Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Iron Horse, California

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…
Learn more about Sugarpine - NF22N55

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…
Learn more about Beckwourth - NF23N03

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…
Learn more about Sugarpine Spur A - NF22N55A

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…
Learn more about Beckwourth Tie Spur - NF23N03YB

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…
Learn more about Beckwourth Tie - NF23N03Y

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…
Learn more about Bonta Creek - NF23N33

Trail begins with an easy climb to a high scenic ridge above beautiful Deer Lake. The route then descends into rugged Gold Valley and heads north past mines and lakes. To modify the trip, you…
Learn more about Deer Lake, Gold Valley

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.…
Learn more about Bonta Ridge - NF23N05Y

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.…
Learn more about Happy Valley Ridgeline

This trail starts across from Packer Lake. There is a staging area at the bottom if you need to trailer your rig. The trail heads up to Tamarack Lakes. The two lakes are almost the…
Learn more about Tamarack Lakes 12E33

This is a short connector trail from the Sierra Buttes parking area to the Packer Lake Saddle. It weaves along the hilltop with open views, including a fantastic view towards the Sierra Butte and fire…
Learn more about Gold Valley Connector

Sunrise is a 1.4-mile-long connecting route between Butcher Ranch Trail and the Sierra Buttes Trailhead. This trail is generally easy, being smooth and flowy, with big banked corners, wide gradual switchbacks, and minor embedded rock.…
Learn more about Sunrise

This is a short 0.6 mile segment of trail near the Packer Lake Saddle that is easy and beginner-friendly. It starts and ends off of the Sunrise trail, which is similar in easy difficulty. It…
Learn more about Pack Saddle Loop

This is a short singletrack, half a mile long, that drops down from the road (FS 93-002) near the Sierra Buttes Trailhead. It curves down the hillside through a series of easy and wide switchbacks…
Learn more about Pack Saddle Drop

As you begin from Verdi, the paved road is great, then you begin the uphill, which is a very hard-packed 1.5 1.5-wide road with some small, sharp, pointed rocks. As you get closer to the…
Learn more about Verdi-Sardine-Loyalton

Meadow Lake Road is the continuation of the Bowman Lake Road trail. The scenery is breathtaking and the camping and recreational opportunities are plentiful. This area of the Sierra Nevada usually is snow-free sometime in…
Learn more about Meadow Lake Road

Meadow Lake Road makes a loop from Webber Lake to Jackson Meadows, with Meadow Lake situated in the middle. The section that begins just past Webber Lake is a fairly well-maintained, graded road used by…
Learn more about Meadow Lake Road

This trail is perfect for beginners and is relatively smooth, with shady roads and a small water crossing. It's pretty scenic and relaxing. Camping is available, but there was a fire restriction when I was…
Learn more about Austin Meadows

The Perazzo Meadows trail offers a scenic and mostly moderate off-road adventure through stunning wetland meadows along the Little Truckee River. This route includes meadow crossings, loose rocks, small water crossings, and some steeper sections.…
Learn more about Perazzo Meadows

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…
Learn more about Bear Valley Loop Trail

This trail begins just east of Bowman Lake at the Jackson Creek Campground. The trail is marked with a few signs and features a large pullout at the starting point. It offers a bumpy, rocky…
Learn more about Faucherie 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…
Learn more about Bowman Lake

Sawmill Lake Trail begins with a gentle climb from the Faucherie Lake Trail. As you crest the first hill, you'll catch your first glimpse of Sawmill Lake. There are campsites on the lakeside of the…
Learn more about Sawmill Lake

Most of the trail to the lake is relatively easy and straightforward. However, the final descent down to the lakeshore is the most challenging section of the entire route. Once you reach an open meadow…
Learn more about White Rock Lake

Very easy route given type of vehicle used. While most of it is good place for a beginner to start learning how to use a SXS, be careful on the speed as there are blind…
Learn more about Dooley Creek to Black Mountain Lookout

The trail begins just beyond the charming town of Washington, nestled among towering, lush green pine trees. Shortly after the town, the well-maintained gravel road winds through dense forests of pine and spruce trees, traversing…
Learn more about Washington Gaston

This is one of only a couple ATV options within the Mount Hough trail system. It is 1.9 miles long, and starts out on the west end by climbing straight up a hillside on a…
Learn more about Grizzly Ridge

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…
Learn more about Taylor Lake/Lucky S Mine/Kettle Rock Lookout Loop

This is a single-track dirt trail with consistent switchbacks, shelf sections, and a constant climb up from the valley below. Easily accessible from CA 395, high clearance vehicles with 4x4 are recommended on this route.…
Learn more about Crofts Follie Trail

This trail is more like a fire road and features a few climbs and tight turns. It has a couple of areas designated for dispersed camping and offers some views of the canyon. The trail…
Learn more about Red Ant