Offroad Trails in Johnson Valley

Region

Johnson Valley

California

Offroad Trails in Johnson Valley

A Region within California

Johnson Valley OVH Area is a mecca for recreational offroading. Its infamous web of heartstopping trails are some of the most hardcore in the world. What makes the area so popular is its diversity of difficulty, which offers trails for every skill level and every OHV type. From punishing rock crawling to casual trail riding to high-speed desert running, Johnson Valley has it all. It might be most well known for the extreme rock crawling found in the mountainous area known as the "Hammers." But, for those in stock or lightly modified 4X4s, Johnson Valley is also home to plenty of intermediate and novice trails. Then, adding to the variety, miles of open desert roads surrounding the Hammers are perfect for those with a need for speed. Johnson Valley OHV Area is shared land between BLM (Bureau of Land Management) and the adjacent Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center of Twentynine Palms. Its history of rock crawling goes back to the early 1990s, when some of its most iconic trails, including Sledgehammer, Jackhammer, and Aftershock, were broken. Then, in 2007, the yearly King of the Hammers competition was founded, which exponentially grew Johnson Valley's popularity. The harsh desert landscape brings with it extreme summer heat that consistently exceeds 100-degrees. It's not uncommon to see temperatures reaching 120-degrees in the mid to late summer months. High winds are also commonplace and overnight temperatures can dip below freezing in the winter, so keep these factors in mind when planning your trip out to Johnson Valley OHV Area.

Top Reasons to Explore Here

Altitude

Camping

Desert

Iconic

Mine

Mud

Overland

Rock

Sand

Scenic

Snow Wheeling

Wash

Water

Johnson Valley includes trail difficulties ranging from

EASY

EXTREME

Most Popular Trail Guides

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5/5 (18 reviews)

Updated: 02/27/2024

Sledge Hammer

Open

Yucca Valley, California/

1.56 miles/

About 5 hours

If you want insanely hard, then the Hammer Trails are for you. Sledge Hammer is the southernmost trail of the Hammers in Johnson Valley, California. This extreme 4x4 trail is a collection of large boulders, massive ledges, towering waterfalls, vertical climbs, and spots you just have to drag through. This trail is going to make you work for it if you are wanting to complete it. Once on this trail, it is clear why this is one of the hardest trails in the country and why it makes the cut for one of the hardest parts of the King Of The Hammers race. If you think you have what it takes to do this run, have a rig that is built for the extreme, and have plenty of off-roading experience, then this is for you!

California: Turkey Claw - Johnson Valley Hero Photo

5/5 (21 reviews)

Updated: 02/27/2024

Turkey Claw - Johnson Valley

Turkey Claw is a fun and difficult rock crawling trail that will put any 4x4 to its test. Whether you are a Toyota, a 2 door Jeep Wrangler, or a 4 Door JKU person. Turkey Claw will make even the most hardcore off-road enthusiast think twice in the first few feet of the trail. Body damage, driveline failure, and great memories are all likely to be found on this trail. The next time you decide to have an adventure in the home of The King Of The Hammers in Johnson Valley, California, take a trip to the southwest of Means Dry Lake and check out one of the most fun, short, and epic 4x4 trails in Southern California.

California: Fissure Mountain Trail Hero Photo

4.8/5 (20 reviews)

Updated: 02/27/2024

Fissure Mountain Trail

Possibly the only real intermediate trail in Johnson Valley, California, Fissure Mountain Trail is a great offroad trail for everyone from stock 4x4s to built buggies. This classic off-road trail is a unique scenic drive as it skirts along the famous Hammer Trails and has epic views allowing you to see miles in almost any direction. The trail got its name after a fissure opened up during the Landers quake in 1992. Since most of the trails in the area are either easy or insanely hard, this is a welcome addition to the area as it makes for a great Jeep Trail to drive for people that are learning to offroad or the people that just want an enjoyable way to take a break from the hard trails. And this one isn't just another rock crawling trail; it has some overland features to it as well, with unique camping opportunities. So if you are in Johnson Valley, and want to do something different, check out Fissure Mountain, and make it a memorable adventure in the deserts of Southern California.

5/5 (19 reviews)

Updated: 02/27/2024

Claw Hammer

A true legend of the off-roading world, and often called the easier of the three Hammer Trails. Claw Hammer, located in Johnson Valley in Southern California, home of King of the Hammers, offers a difficult to severe-rated rock crawling trail in a short but exciting package. Be ready for lots of technical obstacles with cringe-worthy waterfalls, mountainous rocks, and boulders that just don't seem to offer a way around. The risk of doing body damage is high, along with vehicle failure. According to how experienced your group is, you can get through this trail in as short as 45 minutes. But the average group takes about 4 hours. Whether you are a Jeep person, Toyota junky, or a buggy driver, when looking for a truly epic offroad trail that makes most people's top 5 lists, check out Claw Hammer.

California: Chocolate Thunder Hero Photo

5/5 (16 reviews)

Updated: 02/27/2024

Chocolate Thunder

A trail that many have heard of, Chocolate Thunder is a popular rock crawling trail in Johnson Valley, California. The trail is usually part of the famous King of the Hammers track and has even been one of the famous Shootout Challenges. The short but fun trail is full of large rocks that are big enough to flip even the largest vehicles, sand that can make climbing the countless ledges and waterfalls impossible, and unique and tight obstacles that can easily destroy a body panel or two. One of the unique things about this trail is it has some great spots on the sides of the trail that any stock 4x4 can get to, making it a popular place for people to gather to watch others work their way through. Now, if you want a good challenge or are looking for a unique night run, check out Chocolate Thunder in the home of KOH, Johnson Valley, and see if your offroad rig has what it takes to complete this trail.

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5/5 (1 reviews)

Spooners

California

Spooners, a Johnson Valley trail named after a couple of guys who got stuck on the trail and had to spoon to survive overnight cold temperatures, is one of the original Johnson Valley rock crawling trails. Located near Outerlimits, this nearly 3-mile long trail is one of the furthest trails from Means Dry Lake and is positioned directly against the military boundary on its northern end. With large boulders over 4 feet round, waterfalls over 5 feet tall, and a difficult S-Turn obstacle that can quickly end your day with one wrong move, Spooners is a trail only for the bravest and built. This trail is best suited for modified vehicles with lifts, larger tires, skid plate protection, and locking differentials. Body damage and mechanical failure are likely.

Even though the trail got its name from two guys camping on it, users should be aware that this trail does not offer any suitable camping options.

5/5 (1 reviews)

Guacamole

California

Guacamole is a straight-through rock-crawling trail just west of Means Dry Lake. This short but fun trail offers obstacles, waterfalls, and plenty of rocks to challenge even the most hardcore group. The main obstacle of the trail is on the southwest end, a boulder waterfall roughly 5 feet tall with a v-notch that can often destroy rocker panels and sometimes cause body damage. The trail is often combined with Resolution to create a longer route. Guacamole is an excellent trail for people looking to get their feet wet on the Johnson Valley Trails but want to avoid getting in over their heads. This trail is best suited for modified vehicles with larger tires, skid plate protection, and locking differentials.

Although this trail does not host any suitable camping options, the northeastern trailhead offers plenty of open areas for people to hang out, camp, and watch the entertainment.

5/5 (7 reviews)

Bender Alley

California

Rocks, rocks, and more rocks. Some of the rocks are large, while others are huge. There is a good reason why Bender Alley is feared. Expect rocks over 6 feet round everywhere. Plus, the gatekeeper obstacle at Wrecking Ball is a good one that will filter out most vehicles. If you want something really hard, continue up the canyon up Upper Bender Alley. Many say it is the hardest single trail in Johnson Valley. There is no camping on this trail. Nearby Means Dry Lake has space for everything from RVs to tents.

5/5 (1 reviews)

Bloody Mary

California

If you want hard, this is about as hard as it gets. Bloody Mary is an extreme buggy trail. Some of the best moon buggy drivers have found themselves beyond stuck on this trail. Full of ledges, 20-foot round rocks, and cracks, it takes extreme patience to get through this one. Thus, if you hear a story of someone wanting to run this trail, pack a lunch and a change of clothes and get out there and watch this wild ride. There's no camping on this trail. Nearby Means Dry Lake is a popular camping area that is RV friendly.

5/5 (2 reviews)

Claw Hammer and Fissure Connector

California

This short connector between Fissure Mountain and Wrecking Ball / Claw Hammer has a ton of dispersed camping. Several areas are large enough for 10 vehicles with ground tents. You will want at least an air mattress due to the small rocks on the ground. This trail is very lightly traveled, making it an ideal place to camp close to the epic crawling trails in the area. The trail ends at Wrecking Ball, which has a difficult hill climb/drop, depending on how you take it. If going from Fissure Mountain, you will drop down the hill climb.