California Off-Road Trails

EP 103 offers an adventurous backway to or from the Burro Schmidt Tunnel, featuring a thrilling drive and expansive views. The trail continuously rises and falls, with steep sections requiring 4-Low gearing for both climbing traction and controlled descents. It can be driven in either direction but is best suited for vehicles equipped with 4-Low.

Along the route, look for old mining shacks and remnants of the area's boom years. However, no pre-existing campsites are available along this trail.

Located in the Juniper Flats area, JF3276 connects to a network of trails that cover over 100,000 acres of this desert-to-mountain transition. The trail provides beautiful views and hosts a variety of wildlife. This trail moves through a particularly dense area of distinctive rock formations that invite a short hike to explore.

The trail is easy over a hilly section of hard-packed dirt with short sections of exposed grapefruit-size rocks, and it is wide enough for two vehicles to maneuver and pass by over most of its length. This is the perfect trail for beginning offroaders and can be handled with a 2-wheel drive high clearance vehicle. However, if continuing to explore the area, many trails will require a high clearance 4x4.

This trail offers no suitable campsites, but dispersed camping is allowed throughout the area when sites show obvious signs of prior use and lack of vegetation cover and follow the BLM Dispersed Camping Guidelines. This is a high-fire danger area, and campfires may be prohibited. Campers are responsible for knowing and following the current fire restrictions.

Connecting Newberry Springs and Crucero Road, Hidden Valley Wash is a straight-through connecting trail taking users through the Caddy Mountains and deep into the heart of the Mojave Desert. The western half of the trail is easy, with a trail surface that is primarily hard-packed dirt and sand with small rocks. It takes you past several old pump sites and many large, open areas suitable for dispersed camping. The eastern half becomes much rougher and traverses a wide desert wash with soft, deep sand, where 4WD and high clearance are necessary. Airing down will greatly help in aiding tire traction. The trail is very remote with limited cell coverage, where solitude can easily be found.

Chicken Ranch is an out-and-back spur off of Moffat Ranch Road. It leads to dispersed campsites 41, 42, and 43 and the Chicken Ranch Mine. The views of the Eastern Sierras and the surrounding areas are rather good. Being out of the main area of Movie Flats, it's evident this road is not as traveled as much. The road does have a few erosion washouts, and anyone attempting to tow a long trailer beyond the first site may find it difficult; otherwise, any high clearance vehicle not towing will have no issues.

About 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 area's popularity, 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:

• 43: Good for a smaller trailer or two vehicles. Large enough to fit more, but only a small portion is level. It is a pull-through style site and does not have a tent pad.
• 44: Good for a small trailer or 2-3 vehicles. The bulk of the site is level with a view of the mine, but the site is right off of the road.
• 45: Best for vehicles and tents, two max. Not very level as a whole, and it is right off the road.

Within the Sand to Snow National Monument, the Hondo Trail winds through a sandy desert valley framed by towering, vertically stacked boulder walls that gradually close in to form a dramatic box canyon. At its end, the canyon offers a spacious, sheltered dispersed campsite on flat sand, with room for multiple vehicles and tents. Along the way, the trail intersects with several other routes and hiking paths, including the inviting Road Runner Rut Trail, making it a great jumping-off point for further exploration.

The driving itself is mostly soft sand, punctuated by the occasional exposed boulder. At the 2.3-mile mark, the trail squeezes down to a tight obstacle where the boulder walls leave just enough room for a narrow vehicle to pass. A wrangler clears with barely an inch to spare. A spotter is highly recommended. Additional sections of overgrown brush have a high probability of causing pinstripes. Deep sand makes a four-wheel drive with high clearance essential. Beyond the driving challenge, several excellent dispersed campsites can be found tucked against the rock walls, offering shade and shelter, with the box canyon at the end standing out as the premier spot.

With only two small rocky hills to break up this section of flat desert, CL8238 provides a convenient connection to the Spanish Canyon. The flat sandy trail has barely a rock to avoid. The level desert floor is suitable for dispersed camping anywhere along the way, with a few existing rock fire rings and a choice of hills to cozy up to for shelter from the desert wind.

