Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Lake Isabella, California

Engineers Point runs along a shelf road tracing a peninsula on Lake Isabella, rolling up and down a series of steep hills with lake views throughout. The trail can be run as a straight out-and-back…
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Engineers Point Overlook is a short but steep climb delivering some of the best elevated views in the Lake Isabella area. The trail ascends over 100 feet to a high viewpoint above the lake where…
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Sawmill Road is the primary west-to-east corridor in this section of the Sequoia National Forest, departing from Rancheria Road North and climbing over 2,300 feet in just over 7.5 miles. The trail runs along a…
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To get to this trail, you will first need to come down Black Gulch Jeep Trail heading West from Hwy 155. You will continue driving until the pavement turns to dirt at the last public…
Learn more about Kern River Getaway - 27S30

FS 25S02 departs from the north side of Old State Road and runs along a shelf road delivering some of the most stunning views in the network. Lake Isabella, the town of Lake Isabella, and…
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Old State Road South begins as a wide, graded dirt road and winds its way upward through a series of switchbacks toward the mountains, delivering some of the most dramatic views in the area. Lake…
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Kissack Cove runs along the shoreline of Kissack Cove on Lake Isabella through open grassland, offering one of the more relaxed and scenic drives in the area. The lake views are consistent throughout, with the…
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Mount Mesa (FS 26S40A) departs from California Route 198 and rolls through a large open meadow running parallel to Kissack Bay on Lake Isabella before looping around the bay. The meadow and bay setting delivers…
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A long scenic route crosses the sprawling high desert from Jawbone OHV Area, climbs above 8,000 feet across the Piute Mountain Range inside Sequoia National Forest, and then descends quickly to Lake Isabella. There are…
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Cookes Peak (FS 25S21) departs and returns to Rancheria Road North, running along a shelf road with consistent views down into Lake Isabella, the valley below, and the mountains across the way. The dirt and…
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Rattlesnake (FS 26S34B) branches off Patterson Lane and runs along the south shore of Lake Isabella through an open grass meadow ringed by the foothills of the Sequoia National Forest. The lakeside access makes this…
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Brown's Mill (FS 26S04) departs from Rancheria Road South and winds through a thick stand of pine and other trees within Sequoia National Forest. A partial shelf road section opens up views of the valleys…
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Lone Star (FS 26S24) winds through a grassy hill area surrounded by trees within Sequoia National Forest, connecting Brown's Mill to the Mayflower 4x4 Trail. The landscape has an open, pastoral quality with grassy clearings…
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Shirley Meadows FS 25S31 departs from Rancheria Road and pushes into a thick stand of tall pine trees within Sequoia National Forest. The dense forest canopy and shelf road character give this trail a different…
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Evans Flat (FS 32E53A) runs north to south from Evans Flat Campground, tracing a ridgetop course through the thick Sequoia National Forest. The dense canopy closes in along much of the route, with low-hanging branches…
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Rancheria Road North (FS 25S15) is one of the primary north-to-south corridors through this section of Sequoia National Forest, serving as the gateway to numerous spur trails in the network. The hard-packed dirt and gravel…
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Rhymes FS 26S19 branches off Rancheria Road North and runs along a shelf road for the majority of its length, with a significant drop off into the canyon below throughout. The hard-packed dirt surface is…
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Frank FS 26S07 departs from Rancheria Road and runs along a narrow shelf road through grass and pine forest, much of which shows significant burn damage from the 2021 French Fire. Views of the valley…
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North Evans (FS 32E30) serves as a key connector linking Sawmill Road, Evans Flat (FS 32E53A), Woodward Peak (FS 32E53), Borderline 4WD (FS 32E42), and Rancheria Road North into a cohesive network. The trail cuts…
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Rancheria Spur FS 25S15C is a smooth, well-maintained shelf road spur off Rancheria Road that cuts through a pine forest still bearing visible signs of the 2021 French Fire. Glimpses of the canyon below, the…
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Poso Creek East (FS 26S29) runs along a wide ridge line through Sequoia National Forest with open views of the valleys and mountains on both sides. The evidence of the 2021 French Fire is very…
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Wendy Gap FS 25S17 departs from Rancheria Road near the Summit Forest Service Ranger Station and loops back to the same road through the heart of Sequoia National Forest. The trail runs along a shelf…
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Likely Saddle FS 26S20 serves as a connector between Rancheria Road and various other trails in the network, threading through thick pine forest within Sequoia National Forest. The hard-packed dirt surface is fairly smooth, and…
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Rancheria Road South (FS 25S15), beginning at Evans Flat Campground and running south through Sequoia National Forest. As one of the primary north-to-south arteries in the area, it is well-maintained and provides access to numerous…
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West Evans (FS 31E62) departs from Rancheria Road South and climbs steadily through dense pine forest within Sequoia National Forest. The trail is extremely narrow, barely one vehicle wide, with low-hanging branches that will make…
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Eagle (FS 27S13) branches off Brown's Mill and winds through dense pine trees and grasses within Sequoia National Forest. Shelf road sections break open the canopy at intervals, revealing views of the mountains and valley…
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Basket Pass (FS 26S05) departs from Rancheria Road South and runs along a shelf road through pine forest within Sequoia National Forest, with beautiful views opening up over the valley below toward the Bakersfield area.…
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Black Mountain Saddle (FS 32E59) branches off Calf Creek and pushes through a grass and pine forest corridor within Sequoia National Forest, much of which bears heavy evidence of the 2021 French Fire. The trail…
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Patterson Lane (FS 26S34) departs from California Route 198 and enters the South Fork Wildlife Area within Sequoia National Forest, offering a gentle and scenic drive through protected forest land. The hard-packed sand surface and…
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Little Poso Creek (FS 26S12) climbs over 700 feet in just under 2 miles, winding through a large stand of pine trees within Sequoia National Forest, with evidence of the 2021 French Fire visible throughout.…
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