Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Madera, California

A primary, 6.4-mile Forest Service access road that transitions from graded gravel (easy, fast travel) to a rutted dirt track as it moves into the western end, which was affected by past wildfires. It is…
Learn more about Miami Mountain Road - FS 6S014

Sonny Meadow (FS 5S016) acts as a rugged "sampler platter" of Sierra road conditions, serving as a key access point into the National Forest from the west side. The trail begins with a long, slow…
Learn more about Sonny Meadow - FS 5S016

Pilot Peak - Lower (FS 5S012A) serves as the appetizer to the main Pilot Peak experience. This section is a tight and twisty affair that winds its way through a mix of oak and conifer…
Learn more about Pilot Peak - Lower - FS 5S012

Chowchilla Mountain Road (FS 5S09) is the legendary "backdoor" into Yosemite National Park that every overland explorer dreams of finding. Starting from Harris Cut Off Road, the trail begins deceptively tame as a well-graded double-track.…
Learn more about Chowchilla Mountain Road - FS 5S090

Ponderosa Fire Line - Lower (FS 6S017) is the friendly, welcoming face of a trail with a split personality. Situated below the junction with Hugh Ryan, this section behaves like a civilized forest boulevard compared…
Learn more about Ponderosa Fire Line - Lower - FS 6S017

Kamook (FS 6S041) is the breezy, open-air sibling in the Miami Mountain family. Serving as the primary east-west artery through the Miami Mountain OHV system, this 1.5-lane gravel forest road is designed for speed and…
Learn more about Kamook - FS 6S041

China Wells (FS 6S015) serves as the primary "spinal cord" of the Miami Mountain OHV system. This wide, well-graded forest service road runs north-south through the network, connecting the popular Kamook Staging Area to the…
Learn more about China Wells - FS 6S015

This is a short segment of single track, less than half a mile long, that weaves through a scenic forest of oak trees, Jeffrey pine, manzanita, and scrub oak. It is a narrow and winding…
Learn more about 21E203

Ponderosa Fire Line - Upper (FS 6S017) is the rowdy, untamed sibling of the gentle lower road. While the section below Hugh Ryan is a smooth cruise, crossing that junction acts like a portal to…
Learn more about Ponderosa Fire Line - Upper - FS 6S017

Hugh Ryan (FS 6S024) is the surprisingly scenic backbone of the Miami Mountain network, acting as a wide, welcoming bridge between Highway 41 and the western slopes near Highway 49/Worman Road. This easy, graded forest…
Learn more about Hugh Ryan - FS 6S024

This is a 0.6-mile-long ATV trail that is very mild and easy, ideal for all skill levels. It starts and ends off of Silver Knob Road (FS 6S063), winding along a hillside on a wide…
Learn more about 21E238

Pilot Cutoff (FS 6S063A) is a trail that comes with a serious warning label: "Horribly Tight." While it appears on the map as a useful connector within the Silver Knob/Miami network, in reality, it is…
Learn more about Pilot Cutoff - FS 6S063A

This is a short connector route and bypass for the nearby portion of Ten Mile Grade that passes through the private property of the adjacent Yosemite Mountain Ranch. This is a fast, single-lane dirt Forest…
Learn more about Ten Mile Spur - FS 5S062

This is a short segment of single track that connects dirt bike trails 21E338 and 21E203. It is an easy segment of trail that weaves underneath a canopy of black oak trees and manzanita, tightly…
Learn more about 21E201

This is a short dirt bike trail that winds through the scrub oak and pine trees on a narrow, but easy single track for 0.6 miles. It has some tight curves and deeply rutted sections…
Learn more about 21E338

This is a short and easy ATV trail through the northwest corner of the Miami OHV trail system. Although it is a steep grade for almost the entire 0.7 miles, it remains quite easy because…
Learn more about 21E239

This sandy and dusty trail winds through canyon terrain, dropping 1,600 feet and climbing just over 400 feet across just over 5 miles of diverse landscape. Starting at the Stairway Trail and Sweetwater Trail junction…
Learn more about Feliciana Mountain Road - FS 4S012

This is a fast, fun, single-lane connector road that links the 10 Mile Spur to Miami Mountain Road (6S014). The route is predominantly hard-packed dirt under a dense canopy of pine and cedar. Driving at…
Learn more about Wolf Leap - FS 6S009

Annex Sale (FS 7S062Y) is a short, sweet, and incredibly useful out-and-back trail for anyone looking to escape the crowds near Bass Lake. Branching off the paved Highland Drive, this easy dirt two-track climbs gently…
Learn more about Annex Sale - FS 7S062Y

This is an easy ATV trail in general, but as of September 2025, the trail had not been cleared of a few giant logs that will make it impassable for ATVs, and much more difficult…
Learn more about 21E202

This short ATV trail is a wide, silty path lined with scrub oak, in a dry forest terrain in the Sierra National Forest north of Oakhurst, California. The north end of the trail climbs up…
Learn more about 21E240B

Starting from Highway 140, this rugged track drops nearly 1,500 feet and climbs less than 300 feet in under 4 miles before connecting with Ponderosa Way at the top. The trail averages 1 to 1.5…
Learn more about Buffalo Gulch Road

This is a scenic, 9.5-mile single-lane dirt road that rapidly gains elevation as it climbs through the forest impacted by the 2022 Oak Wildfire. The route offers dramatic, expansive views due to the lack of…
Learn more about Footman Ridge - FS 5S025

This is a half-mile-long ATV trail that leaves directly from the Kamook staging area and goes south. It zig zags up a hillside through some pretty steep turns, on a wide, silty dirt path. It…
Learn more about 21E230

This is a very short ATV trail that departs from 21E244 on a deeply rutted path, then drops down and curves around the hillside on a shelfy, but wide and smoother path. The forest is…
Learn more about 21E245

This is a historically significant, long single-lane dirt road that is generally easy (Rated 1) but is NOT a through route due to closures. The surface is a mix of packed dirt, embedded rock, and…
Learn more about Ten Mile Grade - FS 4S004

This trail is a challenging off-road adventure known for its steep inclines, deep ruts, and rugged terrain. The path climbs sharply from the base, demanding both driver skill and a well-equipped 4x4 vehicle. Traction becomes…
Learn more about The Stairway

West Malum Ridge (FS 7S075) is a relaxed, scenic cruiser that invites you to roll down the windows and breathe in the Sierra air. This easy dirt road serves primarily as an access route to…
Learn more about West Malum Ridge - FS 7S075

21E227 is a very easy ATV trail through the Miami OHV Area that leaves directly from the Kamook Staging Area and goes north for 1.3 miles. It's very wide and gradual for the whole route,…
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This gravel road starts behind the Briceburg Visitor Center, across the bridge, and follows the Merced River for its entire length, providing continuous water views and sounds throughout the journey. The track maintains a width…
Learn more about Briceburg Road - Merced River