Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Willows, California

This trail can be accessed by Main Road 306. It goes through private property for a short bit and a water crossing before reaching national forest land. There are many ruts throughout the trail due to water flow and some dips. The trail is nice and easy otherwise. There are beautiful views along the...
Learn more about Open Ridge Black Diamond East - FS 18N02

This trail has a spot to camp shortly after getting on the trail with a great view. There is a steep hill that a hitch will drag on, not far from the entrance, and some ruts and washes along the trail. Where the trail ends, there is only a very steep hill, nothing else indicating the end of the trai...
Learn more about Black Diamond - FS 18N30

This slightly over 2-mile trail definitely lives up to its name. While it remains a two-track route, thick brush crowds the trail in several sections, making for a tight squeeze at times. There are also a few small washes along the edges of the trail, so some caution is recommended. The route offer...
Learn more about Brushy Ridge - 19N29

This trail consists of dirt and gravel. It is an out-and-back trail as there is a major washout about 1 mile from the west end, where it's supposed to connect with M3. The trail has some ruts, washes, and a few shelf roads along the way. There are some beautiful views and a few spots to pull off and...
Learn more about Open Ridge Black Diamond West - FS 18N02

This trail is a combination of dirt and gravel. There are a few small washes along the edges of the trail, but nothing too big, and they can easily be driven around. This trail does end at a gate with "State of California" land on the other side. This trail has some really great views.
Learn more about Salt Spring Valley - 18N38

This is a short spur road that looks like it used to take you to the top of Triplet Butte however the trail becomes impassable a little less than half way down the road. Has a couple tight sections of trees to pass through and it is clear where the trail ends as the track is not visible, there is ov...
Learn more about Triplet Butte - 18N02A

Set within a scenic high-country pine forest with manzanita brush understory in the Mendocino National Forest, Felkner - FS 19N06 provides an enjoyable mountain ridge drive. Accessed directly off of Forest Highway M3, this 4.8-mile single-lane dirt spur climbs up to Felkner Ridge, acting as a connec...
Learn more about Felkner - FS 19N06

Rain Gauge - FS 19N71 turns off Forest Highway M3, offering an inviting journey along the sloped ridgelines of Mendocino National Forest. Operating as an out-and-back spur, this wide single-track dirt road gently winds along the mountainside before concluding at 1.2-miles where it meets an intersect...
Learn more about Rain Gauge - FS 19N71

Tool Cache Ridge - FS 20N64 branches directly off Forest Highway M3, winding through a quiet stretch of Mendocino National Forest. This single-track dirt path acts as a forest connector road that loops over to Clover Creek - FS 20N41 and links to additional backcountry spurs, though seasonal downed ...
Learn more about Tool Cache Ridge - FS 20N64

This is an out and back or should I say up and down trail that takes you from the bottom of the canyon to the top of the Saint John mountain. Trail is single wide with turn outs. Mostly smooth until the last mile or so. There are a lot of water drainage humps and some overgrown vegetation I barely t...
Learn more about Saint John - FS 18N06

This is a semi maintained fire road. From the South end starts out groomed and starts to get narrow on the shelf road. Some overgrown brush to get some pin stripes. There are multiple smaller washouts and one that you need to navigate carefully since the outside is sliding a bit.
Learn more about North Fork - FS 18N03

Set within the Stonyford OHV Recreation Area along chaparral-covered ridges recovering from past wildfire impacts in the Mendocino National Forest, Cracker - FS 17N76 provides a secluded and visually captivating mountain ridge trip. Accessed directly off of Cracker Box Trail near a major OHV trail ...
Learn more about Cracker - FS 17N76

Set along open, chaparral-covered ridges recovering from the massive 2018 Ranch Fire within the Mendocino National Forest, Salt - FS 17N78 delivers an exciting high-country mountain ridge drive. Accessed directly off of Forest Highway M5, this single-track dirt spur functions as a scenic loop connec...
Learn more about Salt - FS 17N78

Felkner Hill - FS 19N04 branches directly off Forest Highway M3, serving as a scenic connector road along an elevated mountain ridgeline. Right near the entrance off the M3, visitors will encounter an open clearing before continuing down the narrow dirt path. The route weaves through Mendocino Natio...
Learn more about Felkner Hill - FS 19N04

