Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Niland, California

This trail is a hard-packed sand route that connects BLM 326 to farmland roads to the east, serving as an important connector between recreation areas and agricultural lands. There is very little vegetation, with just a few large and small bushes scattered throughout the sparse landscape. The land t...
Learn more about BLM 412

This 8-mile out-and-back trail runs in a small wash with 10 to 15-foot-tall sand walls creating a dramatic enclosed canyon environment. The route is lined with large desert bushes and trees, with some that are overgrown and may hit your vehicle as you drive by, so be prepared for brush contact. The ...
Learn more about BLM 331

This trail is a large wash that winds through various sand hills and walls, with some reaching up to 30 feet tall creating a dramatic and enclosed canyon environment. The sand is very fluffy and can be deep at times, requiring constant momentum management through these soft conditions. There is lots...
Learn more about BLM 329

This 4-mile out-and-back trail starts at BLM 326 NW and heads west. The surface is dirt and sand, surrounded by desert bushes throughout. Views of Superstition Mountain serve as your backdrop, with Fish Creek Mountain also visible, providing scenic mountain views. The trail follows a plateau just to...
Learn more about BLM 327

This trail is a fairly wide wash with a surface that's hard-pack sand mixed with deep sand, creating varying traction conditions. The wash has sand and mud walls with parts of it lined with lots of vegetation, adding greenery to the corridor. You'll encounter some washboards scattered throughout, cr...
Learn more about BLM 194 SE

This trail starts just off Highway 86, with the beginning surface being gravel that quickly turns to dirt as you progress. The route follows underneath the power lines, providing easy reference for navigation. You'll encounter some whoops and ruts scattered throughout. The trail goes in and out of c...
Learn more about BLM 326 NW

This trail is off BLM 326 and features a very sandy surface that has been reset by recent storms, making it hard to find the beginning of the trail, so follow the map carefully for navigation. The landscape is very barren with very little vegetation in the beginning, eventually gaining some small to...
Learn more about BLM 414

This trail is fairly smooth compared to others in the area, making it a more comfortable route through the region. The surface is soft sand throughout, requiring momentum management. The trail continues down the power line leading toward the water aqueduct, but ends just past Edgar Road, providing c...
Learn more about BLM 326 SE

Parachute Landing is an unmaintained paved road and beach trail leading to a decommissioned Naval Auxiliary Air Station. A non-technical but eroding road with sand drifts turns into a dirt path, eventually terminating at the beach containing ruins of a small decommissioned World War II Era US Navy b...
Learn more about Parachute Landing

This trail consists of soft sand, dirt, and some rock. Coming from Campbell Wash, this will get you to Highway 86 access and the East entrance to the Ocotillo Wells SVRA. There are a couple of down and up washes as one travels parallel to the highway. There were two locked gates, so continue on the ...
Learn more about Highway 86 Access

Right off the 10 Freeway just South of Joshua Tree National Park is the Red Canyon Jeep Trail. A 13-mile trail that winds its way through the mountains into the Bradshaw Trail. The trail is very easy going with only a few sections where you will want to assess the section if you are new to off-roadi...
Learn more about SR2013 Red Canyon Jeep Trail

This 9 mile out and back trail starts off the Bradshaw Trail and runs north to south. The trail was originally a loop but half the trail, which is outside the wash is now private and marked no trespassing with owner controlled access. Amy's Wash is surrounded by 20 foot red mud walls and is lined wi...
Learn more about Amy's Wash

This 4.5-mile trail connects Bradshaw Trail with Summit Flats Road. The surface is sandy and hard-packed with some ruts less than 12 inches deep. Coming from the Bradshaw Trail, the trail opens up into a big wash after half a mile, which is lined with mud walls on one side. The wash is filled with l...
Learn more about Summit Road

This medium-sized wash features a very sandy surface with some sections of very deep sand and some ruts over 18 inches, creating serious obstacles. The wash winds through the desert, lined with desert bushes and seasonal blooming wildflowers, adding color to the landscape. There are many sand walls ...
Learn more about BLM 324

