Lane Staging Area and travel North, but either direction is okay. The trail has a few challenges. You will encounter soft sand and loose rocks on some of the steep climbs, so have appr...
Learn more about Hot Springs Mountains Senic Trail

This trail starts off on a wide graded dirt road. Then turning Northeast you proceed up a narrow double track trail. This portion of the trail ascends up a flat topped ridge which is lined with Juniper trees. There are several small arroyos to cross along the way. The arroyos are usually dry, but ca...
Learn more about 1947 Bunker Trail

This trail leads you to panoramic views of the Carson Valley and the Sierra Front. I prefer to start at the Johnson Lane Staging Area and travel North, but either direction is okay. The trail has a few challenges. You will encounter soft sand and loose rocks on some of the steep climbs, so have appr...
Learn more about Hot Springs Mountains Senic Trail

This trail starts off on a wide graded dirt road. Then turning Northeast you proceed up a narrow double track trail. This portion of the trail ascends up a flat topped ridge which is lined with Juniper trees. There are several small arroyos to cross along the way. The arroyos are usually dry, but ca...
Learn more about 1947 Bunker Trail

Named by the BLM, P-10 is a North/South trail passing along the East side of the Carson Valley. On the North it intersects Sunrise Pass (BLM R-09), and in the South intersecting with Pine Nut Road II (BLM P-11). P-10 is an easy trail, consisting of dirt, sand, and some rocky sections. There is a min...
Learn more about P-10 Trail

Traveling East from the Carson Valley, P-16 Trail will take you into the heart of the Pine Nut Mountains. It is a one-lane winding mountain trail that gains altitude as you go East. The trail is lined with Juniper trees and Pinion Pines, with some open areas, and offers grand views of the Sierra Fro...
Learn more about Pine Nuts P-16 Trail