Argentine Taylorsville Spur B leads to Argentine Rock, a must-see lookout built in 1934. This lookout sits 7,151 feet above sea level and provides stunning mountain range views. You can see Mt Rainier, Shasta, and many more snow-covered peaks in the distance. The trail up to Argentine Rock is easy and graded. Any offroad vehicle should have no issues getting to the rock from Quincy, the closest town. The hike from the parking area to the peak is short but can be strenuous.

There is no camping off the trail. Look to Brady's Camp for excellent camping. 

The Road to Backdoor is a dirt road that leads around the mountain and runs directly into Backdoor. This road isn't very popular since Backdoor is such a difficult trail. The road is comprised of mostly hard-packed dirt, with some soft sand as you get closer to the Backdoor obstacle. All 4x4's can easily handle this road.

Johnson Valley OHV area is an open OHV area, meaning you can drive anywhere, and you don't have to stay on the path if you choose not to. Portions of Johnson Valley are shared with the Twentynine Palms military base, and closures go into effect when training takes place. Please be sure to visit the BLM website: https://www.blm.gov/visit/johnson-valley-ohv-area to see closure schedules.

Front Street, marked as 8720 on the east end and 9610 on the west end, is an easy, straight-through track splitting the border of the Rasor OHV Area and the Mojave Trails National Monument. The road is used to connect Mojave Road and Crucero Road, allowing Mojave Road users quick access to see the Mojave Megaphone. The road parallels the Union Pacific Railroad tracks the entire length and offers expansive views of the desert area. The trail is primarily soft sand the entire length, with several sections of washboard that will give your suspension a workout. The road is flat and well-traveled, and although 4WD is recommended for the area, you are unlikely to take it out of 2WD along this stretch.

Knowing this alternate route will be valuable when movies or commercials are filmed on Movie Road. The route provides a great view of the Eastern Sierras and passes by dispersed camping site #11. Site 11 is large, flat, open, and suitable for trailers. If the roads have not been recently maintained, be advised of erosion ruts.

About 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. 

This straight up-and-back trail follows a BLM right of way as it is mostly bordered by private or fenced property.

Only the first half mile of the trail is appropriate for dispersed camping when meeting the BLM Camping Guidelines. During fire seasons, campfires may be restricted, and if planning to camp, one should review the current BLM Campire Restrictions.

EM4665 is an easy, flat, sandy trail requiring only a high clearance two-wheel drive vehicle.

Located within the Sand to Snow National Monument, SS1412 offers easy access from Highway 247 to a beautiful desert valley created by the slopes of the Black Lava Buttes and Flat Top Mountain. The trail follows this valley, passing through stunning boulder-strewn landscapes with stone sculptures shaped from natural erosion. Abundant dispersed camping is found along the trail's length, allowing users to enjoy a peaceful overnight camp or to use it as a convenient base camp to explore the many hiking-only trails that reach further into the desert. While the trail offers no shaded campsites, there are several locations next to the boulder formations that offer flat sandy surfaces, protection from the wind, and room for multiple vehicles. 

The trail travels mostly over a flat sandy surface with occasional rutted and rocky sections that are easily managed by a high clearance vehicle using two-wheel drive. While the trail has a map designation of SS1412, BLM trail markers RC1412 and RC1416 are widely placed along the trail, reflecting the shared responsibility for this area by the Sand to Snow National Monument and the Bureau of Land Management.

East of Lucerne Valley, RC3200 is entirely on Bureau of Land Management land and wanders through the northern foothills of the Blackhawk Mountains. It arrives at the property line of the Mitsubishi Cement Company, whose cement plant can be seen to the west. Along with the desert scenery, the slight elevation provides distant views out to the north of Lucerne Valley.

This is an easy out-and-back trail, but it still needs a high clearance vehicle. A new offroad driver will enjoy the twists and turns of this trail.

With no existing campsites visible from the trail, there are a few flat locations that will provide reasonable dispersed campsites when meeting the BLM Camping Guidelines.

