Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Little Valley, California

This trail begins at Highway 44, travels through Lassen National Forest into Lassen Volcanic National Park, and concludes at Butte Lake. The trail is not technical, but can be eroded and present long stretches of washboards. Butte Lake, Campground, Ranger Station, and Cinder Cone hike can all be fou...
Learn more about Butte Lake

This route takes you through mostly wide gravel roads. There is a lot of moon dust/thick powder near the town of Westwood. You will be traveling through one of the largest burn scars in California, which was left by the Dixie Fire in 2021. A lot of the timber is still standing.
Learn more about Buffalo Chips

This trail cuts through the Lassen National Forest, surrounded by lots of black oak trees within a small canyon setting. The trail surface consists of hard-packed dirt with some gravel, maintaining a width of one vehicle throughout the route. Many views of the surrounding mountains accompany the dri...
Learn more about Pit Canyon Flat - FS 37N57Y

This 7-mile point-to-point trail starts on Highway 89 and ends at a private land area, traveling through the Lassen National Forest as the main feeder trail to other trails in the area for further exploration. The route consists of a gravel road maintaining a width of 1.5 vehicles throughout, provid...
Learn more about Soldier Mountain Reservoir - FS 37N03

This 3-mile point-to-point trail starts and ends on Soldier Mtn Reservoir - FS 37N03 and ends on Pit Canyon Flat - FS 37N57Y, traveling through the Lassen National Forest in an area featuring a mix of pine and oak trees along with some small grassy meadows. The trail surface consists of hard-packed ...
Learn more about Pit Warner Grade - FS 37N01

This 10-mile out-and-back trail climbs over 1,700 feet in 5 miles, starting and returning to Soldier Mountain Reservoir - FS 37N03. The trail travels through the Lassen National Forest, surrounded by lots of black oak and pine trees throughout the substantial climb. The trail surface consists of har...
Learn more about Soldier Mountain Lookout - FS 38N03

This 6-mile out-and-back trail starts and ends on Soldier Mountain Reservoir - FS 37N03, traveling through the Lassen National Forest surrounded by oaks and pine trees. The trail surface consists of hard-packed dirt and gravel, providing generally stable footing at the outset of the route. Various m...
Learn more about West Fort Mountain - FS 37N02Y

This 2.5-mile out-and-back trail is short but demanding, climbing over 400 feet along a steep shelf ridge with a few switchbacks before ending at the top of Fort Mountain. The trail is very narrow with lots of overgrown deer brush throughout, and drivers will get pinstripes as they push through thi...
Learn more about Fort Mountain - FS 53052

This 2-mile out-and-back trail starts and ends at Soldier Mountain Lookout Trail, dropping almost 349 feet along its short length. The trail is very narrow with lots of overgrown brush, including deer brush, lining the corridor throughout the route. Vehicle contact with this vegetation is essentiall...
Learn more about Pit Soldier Mountain - FS 37N28Y

This 9-mile out-and-back trail starts on Clark Creek Road and travels through the Lassen National Forest, surrounded by a forest of ponderosa trees and manzanita bushes. The trail surface consists of hard-packed dirt that can get very dusty throughout the drive. Heading south, views of Lookout Mount...
Learn more about Pit Long Valley - FS 35N15

This trail starts on Clark Creek Road and cuts through the Lassen National Forest as well as some private land, so staying on the trail is essential to respect these boundaries. Wood cutting is not allowed along this route. The trail climbs almost 1,300 feet and drops over 600 feet, creating signifi...
Learn more about Pit Goose Valley - FS 36N14

The trail is wide with nice gravel. The entire route has road signs, so you can't really get lost. Up by the actual lake, the gravel road gets steep, but some pavement has been put in for the steep section. The route ends at Crater Lake, which is also a campground.
Learn more about Crater Lake

This 2-mile out-and-back trail starts and ends at Pit Goose Valley Trail, climbing over 313 feet within the Lassen National Forest through a pine forest environment. The trail surface consists of packed, dusty dirt that starts wide and narrows as the route progresses. The trail immediately starts cl...
Learn more about Pit Long Valley Spur - FS 36N08

This is how you will get from Spaulding Tract out to county road A1, also known as Eagle Lake Road. The route is dusty and a bit rocky, but not hard. Trees will be down across the trail at random locations. This is not the only way to get out to Eagle Lake Road, but one of the best ways to get out t...
Learn more about A1

