Trail Overview
Spurs on spurs. Set along a timbered hillside covered in tall pines and dense underbrush within the Tahoe National Forest, Wheeler Tie Spur (FS 0450-005-15B) offers a secluded backcountry detour. Accessed directly off of Wheeler Tie Spur (FS 0450-005-15-05), this 1.0-mile single-track dirt path branches deeper into quiet woods as a true out-and-back spur. Motorized explorers and campers travel this little-used track to seek peaceful forest solitude and reach remote timbered clearings. The driving surface consists of a narrow dirt and pine needle track lined with brush overgrowth and small fallen limbs, earning an accessible Grade 2 difficulty rating. Departing the primary spur junction, the road traverses a tight hillside corridor where encroaching vegetation narrows forward clearance. Just past the initial bend, two small fallen logs rest across the track, requiring careful tire placement to roll over safely. Beyond the log crossings, the path emerges briefly into a more open hillside section before re-entering dense forest cover. The trail ends abruptly at the 1.0-mile mark where space to turn around is minimal, making a careful multi-point maneuver necessary to head back.
Difficulty
Earning a Grade 2 difficulty rating, this 1.0-mile out-and-back single-track spur features a firm dirt base accented by mild non-technical terrain challenges. As captured in the photos, primary obstacles include two small fallen logs spanning the track past the first bend, narrow hillside shelf stretches, and persistent side-brush encroachment that can brush against vehicle sides. Steep inclines, deep mud holes, and high-clearance boulder fields are absent. Drivers should maintain a slow speed, center tires carefully over the fallen logs, watch for paint-scratching branches along narrow side slopes, and execute a patient multi-point turn at the tight 1.0-mile dead end.
