Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Lee Vining, California

This well-graded Forest Service road takes you along a cliff overlooking the 120 below. It offers stunning views of the East Sierras into Yosemite National Park. After the cliff, it meanders into the forest and…
Learn more about IN05 to Roberts Station

This short track is accessed from Highway 395. It is a sandy, easy road. Horse Meadow is a pretty meadow that offers beautiful views of Eastern Sierra. Currently, the trail is closed 1.23 miles down…
Learn more about Horse Meadows

Farrington Siphon North Trail is a well-graded gravel road. It hugs a cliff edge 350 feet above Highway 395. It offers beautiful views of Mono Lake, Mono Craters, and the surrounding mountain peaks. It can…
Learn more about Farrington Siphon North

This trail is a side spur trail off of the Log Cabin Mine Ridge Trail. The trail takes you to a spot with 360 views of Mono Lake, the surrounding Eastern Sierra Peaks, and into…
Learn more about 1N03C

This scenic route runs parallel to the south side of Mono Lake, taking you past the historic South Tufa formations where you can learn about the area's geological history. The trail climbs just under 100…
Learn more about Test Station Road

This descent drops over 250 feet in just 2.5 miles as it approaches Mono Lake through scenic open terrain. The sand and gravel trail makes its way down towards the lake through an open meadow…
Learn more about Oil Plant Road - FS 01N18

This route runs parallel to Highway 395, passing by the June Lake utility district and offering beautiful views of Crater Mountain, the Eastern Sierras, and Mono Lake throughout the journey. The trail is one vehicle…
Learn more about Old State Highway - FS1S29D

This gravel trail is well-graded for most of the year. It takes you on a scenic journey through Sawmill Canyon. It offers beautiful views of Mt. Gibbs, Mt. Lewis, Parker Peak, Blacktop Peak, Mono Lake,…
Learn more about Farrington Siphon South

This 5-mile track begins just north of the Mono Lake Visitor Center and immediately delivers sweeping views of Mono Lake and its unique tufas. The road starts paved, but by mile 1.2, it transitions into…
Learn more about Cemetery Road

This bouncy trail gains access to the Walker Lake Trailhead. It starts off with more sand and rocks. As it climbs in elevation, it turns into gravel and rocks. The trail goes through a pinyon…
Learn more about Walker Lake Trailhead

This route drops around 150 feet in elevation as it heads toward Mono Lake, cutting through the scenic pumice Valley. The sand and pumice trail follows power lines and is surrounded by impressive views of…
Learn more about Pumice Valley - FS1N36

This relatively flat trail takes you to the historic Panum Crater, offering an educational and scenic journey through volcanic terrain. The route provides beautiful views of the Eastern Sierras and Crater Mountain area, as well…
Learn more about Panum Crater Road - FS 1S28

This 5-mile out-and-back trail cuts through open meadows lined with sage and brush, offering stunning views of the Eastern Sierra mountains as well as Mono Lake and Crater Mountain. Note, although this trail has the…
Learn more about Parker Lake Road - NF1S25

This route is accessed off Cemetery Road, just east of Highway 395, and offers some of the best views of Mono Lake and its islands, along with great views of the Eastern Sierras and the…
Learn more about Black Point - FS 2N42

This scenic descent drops 380 feet over 1.7 miles as it approaches the South Tufa area at Mono Lake. The trail leads from the Panum Crater area down to near Mono Lake, winding slowly into…
Learn more about Panum Crater Pit - FS 1N30

This 8-mile out-and-back trail starts at the June Lake Scenic Loop and wraps around the east side of Grant Lake, offering a chance to experience the beauty of Grant Lake up close. You'll pass two…
Learn more about Grant Lake Road - FS 1S30

This trail begins on the east side of Highway 395 just south of Highway 120 and ends at West Portal Road. It is a sandy, dusty, and relatively narrow trail, approximately one vehicle wide, with…
Learn more about Forest Service Road 1S52

This route runs parallel to Mono Lake, providing 360-degree views of all the surrounding mountains. You can see the peaks of the Sierra Nevadas, including Mount Dana, Mount Gibbs, and Tioga Peak, which form the…
Learn more about FS 2N19

This trail starts on Highway 395 between the north and south entrances to the June Lake Scenic Loop, providing a direct route to Grant Lake. The wide, sandy track features a few patches of gravel…
Learn more about Grant Lake Cutoff

This trail is accessed from two points on Highway 395 just south of Highway 120. It is a dusty gravel road, ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 vehicles wide, and is relatively smooth with occasional washboards.…
Learn more about West Portal Road

This route climbs almost 800 feet and drops almost 200 feet over just over 4.5 miles, following the power line from North Shore Drive. The trail runs parallel to Highway 395 and offers views of…
Learn more about FS 1S105

This route climbs 800 feet and drops 200 feet within 2.5 miles, offering good views of the Eastern Sierra, Mono Lake, and Crater Lake throughout the journey. The very dusty trail can have deep sand…
Learn more about FS 1S104

This route starts at Cottonwood Canyon Road and ends at Highway 167 near the junction of Highway 395. The sandy graded road runs parallel to Mono Lake and offers good views of Mono Lake and…
Learn more about Goat Ranch Cutoff

This seasonally graded gravel road offers sweeping views of Mono Lake and the Eastern Sierra, with unique boulder formations, old farmhouses, and the historic Conway Ranch along the route. In season, yellow wildflowers add vibrant…
Learn more about Conway Ranch Road

This scenic descent drops almost 700 feet over just under 6 miles, offering spectacular views and diverse terrain. Starting from the south in a sparse pine forest, the route quickly opens to a huge meadow…
Learn more about FS 1N11

This 3-mile in-and-out trail leads to the base of Crater Mountain, offering pretty views of the Eastern Sierras and Crater Mountain throughout the journey. The route climbs over 400 feet in just over 1.4 miles,…
Learn more about Crater Mountain - FS 1S18

This 3-mile out-and-back trail begins on a dusty gravel and pumice road. The first mile is relatively smooth, with occasional large rocks. After reaching FS 128, the trail narrows and is lined with sharp brush,…
Learn more about Aeolian Butte - FS 1S128B / FS 128

This diverse route drops 338 feet over just over 3 miles, transitioning through multiple terrain types and ecosystems. Starting in an open meadow lined with lots of hardy low bushes, the trail steps into a…
Learn more about Crater Mountain Flats - FS 1S03

This route runs parallel to Mono Lake, starting on Forest Service Road 2N43 and ending on Highway 167. The trail offers 360-degree views of all the surrounding mountains and Mono Lake throughout the journey. At…
Learn more about Wadford Springs Cutoff - FS 2N47

This 8-mile out-and-back trail climbs 1,074 feet in just under 4 miles, transitioning from open meadows to pine forest terrain. The track starts one vehicle wide, lined with brush in the meadows, then widens as…
Learn more about Reversed Peak - FS 1S31