California Off-Road Trails

Juniper Flats 3330 is a 12.5-mile adventure and a gateway to explore the many intersecting driving and hiking trails over its length. JF3330 snakes through the northern slopes of the San Bernardino Mountain foothills and is also known as Power Line Road for its access to the Southern California Edison (SCE) high voltage towers the trail follows. The route begins with majestic views to the west over the Mojave River bed and onto the distant San Gabriel Mountains. About 1.5 miles from the trailhead, it passes by and overlooks the area's namesake Juniper Flats, a shallow depression between the hills covered in tall Junipers. Once leaving the flats, the trail finds itself surrounded by magnificent boulder fields that escort you to the northern slopes of the foothills to reveal stunning views over the northern desert of Apple and Lucerne Valleys and the Granite Mountains with Rabbit Dry Lake 2000 feet below. On the trail's eastern end, it proceeds onto private land, where the trail's name changes to Santa Rosa Road, and it abruptly ends at railroad tracks with no crossing to the road on the other side.

This is an easy trail, but a high clearance vehicle is needed with the occasional steep ascents and a 4-wheel drive. Please note that the Juniper Flats Subregion is a Limited Use Area requiring vehicles to stay on marked trails.

The majority of the trail is on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, and dispersed camping can be enjoyed on the trail when following the BLM Dispersed Camping Regulations. The steep slopes the road is carved into allow for a few suitable dispersed campsites. Most of the flat areas large enough for multiple vehicles are at the bases of the SCE high voltage towers. Open fires may be prohibited, and it is the responsibility of campers to know the Campfire Restrictions.

Secluded from the more popular region of Alabama Hills, the Boot Arch trail provides a few additional opportunities to explore the dirt roads in the area. Located shortly into the trail is its namesake, Boot Arch. There is a small pullout and a short hike to this small but unique arch. The trail to this point is very flat and easy.

Beyond the camping area, the trail splits into two forks and gets a bit rougher, requiring 4WD and high clearance to reach the ends, due to the rocky and rutty terrain. The northern spur is quite uneventful, aside from pure isolation. The southern spur guides users into the rock fins and truly makes you feel like you are on another planet. The end is a great location to take in the sights and enjoy a bite of lunch or a few minutes to yourself.

About the camping on this route:

All dispersed camping is designated to a specific site and requires a permit. A permit can be obtained online or at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center or kiosks located on Movie Road and the main entry point in Lone Pine. Permits need to be signed and displayed on your dashboard. 

The BLM has created a map showing the site numbers. However, those numbers are not used in the field, but each site is clearly marked with either a camping allowed or no camping allowed symbol on a clearly visible sign.  Please be aware that all sites are first come, first served, and a permit does not guarantee you will find a site. Due to the popularity of the area, it is best to arrive early. 

There are six portable restrooms throughout Alabama Hills. If you do not want to drive or walk to one, you must bring your own system to pack out human waste. 

Below is a brief description of each site:

• 39: Relatively level, with room for 3-4 vehicles and ground tents. Site
• 40: About 30 yards off the trail to the north and is a bit more intimate, allowing for two smaller vehicles or one larger. Trailers and long-wheelbase trucks/vans may struggle to reach site 40 due to a few turns between some rocks and minimal room to turn around.

From Victorville, carving its way over the foothills of the Silver Mountains and through Brisbane Valley, SV6515 eventually reaches Barstow. Topping the many hills along the trail rewards you with stunning views of this high desert landscape. Over its twenty-mile length, this trail connects to several other roads and trails, inviting exploration.

The southwestern end of the trail for the first seven miles is on public land and provides several flat areas for dispersed camping when meeting the BLM Camping Guidelines.

During high fire danger, campfires may be restricted. If planning to camp, review the current BLM Campfire Restrictions and have a Campfire Permit.

SV6515 has several steep climbs and descents, with a loose rocky trail and deep ruts. A high clearance four-wheel drive vehicle with good all-terrain tires and an experienced driver should attempt this trail. Four low is also recommended for the steepest climbs and descents.

In the southern Scodie Mountains, a beautiful narrow canyon guides SC37 as it rises 1300 feet to the narrow mountain ridge of Wyleys Knob and an intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail. The ridge provides a perfect lunch spot while enjoying impressive views of the surrounding mountains and the distant Kiavah Wilderness.   

SC37  is reached via Frog Creek SC47 and SC50. A BLM trail marker at the western start of the trail indicates this trail has a "Difficult" rating. Obstacles on the west and east side of the Wyle Knob ridge confirm this rating. The entire trail requires a high clearance 4x4 to manage a three-foot sandstone ledge on the west side of the trail and a steep descent over rough, rocky, water-damaged terrain on the eastern half. Only an experienced driver should attempt this trail.

At the northern end of the trail is Bureau of Land Management prepared primitive campsite with a rock fire ring that can be used when meeting BLM Camping Guidelines. During high fire danger, campfires may be restricted, and if planning to camp here, one should review the current BLM Campfire Restrictions and have a Campfire Permit.

Connecting Odessa Canyon and Doran Canyon, this shortcut, sometimes referred to as Josh's Cut-Through, will save you several minutes when making the loop between the two canyons. With tons of rich mining history, this is the perfect trail for groups that want to avoid the rock crawling of Doran or Odessa Canyons and would rather spend their day exploring the old mine ruins and history of Calico.

This trail is a shelf-mining road, so if heights are not your thing, this won't be your favorite trail. This trail also has a steep, loose, and slightly off-camber descent and ascent on both ends that can be intimidating but can easily be handled by stock 4x4s with little assistance outside of airing down.

Camping along this trail is not ideal, and no pre-established sites exist.

Located in the north-west corner of Joshua Tree National Park, the Covington Flats area is a great desert off-road scenic afternoon drive or a backcountry hiking destination. This route covers the entire Covington Flats area, providing views from the 5,400 ft Eureka Peak out to Palm Springs and the Morongo Basin. The lower elevations pass by captivating sculpted rock formations, large shading pinyon pines, and Joshua trees. The road is an out-and-back route and is well-marked, providing directions to staging and day-use areas that access the many backcountry hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails.

The site designated with a camping sign is for day use only; however, overnight camping is available at the National Park’s Black Rock Campground, located just 2 miles east of the road's start.

The route combines Covington Flat Road, Covington Crossover, Upper Covington, Eureka Peak, and Lower Covington Trail. The roads here are well maintained by the park and can be managed using a two-wheel drive passenger vehicle, but if wet, a 4WD high clearance vehicle is required.

Located in the Sand to Snow National Monument, Little Morongo Canyon Road begins in a healthy Joshua Tree forest with great views out to Yucca Valley, then quickly winds 3,000 feet down the slopes of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, eventually following a narrow course between the steep sides of the beautiful Little Morongo Canyon. Along the way, the neighboring valleys expose views of the surrounding mountains. The descent finishes in a shallow wash, where several open dispersed camping sites will be found to enjoy the quiet and solitude of the trail.

This out-and-back road is easy with its wide, flat surface and can be driven using a two-wheel drive with some ground clearance to manage the occasional ruts. The northern end of the trail is on a steep twisty shelf road, and the width of the road will help reduce any apprehension for new off-road drivers.

Passing between the Shadow Mountains to the south and the twin towers of Red Buttes to the north, EM4800 progresses over this Mojave Desert basin, rising a bare 350 feet over its entire length. The trailhead is easily reached from Highway 395, and its southwesterly direction provides access to several trails that invite exploration. EM4800 is within the El Mirage Subregion, which is designated as a Limited Use Area requiring vehicles to stay on the trails.

The trail passes through a checkerboard of private and BLM land, providing solitude and access to dispersed camping anywhere along the trail when meeting the BLM dispersed camping requirements. During the summer fire season, campfires may be restricted, and if planning to camp, one should review the current BLM Camp Fire Restrictions.

EM4800 is an easy, generally flat sandy trail requiring only a high clearance two-wheel drive vehicle.

Deep in the Plumas National Forest is a legendary scenic forest trail. Sloat McRae Road is a scenic overland route from Quincy to the Pacific Crest Trail/Gold Valley OHV Trail. This old forest trail has towering trees and stoic beauty and is a fantastic drive. Although this is an excellent offroad trail, you must watch as the local logging companies use the trail. As you start out from the north side, you cross over the amazing Middle Fork Feather River, up a narrow lush canyon, over the towering mountains, and back down the other side. The trail allows for dispersed camping, and Ross Campground is a first-come, first-serve camping area. With a running stream nearby, this campground is something special. Since the trail is a maintained logging road, the trail is straightforward, and any offroad vehicle can ride the trail. So, if you are in the area and looking for something just stunning, look no further than this trail.

Cows Heaven Canyon Road (SC51) provides a corridor through the beautiful untouched hills of the Kiavah Wilderness from the Mojave Desert to the Sequoia National Forest. The road moves through the transition zone between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Mojave Desert, where you'll find an unusual mix of plants and animals, including creosote bush, Joshua trees, burro bush, and shadscale. This is an up-and-back trail with convenient access from Highway 14.

