Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Greenhorn, California

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Happy Valley Ridgeline

Mix of fire roads and old logging roads. The area has been scorched by fire recently. There are a lot of downed trees that cross the trail, be prepared with a chain saw or chain/rope.…
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Total Miles
33.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

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

Bonta Ridge - NF23N05Y

Bonta Ridge is an occasionally maintained gravel Forest Service road that climbs from Bonta Creek Road above the CA-70 highway up to Penman Saddle and points beyond in this section of the Plumas National Forest.…
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Total Miles
4.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Deer Lake, Gold Valley

Total Miles
37.9
Tech Rating
2 Moderate
Best Time
Su

Taylor Lake/Lucky S Mine/Kettle Rock Lookout Loop

The trail has smooth flowing sections, loose, rocky climbs, and hardpacked rocky roads with seasonal low water crossings. The road up to the lookout is steep with loose rock. Leading up to and past Taylor…
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Total Miles
18.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Sugarpine - NF22N55

Dirt Forest Service road accessing a network of roads climbing Beckwourth Mountain just outside of Portola, California. This looks to be the primary route accessing the summit from town. The road is wider and looks…
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Total Miles
3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Beckwourth - NF23N03

Dirt Forest Service road accessing a network of roads climbing Beckwourth Mountain just outside of Portola, California. This is one of the primary routes into this section of the forest from town. These roads are…
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Total Miles
3.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Beckwourth Tie Spur - NF23N03YB

Dirt Forest Service road accessing a network of roads climbing Beckwourth Mountain just outside of Portola, California. These roads are seldom maintained and are occasionally clogged with manzanita overgrowth. Pinstriping is likely. These roads start…
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Total Miles
2.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Sugarpine Spur A - NF22N55A

Dirt Forest Service road accessing a network of roads climbing Beckwourth Mountain just outside of Portola, California. This spur accesses the communications tower equipment on private property at the summit of Beckwourth Peak. There is…
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Total Miles
2.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Beckwourth Tie - NF23N03Y

Dirt Forest Service Road accesses a network of roads climbing Beckwourth Mountain just outside Portola, California. These roads are seldom maintained and are occasionally clogged with manzanita overgrowth. Pinstriping is likely. These roads start at…
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Total Miles
3.3
Tech Rating
2 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

Bear Valley Loop Trail

Bear Valley Loop Trail is a beginner trail located off Hwy 89 starting right at "Little Truckee Summit". The loop takes off and ends at the Bear Valley Campground. Head in on Cottonwood Road off…
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Total Miles
19.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Willow Lake Road 29N14

Willow Lake Road takes you to Willow Lake Campground where there are opportunities for fishing, hiking, hot springs, geysers and wildlife viewing. The road in is doable in any high clearance vehicle. When approaching the…
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Total Miles
4.2
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Crystal Peak Mine Loop

This loop trail offers wide panoramas of endless mountain forests and picturesque views of multiple reservoirs all along an easily traversed dirt road. An exciting surprise awaits at the midway point of the trail--the Crystal…
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Total Miles
26.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

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

Shirttail Canyon

Total Miles
23.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Boca Hill

Boca Hill Trail is a 2.5 mile trail. The trail passes the peak of Boca Hill, a great place to stop and get some pictures from above I-80 with many peaks in the background. The…
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Total Miles
2.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Peavine Prospector Run

Spectacular views of Reno abound from high above on this trail that traverses historic Peavine Mountain. In stark contrast to the urban hustle and bustle of Reno, Peavine showcases the desolate beauty of the harsh…
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Total Miles
11.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / 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

Dry Lakes Loop

The trail starts at a cattle guard after you leave the staging area. The first few miles are soft sand with little to no obstruction. The area to the north side of the trail is…
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Total Miles
20.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Logan House Loop 14n33

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…
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Total Miles
8.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Genoa Peak Road - 41306

You'll get some great views of Lake Tahoe from this trail. It's a wide, single-lane gravel trail that's moderately to heavily used during the summer. There are gates at both ends of the road which…
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Total Miles
10.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
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

Pony Express Trail

The historic Pony Express Trail is one of the few domestic overland routes accessible to the public. This route follows as closely as possible to the original trail ridden over 160 years ago on horseback.Make…
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Total Miles
463.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Brunswick Canyon

Brunswick Canyon Road is fairly easy; 85% of the trail is single vehicle wide with tight switchbacks. Mostly packed gravel trail with areas of loose rocks and a couple of water crossings. The Northern end…
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Total Miles
11.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

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

Old Como Road

This road begins at Dayton, Nevada, and gradually rises in elevation from 4367' to 7128' into the Pine Nut Mountains and is located on mostly BLM lands. The trail starts off over a flat alluvial…
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Total Miles
18.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Pine Nut Mountains Vista Trail

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…
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Total Miles
2.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Sunrise Pass Road

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.…
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Total Miles
23
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa

Utopian Mine Trail

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…
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Total Miles
5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa