6S06 - El Cariso Truck Trail - California Offroad Trail

200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 02/04/2023

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Nice trail full of ruts. My stock jeep compass trail hawk made it down just fine (did use a spotter) as well as my friend’s stock wrangler rubicon. Definitely a lot easier going down than up. Nice alternative if the Santiago gate is closed off of Ortega. If you’re car doesn’t have much flex expect a wheel in the air a lot.

Chase Crapo

100

Open

Visited: 01/02/2023

Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

I just moved back to SoCal and wanted to take my truck off-roading for the first time. For the record it has been really rainy here the last few days, so I’m sure that didn’t help. I started from the bottom and went up (pretty hard in my opinion). I have a 2020 GMC Sierra with a small lift and some good tires. Some of the areas were sketchy to do alone. A few times I didn’t think I was going to make it. I used a combo of 4H and 4L with the auto rear locker. My truck has cameras galore so that helped when running solo. The top half is way easier than the bottom bit. If I do it again, I will go from top to bottom and gone with a buddy to help spot.

Laurie Martens

100

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 12/29/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

This was our first time on the trail, we did it on a whim with a friend since we live in Murrieta. It was a bit more difficult than expected primarily from the heavy ruts but that was a good thing. 🙌

Lou

200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 12/05/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Second time on this trail, becoming my go to. It’s more rutted and eroded toward the bottom, lots of leaning now. I would say it’s becoming more difficult but the “hard section” at the top looks like they graded it but it’s becoming eroded on the hill side. Ran it solo jeep GC on 33’s now and some holes were just as big.

JT Carey

Official Crew

2300

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 11/13/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

Had a great time at this trail today, plenty of fun obstacles. The trail did have some large ruts and potholes, and I ended up putting my truck in 4low for some of it. On the way up, I used my Tacomas crawl control to get through some of the ditches, I probably could have made it through without that if I had taken smarter lines. I ended up taking the trail back as well, and on the way down there were a few instances where a rear tire was in the air. Nothing super sketchy and once again it possibly could have been avoided with smarter lines, but I would be worried if I was in a vehicle with less clearance. All around a great trail!

andreas hartmann

100

Open

Visited: 09/21/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

I drove this trail down 09/22 off of Ortega in my '22 Rubicon 4xe, which is bone stock. I am not a seasoned off road driver, I saw 22 degree roll at one point, I never bottomed out over anything. There are some very sketchy parts of the trail, very deep ruts and sharp rocks. I got stuck there with my BMW GS1250 a month prior... I have a love - hate relationship with this trail.

Lou

200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 09/17/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

Ran this trail today, 93 grand Cherokee on 31’s with lsd and 2019 Tacoma on 33’s with lockers. Quick and engaging trail. 2 sections with big ruts, tacoma needed spotting on the harder one. Definitely recommend for any one from the oc and ie. Will return for sure.

Carlo Ordonez

100

Open

Visited: 01/29/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Vehicle: 2022 Toyota 4Runner SR5 4x4. 100% stock down to the Factory tires. Trail is still a good one. Views are still as amazing. Need to be aware of mountain bikers and hikers. Got a hung up a bit but just gave it a bit more momentum and get over them. Sharp rocks are all-around, so something to be aware. Little construction was happening at the time but made it easy for us to drive around them to continue on the trail.

Richard Mears

1300

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 01/15/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

The ruts have become pretty bad after the rains at the end of last year so choose your lines carefully. I would say its gotten a bit harder since the trail description was written. The section between waypoint 3 and 4 is the worst part. There is a spot to turn around at waypoint 3 so I suggest parking there and walking up to waypoint 4 to see if you feel comfortable with it. After that it becomes very easy all the way up to Ortega Hwy.