This is an easy trail, consisting almost entirely of packed sand. It requires only a two-wheel drive but still requires high clearance.

Vehicles can travel up the Wilderness Corridor to the end, where dispersed camping is allowed along the road. To minimize impacts, previously used or predisturbed sites should be used. Vehicles must park on the shoulder of the road in previously used locations as well. The Wilderness boundary is 30 feet from the road's centerline, so no motorized vehicles can travel further from the road even if a disturbed area extends past this boundary line. Dispersed camping is limited but can be enjoyed when meeting BLM Camping Guidelines. During high fire danger, campfires may be restricted, and if planning to camp here, one should review the current BLM Campfire Restrictions and have a Campfire Permit.

Dry Creek Road is a through trail connecting Inyo Craters to Deadman Creek in the Inyo National Forest. It passes through sections of alpine forest and the scenic Crater Flat. Parts of the trail are rutted and there are a couple of small climbs with loose material. AWD vehicles with moderate clearance should have no problem.

Dispersed camping is allowed, but the sites are mainly small areas that pull off the main trail with little shade. There are plenty of other great dispersed camping sites in the nearby area.

Bear Valley Road is a moderate difficulty trail, 45 minutes from San Diego, with rewarding southern views down to Mexico. It is popular with offroad enthusiasts as it is open to Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV). After the initial 2.5-mile climb to the ridge, the trail widens and has ample opportunities to stop, get out, take in the views, or have a snack. Bear Valley Road is great for anyone looking for mountain views while traversing something more aggressive than a dirt road.

This is an out-and-back trail for anything with 4 wheels (7 miles each way) with no access to Buckman Springs Road. The trail terminates at a locked gate 0.3 miles from the intersection with Long Valley Loop. However, continuing down Long Valley Loop and returning, it can become a 19-mile, almost 3-hour trek round-trip.

Difficulty

The trail is rough dirt and rock in good conditions, but when wet, deep mud bogs may form that could challenge even well-equipped vehicles. The first (northern) 2.5 miles contains over a dozen erosion control berms requiring high clearance. In addition to the erosion control, there are 3-4, roughly 20-foot sections with a climb/descent that may briefly encounter a 20° pitch or 15° camber.

Camping

There are at least 2 sites along the side of the trail, which can be used for camping in a pinch, but do not provide a lot of privacy. Camping does require a dispersed camping permit from the Descanso Ranger District.

Access

Use the Pine Valley exit off of I-8. The staging area is roughly 100 feet south of the freeway off-ramp. Parking within the fence requires a pass, but parking outside the fence is free. Parking may be busy due to the trail's popularity, with weekend mornings typically being the busiest.

Antelope Bench is easy and offers diverse scenery. It passes by Lookout Mountain in the northwest and Little Antelope Valley in the southeast. Toward the southeastern end, there is also a (white) Clay Pit Mine. The trail winds through sparse forests and open valleys, providing a sample of different terrains east of the 395 highway. The northwestern half of the trail has more tree cover and shade than the southwestern half.

Most of the trail is gravel with a few rocky sections, and when conditions are good, it can be traversed with a stock 2WD truck or SUV. The trail has several locations that could be used for camping, as dispersed camping is allowed in the Inyo National Forest.

South of the Scodie Mountains, starting from the paved Kelso Valley Road, in a narrow gap along the soft sandy bottom of Butterbredt Canyon, sits Butterbredt Canyon Road (SC123). A healthy green joshua tree forest surrounds the road. The canyon's namesake, Butterbredt Springs, is teeming with life supported by the active spring and is near the southeastern end of the road, near its end at the intersection with Jawbone Canyon Road.  Surprisingly, for its length, this straight-through road has only a single intersecting road but does have several hiking trails beginning from the road. 

This is an easy trail over a maintained road, consisting almost entirely of soft, deep sand that requires a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

The only dispersed camping site is a BLM-provided primitive site near Butterbredt Spring. The large dispersed campsite with rock fire rings can be enjoyed when meeting BLM Camping Guidelines. During high fire danger, campfires may be restricted, and if planning to camp here, one should review the current BLM Campfire Restrictions and have a Campfire Permit.

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.

Tip Over Trail is a moderately difficult trail in Frank Raines OHV connecting to West Loop Trail. The trail is mostly smooth dirt, with two moderate hill climbs easily conquered with 4WD or AWD. The beginning portion of the trail takes you past the child dirtbike track, as well as the now-closed entrances to Kidney Stone Trail and Concrete Trail.

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.