The best scenic drives in California are often so crowded with tourists, especially on that holiday weekend. You end up cursing the RV w/ senior driver in front, instead of taking in the beauty.
These scenic areas of California likely have small, narrow, unknown back highways. Some routes without a name, just a number. Some not paved. The best roads in California are dirt! Yep, that's cuz there's no traffic jams, no long signal lights & tons of natural beauty. No speeding tho. It's time to quiet the mind & take it all in. Every meadow, every deer sighting, the clouds, the breeze. Thousand of miles of California backroads are awaiting your vehicle. High clearance vehicles, 4x4s & all. Trails for every level.
Total Escape can show you how to find the dirt roads that parrallel majestic views, popular highways, canyons, Sierra Nevada scenery & desert vistas. You can stop in the middle of the road to take your photo, if you wish. We recommend not stopping on a curve or blind corner. It's so quiet up here in the forest, with the occasional waterfall or creek trickling. You will not hear the tourist traffic out in these parts. Just the birds - and your own pulse. You'll be lucky NOT to see another car for hours.
Which brings me to your vehicle. Total Escape has a huge following rural campers, hard-core RVers and the off-road 4x4 dudes/dudettes. Total Escape is about nature, as much as the car that gets us out there. Way out there. Past the masses, beyond the village shops, past the factory outlet mall & behind the RV parks. Many of these back roads in California are somewhat maintained. Graded dirt, granite gravel, well eroded, even overgrown 2 track trails. Some possibly motorcycle or 4x4 only trails. Routes virtually unknown to the common man.
Best to have a high clearance vehicle (SUV, truck, jeep) to explore such dirt roads, but 4x4 is not required for most. (AWD vehicles do okay, if road conditions are not too soggy, snowy, rocky, muddy or steep). 4 wheel drive may be needed on certain snowy, icy or red dirt back roads; Best to always carry snow chains when traveling in mountain elevations higher than 5000' - even in the summer months. Sierra Nevada snow sits til July. And just as a reminder for the newbies, anything in NorCal is a gonna be wetter & snowier than SoCal.
Don't gotta 4x4? most roads are easily passable with 2WD, but you need to be able to judge your own vehicles capabilities
Frightened about getting lost? in proper light at home, learn to read a map (well), like a good book; Get GPS; Feel ultra confident w/ reading skies, path of the sun and stars
What's there to do out there? picnic, camp, fish creeks, hiking, mountain biking, off roading, frisbee, lay in a meadow, look at ladybugs, hear blue birds, see small frogs, star gaze, photography. