Bear Diversion OHV Route - FS 6S083

Trail Overview

Bear Diversion OHV Route (FS 6S083) is a slow, mesmerizing crawl through a "granite wonderland" that feels more like driving on a moonscape than a forest road. Accessible via the stunning, winding Edison Lake Road (a scenic 9-mile trek from Kaiser Pass), this trail is a single-lane adventure that demands you slow down and appreciate the geology. The tread is a quintessential High Sierra mix of Decomposed Granite (DG) and loose granite boulders, but the real star of the show is the frequent traversal across massive, open granite slabs. Unique to this route, you'll find blue reflectors embedded directly into the rock, guiding the way across the featureless stone like a runway for your rig--a critical aid if you're navigating back after a sunset run. The trail winds its way to a high alpine lake (the Bear Creek Diversion), offering a pristine spot to cool off or cast a line.

Photos of Bear Diversion OHV Route - FS 6S083

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Difficulty

This trail earns a Rating 3 due to the technical nature of driving on uneven granite. While there are no extreme "rock crawling" obstacles that require lockers, the transition between the soft decomposed granite and the hard granite slabs and boulders creates an uneven, bumpy ride that requires high clearance and careful line selection. The single-lane width means passing can be tricky, and the reliance on visual markers (reflectors) across the slabs adds a navigational element that keeps drivers engaged. It's a step up from a fire road, requiring 4WD and attention.

Technical Rating

Bear Diversion OHV Route - FS 6S083 can be accessed by the following ride types:

• High-Clearance 4x4
• SUV