This 6+ mile out-and-back trail starts and ends on Pit Goose Valley, traveling through the Lassen National Forest amid lots of ponderosa pine trees, California black oak, manzanita, and other flora. The trail surface consists of hard-packed dirt that is dusty throughout the drive. The route runs alo...
Learn more about Pit River Rim - FS 36N20

This 3-mile out-and-back trail starts and ends on Pit Goose Valley, climbing over 730 feet in a short distance within the Lassen National Forest. The route travels through a landscape surrounded by lots of ponderosa pine trees, creating a classic forest driving experience throughout the climb. The t...
Learn more about Pit Southwest Mountain - FS 36N21

This is a fun drive up through the mountains that will require 4x4 high clearance. However, it does not require lockers. Bring a lunch and enjoy the backcountry, with some great views of valleys and mountains.
Learn more about Jack's Backbone

This point-to-point trail runs east to west within the Shasta National Forest, connecting West Lava Rim - FS 40N93Y with Long Grade - FS 40N03. The trail surface is very loose, sand-like dirt, and gets quite dusty, so good traction tires are highly recommended. Lots of ruts up to 8 inches deep appea...
Learn more about Well - FS 40N50

This 4.5-mile point-to-point trail starts at Well - FS 40N50 and ends at Sand Flat - FS 40N49. The surface is loose red dirt that gets very dusty, staying 1.5 vehicles wide throughout. The route runs through the Shasta National Forest amid many pine trees, with visible piles from past logging operat...
Learn more about Long Grade - FS 40N03

This trail sits on the border of the Shasta and Lassen National Forests, with Lassen to the south and Shasta to the north. It functions as a great east to west route to connect with other trails in the area. The road starts as graded gravel before turning into a winding dirt road through the forest ...
Learn more about Old Camp Two - FS 41N03

This route takes you through mostly wide gravel roads. There is a lot of moon dust/thick powder near the town of Westwood. You will be traveling through one of the largest burn scars in California, which was left by the Dixie Fire in 2021. A lot of the timber is still standing.
Learn more about Buffalo Chips

This trail cuts through the Lassen National Forest, surrounded by lots of black oak trees within a small canyon setting. The trail surface consists of hard-packed dirt with some gravel, maintaining a width of one vehicle throughout the route. Many views of the surrounding mountains accompany the dri...
Learn more about Pit Canyon Flat - FS 37N57Y

This 7-mile point-to-point trail starts on Highway 89 and ends at a private land area, traveling through the Lassen National Forest as the main feeder trail to other trails in the area for further exploration. The route consists of a gravel road maintaining a width of 1.5 vehicles throughout, provid...
Learn more about Soldier Mountain Reservoir - FS 37N03

This 3-mile point-to-point trail starts and ends on Soldier Mtn Reservoir - FS 37N03 and ends on Pit Canyon Flat - FS 37N57Y, traveling through the Lassen National Forest in an area featuring a mix of pine and oak trees along with some small grassy meadows. The trail surface consists of hard-packed ...
Learn more about Pit Warner Grade - FS 37N01

This route takes you through mostly wide gravel roads. There is a lot of moon dust/thick powder near the town of Westwood. You will be traveling through one of the largest burn scars in California, which was left by the Dixie Fire in 2021. A lot of the timber is still standing.
Learn more about Buffalo Chips

This trail cuts through the Lassen National Forest, surrounded by lots of black oak trees within a small canyon setting. The trail surface consists of hard-packed dirt with some gravel, maintaining a width of one vehicle throughout the route. Many views of the surrounding mountains accompany the dri...
Learn more about Pit Canyon Flat - FS 37N57Y

This 7-mile point-to-point trail starts on Highway 89 and ends at a private land area, traveling through the Lassen National Forest as the main feeder trail to other trails in the area for further exploration. The route consists of a gravel road maintaining a width of 1.5 vehicles throughout, provid...
Learn more about Soldier Mountain Reservoir - FS 37N03

This 3-mile point-to-point trail starts and ends on Soldier Mtn Reservoir - FS 37N03 and ends on Pit Canyon Flat - FS 37N57Y, traveling through the Lassen National Forest in an area featuring a mix of pine and oak trees along with some small grassy meadows. The trail surface consists of hard-packed ...
Learn more about Pit Warner Grade - FS 37N01