Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Willows, California

Easy dirt trail with connections to the Berryessa Snow Mountain Monument area Trails with wildflower sights in Spring and the main road to The Wilbur Hot Springs. Beautiful scenery of the Bear Valley in Lake…
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Bartlett Springs Road begins southeast of Mendocino National Forest and boasts excellent views. This route passes through BLM land, and there are plenty of offshoots from the trail. There are also opportunities for camping, hiking,…
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This trail will take you to a wetland area where multiple springs emerge from the mountainside. There is a dispersed camping area at the end where it turns into some hiking trails that give an…
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Walker Ridge Road is one of the main entrances to the Indian Valley Reservoir (CDFW) and the Walker Ridge Recreation Area (BLM). The road is gravel and accessible by most high-clearance vehicles. There are plenty…
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This trail is a little less than 4 miles and leads to Letts Lake and campground. As the only lake in the lower half of Mendocino NF, it is worth visiting. There are four campsites…
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The main connector between the north and south entrances of the Knoxville OHV area. Very active with power sports vehicles, as many marked and unmarked trails crisscross this trail. An easy trail with good views…
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This is an easy fire road in dry weather and a fun mud run in wet weather. The road doubles as the southern entrance to Knoxville, OHV, and Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. It then…
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This trail has great views throughout with a spectacular view of Lake Berryessa at its highest elevation point. Expect to drive dirt, gravel and mud along the out and back trail. There are also many…
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This route will take you from Upper Lake all the way to Eel River/Lake Pillsbury. It begins with great views of the valley, plenty of camping and resting spots in between, and ends with your…
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Erickson Ridge Loop is a relatively easy loop trail in Mendocino National Forest. From M1 (Elk Mountain Road) going north, the trail starts on your left, with a narrower dirt trail on the left and…
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An easy scenic route over mountain ridges through South Cow Mountain OHV that connects lakeport to Ukiah. This is the main dirt road through cow mountain that has multiple harder trails off either side and…
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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,…
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This is a 43-mile-long trek through dirt logging roads with spectacular views of the northern California redwoods. It is a great way to start a trip up the Mendocino coastline and on your way to…
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Willow Lake Road takes you to Willow Lake Campground where there are opportunities for fishing, hiking, hot springs, geysers and wildlife viewing. The road in is doable in any high clearance vehicle. When approaching the…
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This is a wide-open easy trail from the Chappie staging area, past Mammoth Mountain, to a lunch spot. It's easy for all riding abilities, with a ton of overlooks along the way. During the spring,…
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This is a fun drive up through the mountains that will require 4x4 high clearance. However, it does not require lockers. Bring a lunch and enjoy the backcountry, with some great views of valleys and…
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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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Graded dirt road connecting Highway 1 to Highway 128. Pavement is on both ends. A great dirt road with a flowy climb up from the coast to follow the ridge inland. Beautiful views and usually…
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This trail begins at Highway 44, travels through Lassen National Forest into Lassen Volcanic National Park, and concludes at Butte Lake. The trail is not technical, but can be eroded and present long stretches of…
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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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This route takes you through mostly wide gravel roads. There is a lot of moon dust/thick powder near the town of Westwood. You will be traveling through one of the largest burn scars in California,…
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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…
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Mix of fire roads and old logging roads. The area has been scorched by fire recently. There are a lot of downed trees that cross the trail, be prepared with a chain saw or chain/rope.…
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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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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…
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Trail begins with an easy climb to a high scenic ridge above beautiful Deer Lake. The route then descends into rugged Gold Valley and heads north past mines and lakes. To modify the trip, you…
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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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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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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…
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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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