Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near McCloud, California

While the trail is an easy dirt road the real story is the river. The Lower McCloud River flows approximately 12 miles from Lake McCloud into Lake Shasta. It can have an emerald green color, which can be due to suspended sand, volcanic ash, and other particulate matter. There are two campgrounds on ...
Learn more about McCloud River 38N53

Ney Springs - FS 39N34 offers a beautiful, winding climb up from Castle Lake Road directly into the lush, towering evergreens of the Shasta National Forest, eventually reaching an elevation of over 4,300 feet. The overall environment is a dense, shaded alpine forest that occasionally opens up to rev...
Learn more about Ney Springs - FS 39N34

Winding through a beautiful, lush evergreen landscape, Red Hill - FS 40N43 is managed by the Shasta National Forest and offers spectacular views of majestic Mount Shasta. The public often utilizes this route as a highly scenic, unpaved alternate loop off the paved W A Barr Road (FS 26), or to safely...
Learn more about Red Hill - FS 40N43

The Dill Scenic Trail is an out and back at Shasta National Forest in California. There are great views of Mount Shasta as well as the surrounding mountains. This trail is not difficult by any means, but some higher ground clearance and good tires will go a long way. The trail starts out extremely d...
Learn more about Dill Scenic Trail

Winding its way through the dense, towering pine and fir canopies of the Shasta National Forest, North Fork - FS 41N53 offers a wonderfully scenic drive through a thriving, lush woodland environment. The public primarily uses this accessible route to enjoy peaceful backcountry exploration, reach spa...
Learn more about North Fork - FS 41N53

Winding its way above 5,000 feet in elevation, Scott - FS 39N30Y takes travelers through a beautiful, dense, and quiet evergreen canopy managed by the Shasta National Forest. The public generally uses this remote route as a scenic backcountry exploration spur branching off from Red Hill, which rewar...
Learn more about Scott - FS 39N30Y

Climbing up from the scenic North Shore Road of Lake Siskiyou into the lush, towering pine and fir canopies managed by the Shasta National Forest, Deer Creek - FS 40N27 offers a rugged and rowdy backcountry route. The public frequently utilizes this winding connector road to access dispersed camping...
Learn more about Deer Creek - FS 40N27

Climbing steadily above 5,000 feet in elevation, Rock Creek - FS 39N78 travels through a dense, towering evergreen canopy with thick manzanita understory within the Shasta National Forest. This little-used offshoot branches up from Red Hill, offering a short, adventurous bypass for travelers looking...
Learn more about Rock Creek - FS 39N78

This 3-mile out-and-back trail starts and ends at Colby - FS 39N93, running through the Shasta National Forest beneath tall pines with lots of overgrown vegetation crowding the trail. The trail is one vehicle wide, and the heavy brush pressing in on both sides will give you pinstripes throughout the...
Learn more about Cow Spur - FS 39N91

This 2.5-mile point-to-point trail starts off Cow Creek (FS 39N90) and ends at Bartle Gap (FS 39N05), climbing over 450 feet through the Shasta National Forest beneath very tall trees that block the sun for most of the day. The trail surface is fine, dusty dirt with some gravel, running 1.5 to 2 veh...
Learn more about Colby - FS 39N93

This out-and-back trail starts and returns to Highway 89, beginning on private logging land before quickly entering the Shasta National Forest, where very thick, tall pine trees surround the route throughout. The trail surface is fine, dusty dirt with some gravel, running 1.5 to 2 vehicles wide near...
Learn more about Cow Creek - FS 39N90

This trail starts off Medicine Lake Road, running through the Shasta National Forest in an area of thinned pine forest dotted with greenleaf manzanita bushes. The trail surface is fine, dusty dirt with some very small rocks, maintaining a width of 1 to 1.5 vehicles throughout. Drivers will encounter...
Learn more about Bear Wallow East - FS 40N12

This 2-mile out-and-back trail starts and returns to Medicine Lake Road, running through the Shasta National Forest amid heavy overgrowth of manzanita bushes. Numerous downed trees have been cut and pushed aside along the route, and drivers will need to maneuver around them throughout the drive. Thi...
Learn more about Horseshoe - FS 39N54

This 1.5-mile point-to-point trail connects Harris Springs Road with Davis - FS 42N04, running through the Shasta National Forest along a one-vehicle-wide corridor lined with manzanita bushes and pine trees. The surface is fine, dusty dirt covered with a layer of pine needles, pine cones, and scatte...
Learn more about Saddle Back Bartle Ea - FS 40N07Y

