Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Sattley, California

Starting right off Highway 49, this segment of the Chapman Calpine trail acts as a fantastic, welcoming gateway that crosses the boundary line into the beautiful Plumas National Forest. It is important to note that there are two separate trails with this exact name that do not physically connect to ...
Learn more about Chapman Calpine - FS 52

Accessed directly from Highway 49 via Chapman Calpine, the beautiful Chapman Saddle Road takes you on a sweeping journey through a towering evergreen forest. As you cruise along this wide, inviting path, you will notice that the landscape periodically opens up to reveal areas of recent forest thinni...
Learn more about Chapman Saddle - FS 21N09

Accessed directly from Chapman Saddle, this route takes you on a peaceful journey through a dense, towering evergreen forest. Because the thick, tightly packed trees line the shoulders so closely, you will not find any sweeping scenic vistas or open clearings suitable for dispersed camping anywhere ...
Learn more about Mark - FS 21N83

This section of the Chapman Calpine road begins just off Highway 89 in the town of Calpine, serving as one of two distinct routes sharing this name that do not actually physically connect. The journey starts as a wonderfully smooth, wide dirt road flanked by evergreen trees before opening up into a ...
Learn more about Chapman Calpine - FS 52

Haskell Sheep Ranch, a wonderfully varied loop that branches off the Mohawk Chapman route and reconnects just below Chapman Saddle. The journey begins with a flat, easy quarter-mile stretch before transitioning into a steady, gradual incline through beautifully dense pine forests. You will encounter...
Learn more about Haskell Sheep Ranch - FS 21N27

Accessed from Haskell Peak Road, Gould - FS 9 is a two-track road that primarily features smooth gravel. The route navigates through two switchbacks accompanied by a moderate decrease in elevation. While the drive is straightforward, some sections of the trail have been eroded by water, and there is...
Learn more about Gould - FS 9

Church Creek Spur - FS 28-004 is accessed directly from Church Creek Road. The trail begins with a manageable Level 2 difficulty, but the loose rocks become progressively larger as you continue. About halfway through, drivers will encounter several off-camber sections and a partially cleared cluster...
Learn more about Church Creek Spur - Fs 28-004

Haskell Cross - FS 21N91 is accessed from Haskell Sheep Ranch Road and connects to Mohawk Chapman. This route is a nice, winding forest road that functions mostly as a tree-lined "forest tunnel." While it lacks sweeping scenic views or major points of interest, it serves as an excellent, time-saving...
Learn more about Haskell Cross - FS 21N91

While the entire road stretches for roughly 12 miles, this specific adventure covers the upper 7.5-mile unpaved segment as it climbs gently toward Chapman Saddle. This is a classic, highly scenic Forest Service road, featuring a wide, well-maintained path framed by towering pine trees that offer won...
Learn more about Mohawk Chapman Road - FS 22N98

Meadow Lake Road makes a loop from Webber Lake to Jackson Meadows, with Meadow Lake situated in the middle. The section that begins just past Webber Lake is a fairly well-maintained, graded road used by campers and trailers heading to Meadow Lake. This part of the road starts approximately 1.4 miles...
Learn more about Meadow Lake Road

Church Creek - FS 28 begins on the eastern end of Forest Road 721. The road is generally flat and passes through densely forested sections. The surface is mostly hard-packed sand with a few short sections of loose rock. You will see several downed trees alongside the trail, but it currently remains ...
Learn more about Church Creek - FS 28

The trail kicks off at the intersection of 721 Church Meadow Road, starting with an easy, gradual climb. As you pass through the towering fir forest, the terrain becomes a bit more difficult, requiring slower travel for low-clearance vehicles. Along the way, you'll catch intermittent views of nearby...
Learn more about Mills Peak - FS 12E74

Winding through the forest, Mohawk Heights Road - FS 21N21 is a largely unmaintained dirt trail that descends for the majority of its 1.2-mile length. The route is overgrown in several places, with branches hanging close to the roadway, and ultimately ends abruptly with several downed trees blocking...
Learn more about Mohawk heights road - FS 21N21

Dirt Forest Service road accessing a network of roads climbing Beckwourth Mountain just outside of Portola, California. This spur accesses the communications tower equipment on private property at the summit of Beckwourth Peak. There is an open gate, and there aren't any No Trespassing signs visible...
Learn more about Sugarpine Spur A - NF22N55A