Campfires are generally prohibited, and if you plan to camp, you are responsible for knowing the current BLM Campfire Restrictions. Operating a camp stove requires a campfire permit.

Skeleton Pass Road is named after the narrow pass on the eastern edge of the Ship Mountain Range. After visiting Old Woman Meteorite Road, Skeleton Pass Road provides access to a nest of trails that converge near Route 66 or as an alternative to the washboarded Cadiz Road to exit onto the paved Route 66. This sandy, two-track, 19-mile trail is entirely in the desert basin and moves across a flat desert over numerous washes. It offers terrific views of the Ship Mountains to the west and the Old Woman Mountains to the east. This is an easy trail that is good for beginners and that can be managed with a two-wheel drive high clearance vehicle. The trail is remote, with no cell coverage, and drivers should be prepared for self-rescue.

Several existing dispersed campsites can be found along the trail but are on the open desert floor.

Sierra View Road is almost entirely within Red Rock Canyon State Park, with the eastern quarter in the Bureau of Land Management area. If it has not been recently maintained, the road is washboard and rough but suitable for any high-clearance vehicle. This is a 5.5-mile connector to the Dutch Cleanser Mine, EP 15, and 86B. Dispersed camping is prohibited within the State Park, and suitable sites can't be found in the Bureau of Land Management portion.

Located along the valley's western edge that splits Claw Hammer and Outer Limits, Kings Veto is one of the hardest of the hard. It is a trail reserved for only the most extreme off-roaders. Infamous for causing catastrophic vehicle failures and brutal body damage, this short yet savage canyon is a true reckoning for even the most seasoned drivers.

Littered with boulders larger than most rigs, sheer vertical ledges towering over six feet, and a relentless, unforgiving gauntlet of rocks, King’s Veto offers no mercy. It demands constant front digs, winching through near-impossible lines, and an acceptance that carnage is just part of the journey. It’s no surprise that the team behind King of the Hammers added this trail to the course with one goal in mind: eliminate as many competitors as possible.

So if you think your ultra-built rig is unstoppable, and you’ve got what it takes to face this brutal stretch of terrain, King’s Veto will be more than happy to prove you wrong. But hey, at least you’ll have one hell of a story to tell.

This trail is a navigation challenge with few tire tracks through dense growth, but there are BLM trail signs indicating the route. The navigation challenge is that the BLM markers are widely spaced, and the tall overgrowth often hides them.

The desert terrain here is flat but with tall, dense growth and rocky washes, but still does provide a few cleared sites suitable for camping when meeting the BLM Camping Guidelines and being sure to be on BLM land.

Campfires may be restricted during high fire danger, and if planning to camp, one should review the current BLM Campfire Restrictions.

EM4663 is an overland trail with a risk of wrong turns where it can feel like you are breaking the trail. The tight brush causes significant stripping. The trail best suits an experienced driver using a high clearance four-wheel drive vehicle.

2N93G Lightning Gulch is in the beautiful San Bernardino National Forest, southeast of Big Bear Lake. There is dispersed camping throughout this trail, with a fantastic spot at the trail's end. This trail is a designated Recreational Shooting Site. The trail shows very little travel, so you will have the site to yourself. It is mostly a hard-packed decomposed granite trail that is well maintained and undergoes a seasonal closure, time depending on snow conditions. The condition of the trail is dependent on usage and weather.

Old Woman Meteorite Road is a mine road to access the Black Metal Gold Mine, but it got a lot of use when a meteorite was discovered there. In 1975, two miners discovered a large, unusually shaped rock tucked against the rocks and instantly recognized it as a meteorite. A U.S. Marine Corps helicopter hauled it away a few years later, where it was found to be the 2nd largest meteorite found in the United States, weighing 6,070 pounds. Replicas of the meteorite are currently on display at the BLM Needles Field Office, and the original is on display at the California Desert Information Center in Barstow, California.

