Old Dale Road

Entered from the park (South end of trail) and it was typical washboard for Old Dale. Didn't take the pass, Used Old Mine Road and rejoined on the North side. North side was not nearly as washboardy as previous trips. I would not recommend the Old Mine go-around unless.you are high clearance and true 4WD. If it is hot outside, Jeepers watch your trans temp as you climb, 4lo will work to remedy any trans heat issues

Completed this route with a modified (2-inch lift, skid plates, rock sliders, QD endlinks, AT tires) Forester wilderness along with a friend driving a modified frontier Pro-4x. We traveled south to north and beginning part wasn’t very bad. The difficult sections begin once you start going over the pass. There were multiple sections that required a spot, but I was able to get through them with ease and proper tire placement. I don’t recommend this on a stock forester.

Most of the trail was pretty easy. Some rocky spots that probably give it the intermediate rating, but everyone in our group made it, we had a stock Tacoma, a lifted Tacoma, a jeep, a 4runner and a ram 2500. The only one to touch their skid plates was the stock Tacoma.

We ran old Dale in our 25 gladiator Rubicon on 35s most of the trail is fast and very easy. The section over the mountain pass is a little more technical lots of fun. I think the whole trail could be handled with with 33s but it’s always nice to have lockers.

The southern section across the Pinto Basin is well graded but significant washboard. No deep sand. The section on the SE side of the mountain pass is badly washed out in places making this part more of a 5 of 10. I made it with 31 1/2 inch KO3's but tire placement was tricky. Never bottomed out on the rocks but a few scary sections. Small boulders everywhere. From the pass north was easy with little washboard, no significant sand or washouts. Saw no other vehicles. This route is technically much more challenging than Berdoo Canyon

Ran from south to north starting late morning today. First section was a sandy road that turned into steeper and rockier terrain when the road hit the mountain. It was about as expected with some rocks and off camber. Ran it without issue with a stock Bronco Badlands SAS. Lots of lizards and birds to see if you take the time to stop.

Ran Old Dale Road north to south yesterday. Trail conditions were exactly as expected. The majority of the route is sandy, with a rocky section over the mountain pass that adds a little variety but nothing too technical. There are tons of old mines along the way, making it a great trail if you like exploring and stopping off the main route. Definitely worth taking your time to check some of those out. I was in a stock Wrangler Rubicon and had no issues at all. My friend ran a stock Wrangler Willys and also had no issues.

Fun and scenic. Driving a stock '24 toyota lc250 with 33s. No issues. The culvert pipe mentioned earlier is still losing sand on either side, but still passable.

Stock Jeep Wrangler with factory all terrains. No issues. Scraped nothing.

very annoying washboard from the 62 to Gold Crown Rd. Deep sand in spots. After crossing the San Bernanrdino Wash, the road gets very rocky and difficult. Minimum tire size would be 33", clearance is a must to do this section without undercarriage damage. Saw lots of broken reflector bits and chunks of tire rubber as we crossed the mountains. Once you reach the Joshua Tree park boundry, the trail turns back to washboard. We spent thurs and fri on the trail, saw one other truck. Lots of side roads, and old mines and structures to explore. Personally, I'd rate the difficult section of this trail as a 6, but maybe I'm soft.

Trail was dry. First time on trail, we enjoyed it. We ran the trail from North to South. There were a few other groups on the trail, going South to North. There were some good shelf road and drop offs. Our youngest, 9, was nervous but we had fun! A lot of camp sites, as well as mines to explore.

The mountain areas toward 29palms are rough and rocky. Best to have at least 35s with rear lockers. The sandy sections a long with washboard that can be driven smooth with adequate speed.

Most of the trail was great only areas that are considering are the Rocky parts by the mine. A spotter and some clearance will get the job done.

Overall Assessment: The trail was in overall excellent condition during this initial trip. It is highly recommended for other users. Specific Considerations: Descent into Joshua Tree National Park: The section of the trail descending into Joshua Tree National Park was challenging and requires extra attention. The trail surface in this specific area was somewhat eroded. Drainage Pipe Crossing: As previously noted by another user, there is a crossing over a large drainage pipe. The sand on the edges of the pipe is eroding, which presents a potential hazard. Alternative Route: Several paths to the east of the pipe are available and offer a safer passage to avoid the eroding edges. Personal Experience: The pipe was crossed successfully but with limited margin for error.