FS 822 starts from its north end, immediately descending gradually for the first 100 yards. The surface is primarily dominated by loose rock, though it transitions into more embedded, solid rock farther along the trail. While mostly straightforward, there is one section where additional ground clear...
Learn more about FS 822

Starting near Gold Lake, Church Meadow Road is a pretty easy, manageable trail suitable for all vehicles. The route features a dirt and gravel surface with occasional loose granite rocks that are easy for all skill levels to navigate. The difficulty remains consistently low throughout the entire dri...
Learn more about Church meadow road - FS 721

Gold Lake Shore Lower Segment (FS 12M01) picks up where the upper descent ends, leveling out to follow the shoreline of Gold Lake. Once you reach the bottom of the descent, the trail transitions into a series of embedded, sharp rocky features and rock gardens that require a high-clearance vehicle to...
Learn more about Gold Lake Shore Lower Segment - FS 12M01

Mohawk Creek - FS 22N42 begins off Mohawk Chapman Road and acts as a steady, twisting dirt climb up the mountain. Forest Service signage at the start indicates that this route was primarily used as a logging road, as supported by the wide, graded dirt surfaces and clearings with slash piles visible ...
Learn more about Mohawk Creek - FS 22N42

Dirt Forest Service road accessing a network of roads climbing Beckwourth Mountain just outside of Portola, California. This looks to be the primary route accessing the summit from town. The road is wider and looks more maintained. These roads start at 5,000 feet and climb up to over 7,000 feet, so ...
Learn more about Sugarpine - NF22N55

This trail starts across from Packer Lake. There is a staging area at the bottom if you need to trailer your rig. The trail heads up to Tamarack Lakes. The two lakes are almost the same size and crowds at each are about the same. Once you pass the first lake going in stay to the right to head up to ...
Learn more about Tamarack Lakes 12E33

Starting right off Highway 49, this segment of the Chapman Calpine trail acts as a fantastic, welcoming gateway that crosses the boundary line into the beautiful Plumas National Forest. It is important to note that there are two separate trails with this exact name that do not physically connect to ...
Learn more about Chapman Calpine - FS 52

Accessed directly from Highway 49 via Chapman Calpine, the beautiful Chapman Saddle Road takes you on a sweeping journey through a towering evergreen forest. As you cruise along this wide, inviting path, you will notice that the landscape periodically opens up to reveal areas of recent forest thinni...
Learn more about Chapman Saddle - FS 21N09

Accessed directly from Chapman Saddle, this route takes you on a peaceful journey through a dense, towering evergreen forest. Because the thick, tightly packed trees line the shoulders so closely, you will not find any sweeping scenic vistas or open clearings suitable for dispersed camping anywhere ...
Learn more about Mark - FS 21N83

This section of the Chapman Calpine road begins just off Highway 89 in the town of Calpine, serving as one of two distinct routes sharing this name that do not actually physically connect. The journey starts as a wonderfully smooth, wide dirt road flanked by evergreen trees before opening up into a ...
Learn more about Chapman Calpine - FS 52

Starting right off Highway 49, this segment of the Chapman Calpine trail acts as a fantastic, welcoming gateway that crosses the boundary line into the beautiful Plumas National Forest. It is important to note that there are two separate trails with this exact name that do not physically connect to ...
Learn more about Chapman Calpine - FS 52

Accessed directly from Highway 49 via Chapman Calpine, the beautiful Chapman Saddle Road takes you on a sweeping journey through a towering evergreen forest. As you cruise along this wide, inviting path, you will notice that the landscape periodically opens up to reveal areas of recent forest thinni...
Learn more about Chapman Saddle - FS 21N09

Accessed directly from Chapman Saddle, this route takes you on a peaceful journey through a dense, towering evergreen forest. Because the thick, tightly packed trees line the shoulders so closely, you will not find any sweeping scenic vistas or open clearings suitable for dispersed camping anywhere ...
Learn more about Mark - FS 21N83

This section of the Chapman Calpine road begins just off Highway 89 in the town of Calpine, serving as one of two distinct routes sharing this name that do not actually physically connect. The journey starts as a wonderfully smooth, wide dirt road flanked by evergreen trees before opening up into a ...
Learn more about Chapman Calpine - FS 52