Set along an elevated mountain spine in a mixed pine and chaparral environment recovering from the 2018 Ranch Fire within the Mendocino National Forest, Hornet's Nest Ridge - FS 17N05 delivers a scenic and engaging off-road excursion. Accessed directly off of Forest Highway M5, this 2.4-mile single-...
Learn more about Hornet's Nest Ridge - FS 17N05

This is the beginning of the Letts Ridge trail. Past this is only for dirtbikes and other smaller OHV machines. This trail will also take you to the Champagne trail wh8ch also connects to Potato Hill. At the end is a big area to unload to do the rest of the Letts Ridge trail. A lot of whoops-style b...
Learn more about Letts Ridge Trailhead Entrance

This trail immediately starts climbing. Has many rolling water drainages and rocky sections. Start to get good views of the canyon as well. Crossing a road and continuing on the other side, it's easy to see and is marked. Good warm-up before going on the Potato Hill trail that gets pretty steep.
Learn more about Champagne - FS 17N79

Kern Point - FS 20N55 is an ascending 1.7-mile single-track dirt spur located in Mendocino National Forest, accessed directly off Forest Highway M3 at the Ivory Mill saddle area. Climbing steadily along a pine-dotted ridge line recovering from the 2020 August Complex Wildfire, the route runs nearly ...
Learn more about Kern Point - FS 20N55

Set within an elevated conifer forest recovering from the 2020 August Complex Fire in the Mendocino National Forest, Ivory Mill Adm - FS 20N45 serves as a scenic ridgeline connector route. Accessed directly off of Forest Highway M3 at Ivory Mill Saddle, this single-lane mountain road climbs continuo...
Learn more about Ivory Mill Adm - FS 20N45

This trail is a combination of dirt and gravel. The trail is fairly flat with the occasional rutted wash from water flow. Not far down the trail is the Rattlesnake Firefighter Memorial and the trailhead leading to their gravesites. This road states that it is not maintained in inclement weather. The...
Learn more about Road 307

This trail can be accessed by Main Road 306. It goes through private property for a short bit and a water crossing before reaching national forest land. There are many ruts throughout the trail due to water flow and some dips. The trail is nice and easy otherwise. There are beautiful views along the...
Learn more about Open Ridge Black Diamond East - FS 18N02

This trail has a spot to camp shortly after getting on the trail with a great view. There is a steep hill that a hitch will drag on, not far from the entrance, and some ruts and washes along the trail. Where the trail ends, there is only a very steep hill, nothing else indicating the end of the trai...
Learn more about Black Diamond - FS 18N30

This slightly over 2-mile trail definitely lives up to its name. While it remains a two-track route, thick brush crowds the trail in several sections, making for a tight squeeze at times. There are also a few small washes along the edges of the trail, so some caution is recommended. The route offer...
Learn more about Brushy Ridge - 19N29

This trail consists of dirt and gravel. It is an out-and-back trail as there is a major washout about 1 mile from the west end, where it's supposed to connect with M3. The trail has some ruts, washes, and a few shelf roads along the way. There are some beautiful views and a few spots to pull off and...
Learn more about Open Ridge Black Diamond West - FS 18N02

This trail can be accessed by Main Road 306. It goes through private property for a short bit and a water crossing before reaching national forest land. There are many ruts throughout the trail due to water flow and some dips. The trail is nice and easy otherwise. There are beautiful views along the...
Learn more about Open Ridge Black Diamond East - FS 18N02

This trail has a spot to camp shortly after getting on the trail with a great view. There is a steep hill that a hitch will drag on, not far from the entrance, and some ruts and washes along the trail. Where the trail ends, there is only a very steep hill, nothing else indicating the end of the trai...
Learn more about Black Diamond - FS 18N30

This slightly over 2-mile trail definitely lives up to its name. While it remains a two-track route, thick brush crowds the trail in several sections, making for a tight squeeze at times. There are also a few small washes along the edges of the trail, so some caution is recommended. The route offer...
Learn more about Brushy Ridge - 19N29

This trail consists of dirt and gravel. It is an out-and-back trail as there is a major washout about 1 mile from the west end, where it's supposed to connect with M3. The trail has some ruts, washes, and a few shelf roads along the way. There are some beautiful views and a few spots to pull off and...
Learn more about Open Ridge Black Diamond West - FS 18N02