Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Gardnerville Ranchos, Nevada

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

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

The trail begins on a dirt road just off Highway 395 and quickly descends into a lush valley. In this valley, the path follows a creek, winding in and out of dense vegetation. At times, the vehicle feels like it's traveling through a tunnel formed by the overhanging trees and greenery. While the tra...
Learn more about Poison Creek

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 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

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

Incense Cedar Trail is a very flowy trail overall and great for all skill levels. It mostly consists of relatively banked corners and small fun rollers that can be ridden normally, wheelied, jumped, etc. One end of the trail has a couple of small rock lines that are optional, but the trail is mostly...
Learn more about Incense Cedar Trail

Lower Corral Trail is full of jumps and berms (best ridden downhill and to avoid conflict with mountain bikers). The alternate line allows you to bypass a handful of jumps in the jump line and just ride some fun, continuous corners. This is great for those wanting more corners instead of jumps or fo...
Learn more about Corral Trail Alt Turns

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

The route starts at a parking lot along the paved Fountain Place Road (FS 1201) that also serves as the trailhead for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, a popular mountain bike trail. The route continues past the lot to a seasonal gate. Past the gate, conditions shift quickly from gravel to hard-packed dirt with...
Learn more about Saxon Tie Road - FS 12N17

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

Start from a paved parking lot with a seasonally open gate, descending onto dirt almost immediately as you proceed. Recent logging activity lines the first stretch where you'll see stacked logs and marked trees along the well graded dirt and gravel surface. About a third of a mile in you reach a cul...
Learn more about Saxon Creek Road - FS 12N01A

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

Pistol Point Trail is one vehicle wide with places to pass on this double track dirt trail. The trail ascends from an elevation of 8,820 feet to a maximum elevation of 9,286 feet. There is a seasonal, shallow, narrow water crossing on this trail. Snow can be found about a mile from the trail head, ...
Learn more about Pistol Point Trail

This 2.5-mile out-and-back trail begins from Leviathan Road and offers a quick but rugged climb. The route gains over 450 feet in under a mile before dropping about 130 feet to its end high above Poison Creek, where wide views open across the valley below. The track is one vehicle wide, made of dirt...
Learn more about Water Tank Spur - FS 31347

The trail begins at the end of Leviathan Mine Road, where a seasonal gate controls access. From start to finish, the route drops over 1,500 feet and climbs about 450 feet in just over six miles before connecting to Poison Creek Trail. The road is about one and a half vehicles wide and made up of san...
Learn more about Leviathan Road East - FS 31052

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

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

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

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

The trail begins on a dirt road just off Highway 395 and quickly descends into a lush valley. In this valley, the path follows a creek, winding in and out of dense vegetation. At times, the vehicle feels like it's traveling through a tunnel formed by the overhanging trees and greenery. While the tra...
Learn more about Poison Creek