Fall Road North

Trail Overview

Fall Road begins off Old US-395 at the edge of Olancha, threading through a low-desert farming area lined with juniper trees and scattered Joshua trees. The first mile is relatively calm. It is a flat, sandy, and shaded by the junipers as the trail eases away from the highway corridor. Around mile 1.0, the trail transitions into the Olancha Dunes, where the junipers give way to open desert flora, including thistle and other scrub. The views open dramatically here as the Coso Range rises to the east above the Death Valley National Park boundary, while the Eastern Sierra forms the skyline to the west. At approximately mile 1.5, the trail drops into a wash with sand walls ranging from 3 to 5 feet tall. The wash winds through before the trail exits on a steep, loose sand ramp. Beyond the wash, the route continues toward the Coso Range in the direction of Silver Mountain and Sugarloaf Mountain. Sand deepens noticeably in this section, and desert flora becomes denser, including larger Joshua tree groupings. The latter half of the trail introduces additional technical challenges: off-camber sections, scattered small rocks, and rutted stretches reaching up to 18 inches deep. While most of the route rates a 2, these rut sections elevate the overall rating to a 4. The trail descends into a canyon near its terminus and ends abruptly at a massive washout approximately 20 feet deep with no exit from this end. Making this trail an out-and-back trail.

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Difficulty

Things you will encounter: soft sand, a steep sandy exit ramp from the wash, some off-camber sections, ruts up to 18" deep, and an abrupt, very deep washout terminus of the trail.

Technical Rating

Fall Road North can be accessed by the following ride types:

• High-Clearance 4x4
• SUV
• SxS (60")
• ATV (50")
• Dirt Bike