Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Rough and Ready, California

Explore All Beginner Trails Near Rough and Ready, California

Shirttail Canyon

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…
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Total Miles
23.7
Tech Rating
Best Time
Su

Indian Hill South

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…
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Total Miles
1.1
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Ditch Road

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…
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Total Miles
1.7
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Skinner

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…
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Total Miles
1.6
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Indian Creek

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…
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Total Miles
1
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Indian Creek Connector

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…
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Total Miles
0.5
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Upper Indian Creek

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…
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Total Miles
2
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Su / Wi

Yankee Jims

This is a secondary entrance to the Shirttail Canyon trail. This trail meanders down the canyon, surrounded by mossy trees and waterfalls during certain times of the year. If coming from the Foresthill side, this…
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Total Miles
2.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Sly Creek Trail

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
Total Miles
15.2
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Elliot Ranch Road

Elliot Ranch Road in Foresthill, California, is a rugged, unpaved route in the Tahoe National Forest, offering access to various recreational activities. It serves as the starting point for challenging trails like the Green Valley…
Learn more about Elliot Ranch Road
Total Miles
8.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Washington Gaston

The trail begins just beyond the charming town of Washington, nestled among towering, lush green pine trees. Shortly after the town, the well-maintained gravel road winds through dense forests of pine and spruce trees, traversing…
Learn more about Washington Gaston
Total Miles
13.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Loop 1

Loop 1 is a 6-mile-long ATV loop that begins directly from the Parker Flat Staging Area. The route is straightforward to follow with well-marked road crossings and intersections, and it offers several bailouts along the…
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Total Miles
5.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Finning Mill Road

Finning Mill Road is a great off-road alternative to get to the Foresthill OHV area, instead of staying on paved roads to get there. It is a well-maintained gravel road that cuts through privately owned…
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Total Miles
6.9
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Giant Gap (FS 26-006)

Giant Gap (FS 26-006) is a beautiful 2.5-mile-long trail that starts and ends along Elliot Ranch Road (FS 26). It is part of the Foresthill OHV area and can be run in either direction. The…
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Total Miles
2.4
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Tie 1-1

Tie 1-1 is a short 0.6 mile long ATV connector that links sections of Loop 1 and cuts off about a mile from the northwest corner of Loop 1. The route is straightforward and very…
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Total Miles
0.6
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Loop 7

Loop 7 is a very easy ATV loop in the Foresthill OHV System near Foresthill, California. The loop is just over 4 miles long, and remains wide and obstacle-free for the entire route. The trail…
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Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Brimstone - S24

Brimstone (FS 24) is a fairly well-maintained road that connects Finning Mill Road, and Elliot Ranch Road. It is an easy route with multiple dirt-bike trail crossings, and access to three separate staging areas (Brimstone,…
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Total Miles
5.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

11E19-D20

11E19-D20 is a 0.9-mile-long, easy ATV trail that runs mostly gradual with a few hairpin turns. The route passes through a mix of environments, with some sections more lush and lined with leafy Pacific dogwoods,…
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Total Miles
0.8
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

11E19

11E19 is a 0.7-mile-long ATV trail with a red dirt surface winding through a forest of sugar pines. The route is wide and mostly gradual, with only a couple of very small rolling hills. It…
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Total Miles
0.7
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

11E19-D10

11E19-D10 is an easy ATV spur trail measuring just under half a mile long, often ridden together with 11E19 and D20 near Brimstone Campground. The trail allows two-way traffic with decent visibility, and it is…
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Total Miles
0.4
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Bottle Hill

Bottle Hill is a good trail to learn how your vehicle feels on dirt, rock, and mud;or to check the off-road capability of your vehicle after making modifications or repairs. It is also a nice,…
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Total Miles
10
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Tie 3-4

Tie 3-4 is a 1.1-mile-long dirt bike-only trail that maintains a fairly wide path as it cuts through a dry pine forest. It connects Loop 4 to Tie 3-1. The terrain is dominated by dusty…
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Total Miles
1
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Loop 2

Loop 2 is a long, but easy, single track within the Foresthill OHV System. There aren't any major rock obstacles throughout the 7-mile route, but there are lots of tight twisty turns, a few logs…
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Total Miles
6.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Tie 2-1

This is a one-mile-long connector trail between Loop 2 and Loop 1. The trail is pretty wide the whole way, remaining easy for ATV and dirt bike riders. Its surface is smooth dirt with waterbars,…
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Total Miles
0.9
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Volcanoville