This trail features mostly packed sand with some soft sand as well, creating varied traction conditions. The route is a small wash lined with sand walls about 3 feet high, creating an enclosed corridor. The trail is lined with some brush, but is mostly barren throughout. The canyon gets very narrow ...
Learn more about BLM 325

Welcome to the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreational Area, the largest SVRA in California with more than 85,000 acres. OWSVRA is over 130 square miles with hundreds of miles of desert track open to all forms of off-highway vehicles. The SVRA borders the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park with many o...
Learn more about Campbell Wash

This out-and-back trail climbs almost 800 feet in just under 8 miles, running east to west from Gas Line Road 281. The trail is one vehicle wide with a hard-pack sand surface and small rocks. This is one of the most scenic trails in the area, lined with lots of vegetation, including desert ironwood,...
Learn more about Queen Ester Road

Welcome to the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreational Area, the largest SVRA in California with more than 85,000 acres. OWSVRA is over 130 square miles with hundreds of miles of desert track open to all forms of off-highway vehicles. The SVRA borders the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park with many o...
Learn more about Tule Wash

Welcome to the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreational Area, the largest SVRA in California with more than 85,000 acres. OWSVRA is over 130 square miles with hundreds of miles of desert track open to all forms of off-highway vehicles. The SVRA borders the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park with many o...
Learn more about Lakeshore Trail

This trail follows a power line for easy reference as it climbs toward the summit of Superstition Mountain, where there are communication towers and a viewpoint. The surface is a mix of deep sand and deteriorated old asphalt and gravel, creating varied traction conditions throughout. At the top is a...
Learn more about Lady Towers

This trail is a hard-packed sand route that connects BLM 326 to farmland roads to the east, serving as an important connector between recreation areas and agricultural lands. There is very little vegetation, with just a few large and small bushes scattered throughout the sparse landscape. The land t...
Learn more about BLM 412

This 8-mile out-and-back trail runs in a small wash with 10 to 15-foot-tall sand walls creating a dramatic enclosed canyon environment. The route is lined with large desert bushes and trees, with some that are overgrown and may hit your vehicle as you drive by, so be prepared for brush contact. The ...
Learn more about BLM 331

This trail is a large wash that winds through various sand hills and walls, with some reaching up to 30 feet tall creating a dramatic and enclosed canyon environment. The sand is very fluffy and can be deep at times, requiring constant momentum management through these soft conditions. There is lots...
Learn more about BLM 329

This 4-mile out-and-back trail starts at BLM 326 NW and heads west. The surface is dirt and sand, surrounded by desert bushes throughout. Views of Superstition Mountain serve as your backdrop, with Fish Creek Mountain also visible, providing scenic mountain views. The trail follows a plateau just to...
Learn more about BLM 327

This trail is a hard-packed sand route that connects BLM 326 to farmland roads to the east, serving as an important connector between recreation areas and agricultural lands. There is very little vegetation, with just a few large and small bushes scattered throughout the sparse landscape. The land t...
Learn more about BLM 412

This 8-mile out-and-back trail runs in a small wash with 10 to 15-foot-tall sand walls creating a dramatic enclosed canyon environment. The route is lined with large desert bushes and trees, with some that are overgrown and may hit your vehicle as you drive by, so be prepared for brush contact. The ...
Learn more about BLM 331

This trail is a large wash that winds through various sand hills and walls, with some reaching up to 30 feet tall creating a dramatic and enclosed canyon environment. The sand is very fluffy and can be deep at times, requiring constant momentum management through these soft conditions. There is lots...
Learn more about BLM 329

This 4-mile out-and-back trail starts at BLM 326 NW and heads west. The surface is dirt and sand, surrounded by desert bushes throughout. Views of Superstition Mountain serve as your backdrop, with Fish Creek Mountain also visible, providing scenic mountain views. The trail follows a plateau just to...
Learn more about BLM 327