California Off-Road Trails

Once a common household staple, Old Dutch Cleanser was a familiar sight in homes and stores across America. Known for its powerful scrubbing ability, this pumicite-based cleaner was used on everything from sinks and stoves to bathtubs. Between 1923 and 1947, the Old Dutch Cleanser Mine produced over 120,000 tons of the abrasive powder that made the brand so popular.

Today, visiting the mine on an overlanding trip feels like stepping back in time—especially considering the mysterious circumstances under which its operators seemed to vanish overnight. As you wind your way up the road to the site, you’ll be struck by just how much pumicite still blankets the area. For those feeling adventurous, the mine’s shafts remain accessible, offering a rare chance to explore the tunnels and see remnants of the original materials and tools used in the mining process.

In Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, California, there are several camping loops that many people use as a place to retreat from the city. These areas see many different people each year and leave lasting memories. This camping loop, in particular, is up in the narrow rocky canyon with a lot of privacy and epic views of Mt. Whitney. The road is unsuitable for RVs and would be best for 4x4's or vehicles with high ground clearance and good articulation. The best part of this canyon is that it was one of the locations where The Lone Ranger was filmed. Needless to say, if you go out there, you are going to have a fantastic time.

Once in Johnson Valley, many people wonder where the best dispersed camping is at. Morongo Basin Desert Run Road (aka Desert Run Road) is one of two favorite spots for the locals to camp at. Desert Run Road is almost totally protected from the aggressive winds that can wreak havoc on the Means Dry Lake. The weather isn’t the only reason to choose this trail for camping. Immediately off of Desert Run Road is some of the best 4x4 and off-road trails in the area including trails like a Turkey Claw, which is an extreme rock crawling trail.

Mommas Sand Hill is a popular place for razors and other side by sides to hang out and there are several natural dirt bike courses against the hillside. So the next time you are in the area and wondering where to camp, take your RV, 5th Wheel, or tent and look to Desert Run Road.

Crooked Meadow Road is a rocky dirt road with a few sandy parts that runs through the Inyo National Forest. 4x4 is needed for a few sections of this trail. A good chunk of the northern end road is washed away, and 2WD does not offer the traction you’ll need to get through. There are also a couple of ditches that require 4x4. 

The pine trees open up to great views of Crooked Meadow and other meadows along the trail. To the east side of the trail is Taylor Canyon, which is a cool drive down or up, depending on your direction of travel. The steep canyon offers great views of the White Mountains to the east and the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the west. 

Crooked Meadow Campground has lots of trees, and some of the sites have great views of the meadow. There are no facilities at this campground and also no fee; you can camp for 14 days before you have to move to a different site at least 10 miles away.

This is a great trail to combine with Bald Mountain Road or the other connecting trails in the area.

OM-7381 winds up and over the highest elevations of the Ord Mountains, ultimately ending at Stoddard Mountain. The mountain heights provide humbling and colorful views of the surrounding Mojave Desert terrain. With an annual average rainfall of five inches, only the prevalent Creosote Bush can thrive in this region. Even the sparse Mojave Yucca struggles for a foothold. The road can be rough, slippery, and steep and merits an experienced, off-road driver. Most of the road is on BLM land. For explorers wanting to spend a night, dispersed camping is available at several previously disturbed sites along the route.

Climbing into the eastern edge of the Calico Mountains, Tin Can Alley is an easy drive that provides beautiful views across the desert and into the mountains. Near the trailhead, a large area on the side of the trail is covered with rusting tin cans left by the miners decades ago, hence the trail's name. Years of exposure have eroded any markings that tell of the can's contents, but still, it is an enticing stop to rummage through the field to find the last can still standing. At its end, this trail connects to the heart of the challenging Calico Mountain trail network.

Frank Raines OHV Park is located not far from Patterson, CA. It is open to 4x4s from sunrise to sunset with a $5 admission fee per vehicle. The park is open to all OHV vehicles, so be sure to watch out for dirtbikes, quads, and SXS.

Fire Road is an easy trail that begins at the park's entrance. It is rated green by the park's rating system. The most difficult portion of the trail is a rutted hill descent. The hill can be descended in 2WD, but 4WD is necessary to make it back up. However, there is a parallel trail you can take to bypass the hill climb on your return. The winding trail connects to the park's other trails. There's also a small 4x4 "play area" with a few optional obstacles to test the capabilities of your vehicle. The trail dead ends into Ridgeline Trail, which is currently closed for fire repair.

Deer Creek Campground is located at the park's entrance. The campground has 34 sites with picnic tables, restrooms, and other amenities. Prices range from $15 to $30 per site.

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. Based on 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, a 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.

North Fork Fish Creek, an often overlooked trail in the Anza-Borrego State Park, is a unique and quiet trail splitting off near the Wind Caves on Fish Creek Trail. The trail's canyon cuts through various geologic layers, including sandstone canyons and mud cliffs. The seldom-used trail follows open sandy washes with a few mild rock-crawling opportunities to spice things up, making it a great overlanding trail for the person looking for a place to have the desert to themselves.

North Fork Fish Creek has several flat campsites suitable for any sized group with flat dirt areas and low traffic.