GREG DEJOHN

200

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 01/06/2022

Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

5 stars for great 4wd fun! Ran it today in 4 low in a stock-base rental Jeep Unltd with all season highway tires. Did a bit of spinning here and there but almost entirely dry but heavily rutted, Began at low elevation off of Grand Ave and ran uphill, the conditions will keep you on your toes but the line is mostly clear of paint damaging limbs, etc.. One could get in trouble in a number of spots on the trail and very few spots to turn around and bail. Once you're in the vicinity of private land the trail is maintained and becomes easy. Our photos are similar to the others you'll find here so no need to post those.

Chris Neuhahn

900

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 12/25/2021

Difficulty Accuracy: Harder

There are some pretty deep ruts, maybe from the recent rains. Got to 19 degree lean at one point. It was a fun short trail with some technical parts (to novice me). It’s very narrow at parts, with one section that looked like the edge of the shelf recently broke away.

Trenton Moore

2900

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 05/19/2021

Just ran the trail this AM with our 2wd (locked and re-geared) 2006 Sequoia. The lower portion of the trail, as mentioned, is undulating with many off camber sections. 2wd not recommended, especially if no traction aids are being run, though with good lines and momentum we made it up with no issues. Would run this trail again but probably be bringing one of our 4wds. Great weather right now and this trail offers gorgeous vistas of Lake Elsinore.

Kevin Weis

400

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 02/19/2021

Did the trail today starting from the entrance on Grand Ave. It was extremely rutted for the first half. Thought about turning around but I ended up finishing it. It gets much easier near the private property.

Tj Sleboda

3800

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 01/31/2021

Started from the northern trailhead (bottom), and started up. It was rutted bad but it also has been raining pretty good that put 14 in snow in Julian. I had to put rear locker on in one section because i was crossed up in a washout. I was 0.5 mi in and stopped to air down. I was met by a non stock jeep and i asked them what it was like higher up. They said it was rougher and they turned around. After reading previous reviews i wish i attemptef it

Stephen Cochran

100

Open

Visited: 12/23/2020

We started at the north end with our bone-stock Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport. The trail was pretty rutted and washed out in spots, but the Jeep made it with no issues and no scraping. It was a fun challenge for my wife who is building her off-road chops.

Jay

300

Open

Rated 4/5

Visited: 11/26/2020

I entered the trail from the Southern trailhead just off Ortega Highway. I descended past the Private Property, the Halfway Views, and most of the Lower Scenic Views. It was very narrow and rutted in parts just prior to the private property and into the Lower Scenic Views. Given I saw not one other off-road vehicle making the ascent from the Northern Trailhead, when I finally came upon a couple of hikers, I asked them what it was like further down the trail. They were surprised I was able to descend as far as I did, and had serious doubts that I would be able to make it to the Northern Trailhead. After some words of "encouragement" from the wife, I found a safe place to turn around, and retraced my steps and ascended back to Ortega Highway, from whence we came.

Andy Chang

100

Temporary Closure

Visited: 08/19/2020

We went to the trail today. It's still closed.

Christina Kennedy

100

Temporary Closure

Visited: 04/13/2019

Closed due to holy fire

Dennis Clark

Official Crew

19300

Open

Rated 5/5

Visited: 07/29/2018

Another trail close to home that I can't resist a quick run on. The bottom half is getting pretty rough.

Steve Decker

700

Open

Rated 3/5

Visited: 06/17/2018

We went up the trail today.. a ton of fun. It’s very rutted out in some locations, but I think that was the fun part.

Dennis Clark

Official Crew

19300

Open

Visited: 11/23/2017

We went to my sisters in Lake Elsinore for Thanksgiving today. She lives as close to this trailhead as I do to Dagget Creek Path in Menifee, so we did a quick run to the top and back in about one hour. I did the previously by-passed hill climb at the start and used 4-LO, as its quite steep and I didn't want to find myself in one of the many ruts. Either the trail has gotten rougher in the lower half or I'm learning to grade them better, I'm raising the rating on this trail to a 3-4.

6S06 - El Cariso Truck Trail

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6S06 - El Cariso Truck Trail

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