Volcanoville is a good beginner trail that can be completed by most stock 4x4 SUVs, as well as many AWD vehicles with AT tires and at least 8 inches of clearance. The trail does get…
Learn more about Volcanoville
Total Miles
2.1
Tech Rating
Best Time
Su

Mountain Chief - FS 10-006

Open to ALL Vehicles 4/1-12/31. Mountain Chief connects to multiple motorcycle trails within the Sugar Pine area of the Tahoe National Forest American River. This dirt road connects Foresthill Road and Sugar Pine Road. Taking…
Learn more about Mountain Chief - FS 10-006
Total Miles
2.4
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Loop 3

Loop 3 is a dirt bike trail stretching over 6 miles, starting at Loop 2 on the north end, crossing Sugar Pine Road, and tying into several other dirt bike routes, including Tie 3-5, Tie…
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Total Miles
6
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Tie 3-3

Tie 3-3 is a 2.5-mile-long easy dirt bike connector that links different segments of Loop 3 and provides an alternate way north/south when riding Loop 3. The trail consists of smooth dirt with frequent waterbars…
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Total Miles
2.4
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Tie 3-6

Tie 3-6 is a 0.9-mile-long dirt bike loop branching off of Loop 3. The trail matches the ease of Loop 3, offering smooth, flowy, and fast riding through a dry pine forest. It follows a…
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Total Miles
0.9
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Tie 3-5

Tie 3-5 is a 1.9-mile-long dirt bike trail that connects Loop 3 to Loop 2. The route is smooth and easy, with a dry, dusty surface and a comfortable singletrack width that doesn't feel too…
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Total Miles
1.7
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

ATV Trails Near Rough and Ready, California

Sly Creek Trail

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
Total Miles
15.2
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Elliot Ranch Road

Elliot Ranch Road in Foresthill, California, is a rugged, unpaved route in the Tahoe National Forest, offering access to various recreational activities. It serves as the starting point for challenging trails like the Green Valley…
Learn more about Elliot Ranch Road
Total Miles
8.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Washington Gaston

The trail begins just beyond the charming town of Washington, nestled among towering, lush green pine trees. Shortly after the town, the well-maintained gravel road winds through dense forests of pine and spruce trees, traversing…
Learn more about Washington Gaston
Total Miles
13.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Loop 1

Loop 1 is a 6-mile-long ATV loop that begins directly from the Parker Flat Staging Area. The route is straightforward to follow with well-marked road crossings and intersections, and it offers several bailouts along the…
Learn more about Loop 1
Total Miles
5.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Tie 1-1

Tie 1-1 is a short 0.6 mile long ATV connector that links sections of Loop 1 and cuts off about a mile from the northwest corner of Loop 1. The route is straightforward and very…
Learn more about Tie 1-1
Total Miles
0.6
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Loop 7

Loop 7 is a very easy ATV loop in the Foresthill OHV System near Foresthill, California. The loop is just over 4 miles long, and remains wide and obstacle-free for the entire route. The trail…
Learn more about Loop 7
Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

UTV/Side-by-Side Near Rough and Ready, California

Sly Creek Trail

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
Total Miles
15.2
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Elliot Ranch Road

Elliot Ranch Road in Foresthill, California, is a rugged, unpaved route in the Tahoe National Forest, offering access to various recreational activities. It serves as the starting point for challenging trails like the Green Valley…
Learn more about Elliot Ranch Road
Total Miles
8.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Washington Gaston

The trail begins just beyond the charming town of Washington, nestled among towering, lush green pine trees. Shortly after the town, the well-maintained gravel road winds through dense forests of pine and spruce trees, traversing…
Learn more about Washington Gaston
Total Miles
13.3
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Bottle Hill

Bottle Hill is a good trail to learn how your vehicle feels on dirt, rock, and mud;or to check the off-road capability of your vehicle after making modifications or repairs. It is also a nice,…
Learn more about Bottle Hill
Total Miles
10
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Volcanoville

Volcanoville is a good beginner trail that can be completed by most stock 4x4 SUVs, as well as many AWD vehicles with AT tires and at least 8 inches of clearance. The trail does get…
Learn more about Volcanoville
Total Miles
2.1
Tech Rating
Best Time
Su

Mountain Chief - FS 10-006

Open to ALL Vehicles 4/1-12/31. Mountain Chief connects to multiple motorcycle trails within the Sugar Pine area of the Tahoe National Forest American River. This dirt road connects Foresthill Road and Sugar Pine Road. Taking…
Learn more about Mountain Chief - FS 10-006
Total Miles
2.4
Tech Rating
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa