Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Maxwell, California

Easy dirt trail with connections to the Berryessa Snow Mountain Monument area Trails with wildflower sights in Spring and the main road to The Wilbur Hot Springs. Beautiful scenery of the Bear Valley in Lake…
Learn more about Bear Valley Road Trail

Bartlett Springs Road begins southeast of Mendocino National Forest and boasts excellent views. This route passes through BLM land, and there are plenty of offshoots from the trail. There are also opportunities for camping, hiking,…
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This trail will take you to a wetland area where multiple springs emerge from the mountainside. There is a dispersed camping area at the end where it turns into some hiking trails that give an…
Learn more about Cold Spring

Walker Ridge Road is one of the main entrances to the Indian Valley Reservoir (CDFW) and the Walker Ridge Recreation Area (BLM). The road is gravel and accessible by most high-clearance vehicles. There are plenty…
Learn more about Walker Ridge Road to Indian Valley Reservoir Road

The main connector between the north and south entrances of the Knoxville OHV area. Very active with power sports vehicles, as many marked and unmarked trails crisscross this trail. An easy trail with good views…
Learn more about Dunnigan Hill

This is an easy fire road in dry weather and a fun mud run in wet weather. The road doubles as the southern entrance to Knoxville, OHV, and Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. It then…
Learn more about Devilhead Road

This trail is a little less than 4 miles and leads to Letts Lake and campground. As the only lake in the lower half of Mendocino NF, it is worth visiting. There are four campsites…
Learn more about Letts Lake

This trail has great views throughout with a spectacular view of Lake Berryessa at its highest elevation point. Expect to drive dirt, gravel and mud along the out and back trail. There are also many…
Learn more about Cement Creek

Pillsberry to Black Butte Trail is a calm, scenic gravel road with some campsites along the river. It's an easy driving, wide road, not normally passable in the wintertime because of snow. There is one…
Learn more about Pillsbury-Indian Dick Road

This route will take you from Upper Lake all the way to Eel River/Lake Pillsbury. It begins with great views of the valley, plenty of camping and resting spots in between, and ends with your…
Learn more about Eel's Cliff

Hull Mountain is a dominant peak and rises over 5,000 feet above Lake Pillsbury in the southwest part of the Mendocino National Forest. This is a beautiful area for camping and other recreational activities. Relatively…
Learn more about Hull Mountain Trail

Erickson Ridge Loop is a relatively easy loop trail in Mendocino National Forest. From M1 (Elk Mountain Road) going north, the trail starts on your left, with a narrower dirt trail on the left and…
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An easy scenic route over mountain ridges through South Cow Mountain OHV that connects lakeport to Ukiah. This is the main dirt road through cow mountain that has multiple harder trails off either side and…
Learn more about Mendo-Lake Road

This trail follows an easy ridge route with scenic views into the valley at several points. A wildfire in 2024 left areas with downed trees after storms, and a few small wash sections are present…
Learn more about Martin Creek

Single wide trail with multiple turnouts and areas to pass. There were a couple of areas to disperse camp. A couple of small washes, but easy to navigate, and some good views of the valley…
Learn more about Madrone

Easy flat gravel trail taking you around the back side of Little Bald Rock. A couple of areas to turn out and hike up. Ended at a closed gate. There was a big fire in…
Learn more about Cross Up

This is a short ATV trail in a remote and primitive section of the Plumas National Forest, accessed off of Four Trees Road. This area was damaged from a large fire in recent years. The…
Learn more about Magee Ridge

Flowy dirt road that climbs through grassy oak woodlands before entering the redwood forests of the California Coast. Quiet road with minimal obstacles. Currently, there is a bridge on the route that is closed to…
Learn more about Low Gap Road

This trail is rated as a Level 1 difficulty. It offers a relatively easy experience, characterized by a flat, well-maintained road predominantly composed of gravel and dirt. However, it should be noted that during winter,…
Learn more about Sly Creek Trail

This is a 43-mile-long trek through dirt logging roads with spectacular views of the northern California redwoods. It is a great way to start a trip up the Mendocino coastline and on your way to…
Learn more about Sherwood Road

This trail is a wide, single-wide path that has been freshly cleared. There are a few dispersed camp areas along the trail. Along the way, you'll encounter a few washes and drainage ditches. Additionally, the…
Learn more about Indian Hill South

This is an Out-and-Back spur trail that ends in a big flat open area perfect for dispersed camping. There is another small spur at the end for more dispersed camping. The trail ends at a…
Learn more about Belden-Longville

This wide, single-wide trail is freshly cleared and offers a scenic journey through tall, beautiful trees. There is a small, tight area where you may touch overgrown brush. Along the trail, there are several dispersed…
Learn more about Ditch Road

The trail is a wide single-wide path that meanders alongside a creek for a portion of its length. Along the creek's edge, there are several dispersed camping sites. There's even an area beyond the end…
Learn more about Indian Creek

This trail takes you from deep in the canyon straight up to the top of the mountain. Some switchbacks and small washes. Goes from more forest to barren red dirt and rock. One section towards…
Learn more about Belden-Longville Burma Road

The trail is wider, and most of the way, it can accommodate two vehicles. The west end is still single-wide and narrow, but they are clearing the trail. There are some washouts that are about…
Learn more about Upper Indian Creek

This new trail connects Indian Creek to Upper Indian Creek, replacing the decommissioned old trail. It's relatively easy to navigate, but be cautious of the deep drainage cuts, as they can be rough. The trail…
Learn more about Indian Creek Connector

The trail varies in width, from single to double, and is freshly cleared. There's a sign advising against cars driving on the trail. There are drainage ditches and a couple of small washes, each less…
Learn more about Skinner

The trail climbs a bit along the ridge. It's well-maintained, as the end of the trail leads to a large water pipeline. There are also rockfalls along the trail, so be cautious when coming around…
Learn more about Walters Slide

The main attraction of this route is a popular swimming hole below Colfax-Foresthill Suspension Bridge. Our round-about way of getting there follows a paved road through historic Iowa Hill, then continues on a narrow, winding…
Learn more about Shirttail Canyon