Trail Overview
Cline Buttes Off Highway Vehicle Trail 49 is a blue-rated double-track road that meanders beautifully along a low ridgeline. The route weaves through a high-desert landscape filled with tight, fragrant juniper trees, offering a flat and sandy baseline surface. As you travel along this elevated track, you will be treated to a viewpoint featuring expansive, sweeping views of the distant mountains. While the terrain remains relatively flat and straightforward, the path is heavily littered with bowling ball-sized cobblestones and scattered rock gardens essentially the entire way. You will also encounter one distinct, ledgy rock obstacle along the route, though the surrounding terrain provides an obvious alternative line to easily bypass it. It is a very bumpy ride, making slow and steady progress the best approach to enjoy the scenery without bouncing around too harshly in the cabin.
Difficulty
This trail is generally flat and easy to follow, but it requires patience and mindful tire placement. The primary challenge comes from the constant barrage of large, loose cobblestone rock gardens, with some embedded rocks measuring well over 12 inches. Driving over these bowling ball-sized cobbles at higher speeds will be extremely jarring, so it is best to maintain a slow, controlled crawl to protect your suspension. Be sure to navigate the singular rocky ledge carefully, or simply utilize the bypass to preserve your momentum and protect your vehicle's undercarriage from potential scrapes.
