Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Yankee Hill, California

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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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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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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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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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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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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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…
Learn more about Tamarack Lakes 12E33

Graded Forest Service road above the CA-70 highway in Graeagle, California that accesses Bonta Ridge, Penman Saddle, and other points to the North in the Plumas National Forest. There is a great brewery - the…
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Bonta Ridge is an occasionally maintained gravel Forest Service road that climbs from Bonta Creek Road above the CA-70 highway up to Penman Saddle and points beyond in this section of the Plumas National Forest.…
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The trail has smooth flowing sections, loose, rocky climbs, and hardpacked rocky roads with seasonal low water crossings. The road up to the lookout is steep with loose rock. Leading up to and past Taylor…
Learn more about Taylor Lake/Lucky S Mine/Kettle Rock Lookout Loop

The first part of the trail is paved. About 2/3rds of the way in, it becomes rocky and dirty. High clearance is recommended. There is one tricky hairpin about 1 mile from camp. Other than…
Learn more about Bowman Lake

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 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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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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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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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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Fulda Ridge (FS-19-028) is an easy, and well maintained trail just off of I-80 at Nyack. It's easy to get to and has cellular signal along the majority of the trail. It is a great…
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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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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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This trail is perfect for beginners and is relatively smooth, with shady roads and a small water crossing. It's pretty scenic and relaxing. Camping is available, but there was a fire restriction when I was…
Learn more about Austin Meadows

This trail begins just east of Bowman Lake at the Jackson Creek Campground. The trail is marked with a few signs and features a large pullout at the starting point. It offers a bumpy, rocky…
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Meadow Lake Road is the continuation of the Bowman Lake Road trail. The scenery is breathtaking and the camping and recreational opportunities are plentiful. This area of the Sierra Nevada usually is snow-free sometime in…
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Sawmill Lake Trail begins with a gentle climb from the Faucherie Lake Trail. As you crest the first hill, you'll catch your first glimpse of Sawmill Lake. There are campsites on the lakeside of the…
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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…
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This 14.9 mile point-to-point trail takes you pass Lake Valley Reservoir up Monumental Ridge and towards Texas Hill. This trail has great views of the Big Valley Canyon. The trail is mostly single vehicle width…
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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…
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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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Mitchell Mine is a nice, easy in-and-out summer trail for a leisurely stroll through the forest. It's also a good trail for beginners to get used to how their vehicle feels while off-road. The surface…
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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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