Tucked into a classic, lush evergreen forest, Upper Shotgun Road is a quick and peaceful drive under a beautifully shaded woodland canopy. The route begins with a straightforward turn-off, leading you immediately onto a welcoming and clearly defined path. As you journey through the quiet woods, the ...
Learn more about Upper Shotgun Road

This point-to-point trail starts on Dead Horse Canyon (FS 40N10), beginning and ending within the forest as it runs perpendicular to a set of large power lines. A shelf road section overlooks a small valley along the way, adding a scenic vantage point to the drive. The surface here is dusty dirt cov...
Learn more about Tower 322 - FS 40N82YA

This 2-mile point-to-point trail starts on Dead Horse Canyon (FS 40N10) and ends on Davis South (FS 42N04), gaining almost 200 feet of elevation along the way. The route travels through the Shasta National Forest beneath very tall, thick pine trees, whose canopy blocks much of the sunlight and keeps...
Learn more about Bartle Guard Station - FS 39N56

This loop trail branches off from and returns to Dead Horse Canyon (FS 40N10), maintaining a single-vehicle width throughout. The route begins among the tall pines of the Shasta National Forest before cutting into the power line corridor, where thick brush and grasses take over the landscape. The tr...
Learn more about Dead Horse Tower - FS 40N10H

Running north to south, this point-to-point trail starts at Highway 89 and ends at David South (FS 42N04), cutting through the Shasta National Forest. Thick, tall pine trees dominate the landscape here, creating full canopy shade that makes this an excellent escape from summer heat. Fine, dusty dirt...
Learn more about Dead Horse Canyon - FS 40N10

This two-mile out-and-back trail branches off Deter Spur - FS 41N41, climbing over 360 feet in just over a mile. It's a pretty stretch of the Shasta National Forest, surrounded by dense tree cover throughout. The surface is dirt covered with wood scraps, bark, and pine cones. Currently, drivers will...
Learn more about Deter Spur Bartle Ea - FS 41N41B

Ney Springs - FS 39N34 offers a beautiful, winding climb up from Castle Lake Road directly into the lush, towering evergreens of the Shasta National Forest, eventually reaching an elevation of over 4,300 feet. The overall environment is a dense, shaded alpine forest that occasionally opens up to rev...
Learn more about Ney Springs - FS 39N34

Winding through a beautiful, lush evergreen landscape, Red Hill - FS 40N43 is managed by the Shasta National Forest and offers spectacular views of majestic Mount Shasta. The public often utilizes this route as a highly scenic, unpaved alternate loop off the paved W A Barr Road (FS 26), or to safely...
Learn more about Red Hill - FS 40N43

The Dill Scenic Trail is an out and back at Shasta National Forest in California. There are great views of Mount Shasta as well as the surrounding mountains. This trail is not difficult by any means, but some higher ground clearance and good tires will go a long way. The trail starts out extremely d...
Learn more about Dill Scenic Trail

Winding its way through the dense, towering pine and fir canopies of the Shasta National Forest, North Fork - FS 41N53 offers a wonderfully scenic drive through a thriving, lush woodland environment. The public primarily uses this accessible route to enjoy peaceful backcountry exploration, reach spa...
Learn more about North Fork - FS 41N53

Ney Springs - FS 39N34 offers a beautiful, winding climb up from Castle Lake Road directly into the lush, towering evergreens of the Shasta National Forest, eventually reaching an elevation of over 4,300 feet. The overall environment is a dense, shaded alpine forest that occasionally opens up to rev...
Learn more about Ney Springs - FS 39N34

Winding through a beautiful, lush evergreen landscape, Red Hill - FS 40N43 is managed by the Shasta National Forest and offers spectacular views of majestic Mount Shasta. The public often utilizes this route as a highly scenic, unpaved alternate loop off the paved W A Barr Road (FS 26), or to safely...
Learn more about Red Hill - FS 40N43

The Dill Scenic Trail is an out and back at Shasta National Forest in California. There are great views of Mount Shasta as well as the surrounding mountains. This trail is not difficult by any means, but some higher ground clearance and good tires will go a long way. The trail starts out extremely d...
Learn more about Dill Scenic Trail

Winding its way through the dense, towering pine and fir canopies of the Shasta National Forest, North Fork - FS 41N53 offers a wonderfully scenic drive through a thriving, lush woodland environment. The public primarily uses this accessible route to enjoy peaceful backcountry exploration, reach spa...
Learn more about North Fork - FS 41N53