This sandy, two-track, seven-mile-long trail moves over a flat desert basin over numerous washes. At a boulder jumble, a quick right turn suddenly reveals a beautiful valley. A short distance further, the trail reaches the Black Metal Gold Mine ruins and a dispersed campsite, whose higher elevation offers terrific views across the valley. Intersecting the trail are a few short trails to explore and a few long hiking trails into the wilderness. The mine site makes a perfect base camp to explore the wilderness.

Dispersed camping is allowed here when meeting the BLM Dispersed Camping Guidelines. Campfires may be prohibited, and it is the responsibility of campers to know and follow the any fire restrictions. The best camp spot is near the mine camp, which provides a view and some shelter from the wind.

This is an easy trail except for the last 100 yards past the mine camp ruins and into the mine proper, where the trail becomes steep and strewn with large pumpkin-sized rocks. To drive the last portion will require a high clearance 4x4.

Residing within Red Rock Canyon State Park and the El Paso Mountains, Pleasant Valley Road drives along the eastern side of Red Buttes. It connects Last Chance Canyon with the network roads you can take on your way to the Burro Schmidt Tunnel or Camp Bickel. While driving this road, the mountains vividly show reds, pinks, tans, and browns. In addition, the area's vegetation is a little more green—all providing stunning views. The drive is comparatively gentle and suitable for any high clearance vehicle. Be advised that the road crosses a wash and might become impassable during a rain event. There is no camping is along this trail.

Directly off of Movie Road, this route leads to impressive views of rounded sandstone structures and the jagged Sierra Nevada Mountains, as well as three designated campsites. It is suitable for any passenger vehicle, but trailers must be cautious due to the tight nature of the trail's turns.

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 area's popularity, 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, listed as if you were driving from Movie Road:

• 31: Moderately large for this area and suitable for trailers but not entirely level.
• 32: It is directly next to the road and provides a nice flat area to set up camp.
• 33: Good for trailer only if accessing directly from Movie Road.

Carbine Flat Road sits on the northern edge of the San Bernardino National Forest, dropping 1,000 feet along the rim of Lion Canyon before reaching Carbine Flat and a small meadow. The route offers sweeping western views, dispersed camping, access to nearby hiking and OHV trails, including Devils Hole 2W01, and an off-road adventure that ends at Coxey Creek, where a lush green corridor contrasts sharply with the surrounding desert.

While campsites are limited along the descent, the trail’s end rewards travelers with a wide, flat clearing beside the creek. Surrounded by trees and soft ground ideal for tents, this area comfortably accommodates three to four vehicles.

Rated “More Difficult” by the Forest Service, the route begins with a moderately challenging, washed-out descent marked by embedded boulders and sheer 18-inch drops. Beyond that, the trail transitions to a mostly flat dirt road with minor washouts and some brush that may cause light pinstripes. This trail is best suited for a high-clearance 4x4, and an experienced driver

Old Blyth Vidal Road was used by the early settlers in Vidal, CA, to reach Blythe, CA, and perhaps even included Wyatt Earp, who lived in Vidal for a time.  Along the drive, there are wonderful panoramas across Rice Valley and a marvelous perspective of the Rice Valley Dunes to the west.  The trail provides a gateway to explore Rice Valley from its intersecting trails, along with the many nearby mines such as the Gold Rice Mine.

The trail follows a path of least resistance over sandy bajadas, weaving a path along the edge and through the narrow valleys of the Riverside Mountains Wilderness to reach Hwy 95.

This is an easy drive over stretches of deep sand, providing more of a navigation challenge where the lack of markers, wide tangled washes, and disturbed surfaces can disguise the route. A four-wheel drive vehicle is required to manage the deep sandy sections.

Many dispersed campsites with existing rock fire rings are located over the first 8 miles and the last 4 miles of the trail. These sites are in areas of flat desert that provide little wind shelter. After the first 8 miles, the trail enters a narrow canyon that cuts through the Riverside Mountains, and there are no existing campsites visible from the trail when in the canyon.

Drivers exploring the area should carry adequate water, be equipped for self-rescue, and notify family/friends of their travel plans.