Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Rancho Calaveras, California

Lug Nut Ledge is a short but fun trail with moderate obstacles, including rocky sections, rutted sections, and water crossings. The namesake Lug Nut Ledge features a mild rock step that requires good tire placement…
Learn more about Lug Nut Ledge

Latrobe Road is a scenic dirt road that passes through the rolling foothills outside the Sacramento Valley and provides ample views of the surrounding area. The trail passes through agricultural land, cattle grazing areas, and…
Learn more about Latrobe Road

Red Hills Recreation (BLM) area is a scenic day use only location. There are tons of hiking trails in the area, as well as the Serpentine Loop Trail which is a mild to moderate trail…
Learn more about Red Hills Road/Serpentine loop

This a very easy trail and is mostly forest roads that zig-zag up the hill to the Forebay. This can be accessed from many ways whether it be from Columbia, Twain Harte, or Camp 9.…
Learn more about Stanislaus Forebay

This is a super pretty drive as it descends into the canyons and back up to the mountaintops. On your way to the lookout, you will drive through the Italian Bar/Lost Dutchman Mining Camp, which…
Learn more about American Camp Lookout

As of May 26, 2023. This road is accessible by vehicles of higher clearance than sedans. This is due to the fire road are not as flat and maintained as Google Maps makes it out…
Learn more about Candy Rock Road

This trail is a connector between the American Camp Lookout and the Forebay trail. Connect all these 3 trails for a fun weekend or day trip full of adventure and fishing/exploring! There is a creek…
Learn more about Forebay to American Camp

As of May 26, 2023. This road is accessible by vehicles of higher clearance than sedans. This is because the fire roads are not as flat and maintained as Google Maps makes them out to…
Learn more about Candy Rock Road P.2

Gold Note (FS 8N55) is an easy trail in the Eldorado National Forest, sitting at approximately 4,400 feet. It acts as a critical connector, linking various trails within the Gold Note trail system and providing…
Learn more about Gold Note

This trail is steep, overgrown, and narrow. Typically home to lots of poison oak and fallen trees but the reward at the end is totally worth it! Keltz Mine road takes you down to the…
Learn more about Keltz Mine

Gold Note 4WD (FS 8N91) is a moderately challenging Gold Note trail system segment. The trail is single-vehicle width and features areas of overgrown brush, adding to the difficulty. Riders will encounter deep ruts and…
Learn more about Gold Note 4WD

Five Corners (FS 8N54) is an easy trail that connects multiple trail systems in the area. Located at an elevation of approximately 4,100 feet, it offers several dispersed camping spots along its route, making it…
Learn more about Five Corners

Upper Gold Note (FS 8N57) is a relatively easy trail connecting Gold Note and North-South Road. Located at approximately 4,100 feet, the trail offers a mix of loose dirt and occasional rocky sections, making it…
Learn more about Upper Gold Note

Nice views along a graded in the begging logging road. The road becomes ungraded but really good all the way back. Some brush, nothing to pinstripe your rig. Early season, may want to bring a…
Learn more about Airola Meadow Loop

Easy graded logging road in the beginning 1st mile, then it becomes decent rocky terrain, some small climbs, nothing hard. Once you take off from the green route on OnX, this is a really easy…
Learn more about Buck Ranch

This is a nice little adventure close to town where you will switchback underneath the powerlines and make your way towards Iowa Hill. The trail is not too difficult--mostly just forest roads--but there are some…
Learn more about Iowa Hill

Fraser Flat Road East is a 7-mile point-to-point trail that climbs over 300 feet and drops just over 300 feet. The trail is made of white crushed gravel and is 1 to 1.5 vehicles wide.…
Learn more about Fraser Flat Road East - FS 4N01

A 5-mile stretch of connecting forest service roads. It is a particularly useful trail if you are driving a non street legal vehicle and camping at Black Springs or off of 7N23. The trail features…
Learn more about Bailey Ridge

From the Highway 4 side, this all-day adventure is on ungraded logging roads. They still log here on these roads, so please drive slowly and be aware of logging trucks possibly coming at you. You…
Learn more about Soda Creek Logging Camp

This trail is a great spot to retreat for the weekend. The trail follows the South Fork of the Stanislaus from 4N01 (Frasier Flat) to the inlet of Lyons Reservoir. You can no longer get…
Learn more about South Fork Stanislaus River Trail (4N90)

Forebay Road is a short but fun forest road that snakes through the trees and brush with plenty of opportunity for fun hill climbs off either side. Loosely following the high power lines, Forebay can…
Learn more about Forebay

Gasparni takes you through the pine trees and brush connecting the dirt section of Forebay to the pavement leading to Brush Creek Reservoir. Nearly all of the trail is wide enough for a full-width truck,…
Learn more about Gasparni

This trail starts just off Highway 120, located 2.7 miles east of the Groveland District Ranger Office, and begins as a 1.5-vehicle-wide gravel trail with some sand sections. Lined with Ponderosa pine trees and bushes,…
Learn more about Boneyard Road - FS 1S07

This is a lightly traveled dirt road with some ruts, loose rock, slight inclines, and narrow passages due to brush. Other challenges include snow in the winter snow and water crossings up to a foot…
Learn more about Rowdy Cow

This 2.04-mile point-to-point trail gains and drops almost 200 feet from Fraser Flat Road to FS4N39. The compact dirt and sand surface is 1.5 to 2 vehicles wide, running through a large pine forest in…
Learn more about Spring Gap Road - FS 4N14

Strawberry Peak (FS 4N39) is a 5.9-mile point-to-point trail running east to west, climbing just under 200 feet and dropping almost 1,200 feet. The trail starts just off Highway 108 on the east end and…
Learn more about Strawberry Peak - FS 4N39

This trail is located in the El Dorado National Forest in Amador County, FS Road 8N14. It's a nicely graded gravel route for a quarter of the way in. You will cross two bridges across…
Learn more about Tanglefoot Canyon

This trail climbs over 600 feet and drops almost 1,200 feet across just over 5 miles of diverse terrain that spans BLM land and Stanislaus National Forest, though it begins on private land requiring respectful…
Learn more about Wagner Ridge Road - FS 2S08

This is a scenic trail with views looking back towards Highway 108. The trail follows along the ridge and has smaller rock obstacles that shouldn't be much of an issue for most 4x4 vehicles. This…
Learn more about Dodge Ridge

This is a fun little cut-off route off the paved road between Bear River Road and Pardoe Road loop within the El Dorado National Forest. It takes you through a beautiful little forest area. Most…
Learn more about Pardoe Cutoff