Beginner Off-Road Trails Near San Diego, California

This route goes up and over Otay Mountain with sweeping views over the San Ysidro Mountains, and a little bit of San Diego in the distance. The road is made up entirely of dirt and…
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This trail winds its way through the Cleveland Forest from Pamo Road to the Guejito Truck Trail. The trail is not very well maintained. It is very rutted. The trail takes you up and over…
Learn more about Orosco Ridge Truck Trail 12S02

This is a well-maintained road that needs high clearance just for potholes and washouts. It has some beautiful views of the Otay mountains with a lot of little offshoots to explore, given you have the…
Learn more about Otay Mountain Truck Trail (Upper Trail)

This is a well-maintained road that needs high clearance just for potholes and washouts. It has some beautiful views of the Otay mountains with a lot of little offshoots to explore, given you have the…
Learn more about Otay Mountain Truck Trail (Lower Trail)

Santa Ysabel Truck Trail is a narrow, shelf-road trail running through a section of the Cleveland National Forest in Ramona. The trail follows along Santa Ysabel Creek and offers beautiful views over the mountains, and…
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11S04 Black Mountain is a 10.8-mile out-and-back located in the Cleveland National Forest, Palomar Ranger District. This is a limited-use trail restricted to street-legal vehicles. The trail is rated 3 of 10 but has the…
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11S03 Lusardi Truck Trail is an 11.6-mile out-and-back trail rated 3 of 10 located within the Cleveland National Forest, Trabuco Ranger District. Lusardi Truck Trail ascends the Carney Canyon between the Black Butte (west) and…
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This trail cuts through a beautiful stretch of backcountry in eastern San Diego County and passes near hiking trailheads to three different waterfalls. The loop starts and finishes on graded dirt roads and has a…
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This is a pretty mellow 2-track road leading to the top of Tecate Peak. The lower part of the trail is a grave road. If there has been a lot of rain, expect ruts! There…
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This off-road route offers a scenic journey from Mexico Highway 2, meandering around the El Corizo Dam before connecting with Mexico Highway 3. Suitable for any high-clearance 2WD vehicle, the initial stretch from Highway 2…
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Nate Harrison Grade is a dirt backroad into Palomar Mountain State Park. This trail leads from typical Southern California scrubland scenery up to lush forests and mountain views. You'll encounter loose rocky areas and several…
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This is the main east-west connector inside the Corral Canyon OHV area and can be run in either direction. There are some gentle obstacles as this is a poorly maintained forest service road, and can…
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Gunslinger Trail #11 is a 1.8-mile point-to-point trail rated 3 of 10 located in the Corral Canyon OHV recreation area. Corral Canyon OHV is located roughly 30 miles east of San Diego and it offers…
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Wrangler Trail is part of the Corral Canyon OHV Area in the Laguna Mountains of San Diego County. Corral Canyon is one of the only remaining OHV areas in San Diego, which attracts offroaders of…
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Starting several miles south of Tecate near Nueva Colonia Hindu, the trail begins as a well-maintained, albeit heavily washboarded road. Consider reducing tire pressure upon leaving pavement for a smoother ride. As the route progresses,…
Learn more about Presa Las Auras Lake Loop

The Palomar Divide is an easy drive with beautiful views. It is a single lane with pull-offs throughout. The majority of the trail is dirt, however, it has some old paved sections in the lower…
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8S05 is a well-maintained service road, but you can expect large rocks, ruts, and very steep drop-offs throughout. The weather could have a significant impact on the road. Muddy conditions are likely; one should ensure…
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15S18 Sheephead Mountain Road is a 4.6-mile out-and-back trail rated 3 of 10 located within the Cleveland National Forest, Descanso Ranger District. The trail to the top is a full 6.8 miles, but due to…
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Located east of Tecate near El Hongo, this trail begins off Mexico 2. Departing from the paved road, you'll cross over the toll road and soon encounter a fork where you should veer right. This…
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16S08 Fred Canyon Road is a 6.1-mile point-to-point trail rated 3 of 10 located within the Cleveland National Forest, Descanso Ranger District. This trail is usually run in conjunction with Fred Canyon to create a…
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The trail is mainly hard-packed dirt and some sand once in the canyon. This trail passes through private property and has signs around the area, so just be respectful when driving through the first 4…
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15S05 La Posta Truck Trail is a 7.6-mile point-to-point trail rated 3 of 10 located within the Cleveland National Forest, Descanso Ranger District. This trail is usually run in conjunction with Fred Canyon to create…
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Traveling from La Mision to wine country in Valle de Guadalupe. This route passes farmland, valleys, and great views of the pacific ocean, at points and terrain, varies from rocky sections to smooth dirt roads.…
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Blair Valley Loop is a 7.9-mile point-to-point trail rated 3 of 10 within the California Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Blair Valley area is a collection of two small valleys with several attractions to see. The…
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Blair Valley Pictographs is a 2.8-mile out-and-back trail rated 3 out of 10 within the California Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This short dirt track ends at a small parking area and trailhead. A BLM informational…
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Scenic high desert drive with two overlooks of Carrizo Canyon. Corrizo Overlook, with picnic tables, makes great lunch spot. Take binoculars. Fun hiking trails. Overnight camping at Lark Canyon Recreation Site, fee area. Street-legal vehicles…
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Mine Wash is a 9.6-mile out-and-back trail rated 3 of 10 within the California Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The state park is a "Stay the Trail" area and the trail is restricted to street-legal vehicles.…
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This trail extends from El Compadre Road to the Control Tower Trail near the control tower. Some sections on the El Compadre side are rough and rutted, necessitating four-wheel drive, but overall, it is a…
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El Compadre is a well-maintained dirt road accessible to any vehicle. Stretching from El Hongo to Oso Negro, this route serves as a gateway to numerous ranches, some of which offer off-road experiences and camping.…
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Beautiful views of the valley below and mountains above. There are lots of switchbacks and about 600 feet of elevation gain in just a few miles of driving. The second half of the trail was…
Learn more about Red Mountain OHV Trail