Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Nipomo, California

Fun loop around Rockfront OHV. This loop shows you everything Rockfront has to offer the Central Coast of California;steep climbs, jumpy fast double track, and lots of dust! This loop also brings you to Baja Campground. Enjoy the double track with anything from a moto to a full-sized 4x4.
Learn more about Ride around Rockfront

Surrounded by chaparral in the Los Padres National Forest. This trail can be closed due to weather. Please check the LPNF website. The best time to go is in the spring to see the flowers and green hills. There is a first come first serve campground at the base of the mountains.
Learn more about Bates Canyon

Located in the Los Padres National Forest. This road follows a ridge line to McPherson Peak that has a telecommunication tower ending up over 5,700 ft. From there, you can continue on foot to backpacking trails. This is mostly untouched land, surrounded by chaparral shrubs with oak trees. There are...
Learn more about McPherson Peak - FS 32S13

The majority of the road is smooth and graded. However, there are sections that can have sticky mud, washed out from seasonal creeks that have a potential for high clearance. Carrizo Plain can get very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. The best time to go in the spring to check out the ...
Learn more about Elkhorn Road

This is a fast and flowy 50" trail through open fields on the northern edge of the Ballinger riding area. It starts near the Day Use parking area and adjacent campground and will provide a good warm-up ride before heading out to more difficult trails. There are several short, steep, and rutted hill ...
Learn more about Trail 6

This is a point-to-point trail running from the southwest corner to the center of the Ballinger OHV area. The track is generally a little wider than a single vehicle, with frequent places to pull aside to let other vehicles pass. The trail surface is predominantly packed dirt with small embedded roc...
Learn more about Trail 40

This is a short, fun singletrack trail for dirt bikes and ATVs only that connects Trail 24 with Trail 40. From Trail 24, it runs up a hillside through a tree section over a couple short climbs. It then transitions to a shelf trail along an open hillside area before finishing with a fast and flowy st...
Learn more about Trail 31

This is a loop trail that climbs to the top of a ridge and then circles back. The start of the trail begins in a sandy wash and then quickly climbs up an adjacent rutted hillside using a series of narrow switchbacks. At the top, the trail flattens out and has occasional whoops, loose rocks, and rut...
Learn more about Trail 17

This is a great little area with two campsites off of it. The first one has bathrooms and fire pits/picnic tables and is very quiet, shady, and relaxed; the second, larger one at the top is much bigger, no toilets, but the view at the edge of it of Bakersfield is unmatched in the area. Super cool vi...
Learn more about Camp Marion - FS 9N34

Quatal Canyon Road is a moderate offroad route in California’s Los Padres National Forest that offers remote backcountry access and rugged, scenic terrain for high-clearance 4WDs, dual-sport motorcycles, and side-by-sides. It is a fun, mostly straight trail cutting between California Route 33 and Mi...
Learn more about Quatal Canyon

A nice forested Jeep-style trail between Marian Campground overlook and FS 9N34. It winds through a ridge with one or two short climbs of 15-17 degrees and through a couple of tighter paths cut through felled trees. It may be a little tight for a full-size truck, but a mid-size truck had no issues. ...
Learn more about FS 22W12

This is an easily navigable dirt road up the mountain that has a few small washouts, but nothing to stop the average explorer. There are a couple of small, undeveloped campsites along the way, and at the top, there are amazing views of Bakersfield as well as Pine Mountain Club. The big landing at th...
Learn more about San Emigdio - FS 9N34

Fun loop around Rockfront OHV. This loop shows you everything Rockfront has to offer the Central Coast of California;steep climbs, jumpy fast double track, and lots of dust! This loop also brings you to Baja Campground. Enjoy the double track with anything from a moto to a full-sized 4x4.
Learn more about Ride around Rockfront

This is a fast and flowy 50" trail through open fields on the northern edge of the Ballinger riding area. It starts near the Day Use parking area and adjacent campground and will provide a good warm-up ride before heading out to more difficult trails. There are several short, steep, and rutted hill ...
Learn more about Trail 6

This is a point-to-point trail running from the southwest corner to the center of the Ballinger OHV area. The track is generally a little wider than a single vehicle, with frequent places to pull aside to let other vehicles pass. The trail surface is predominantly packed dirt with small embedded roc...
Learn more about Trail 40

This is a short, fun singletrack trail for dirt bikes and ATVs only that connects Trail 24 with Trail 40. From Trail 24, it runs up a hillside through a tree section over a couple short climbs. It then transitions to a shelf trail along an open hillside area before finishing with a fast and flowy st...
Learn more about Trail 31

Fun loop around Rockfront OHV. This loop shows you everything Rockfront has to offer the Central Coast of California;steep climbs, jumpy fast double track, and lots of dust! This loop also brings you to Baja Campground. Enjoy the double track with anything from a moto to a full-sized 4x4.
Learn more about Ride around Rockfront

This is a point-to-point trail running from the southwest corner to the center of the Ballinger OHV area. The track is generally a little wider than a single vehicle, with frequent places to pull aside to let other vehicles pass. The trail surface is predominantly packed dirt with small embedded roc...
Learn more about Trail 40

This is a loop trail that climbs to the top of a ridge and then circles back. The start of the trail begins in a sandy wash and then quickly climbs up an adjacent rutted hillside using a series of narrow switchbacks. At the top, the trail flattens out and has occasional whoops, loose rocks, and rut...
Learn more about Trail 17

This is a great little area with two campsites off of it. The first one has bathrooms and fire pits/picnic tables and is very quiet, shady, and relaxed; the second, larger one at the top is much bigger, no toilets, but the view at the edge of it of Bakersfield is unmatched in the area. Super cool vi...
Learn more about Camp Marion - FS 9N34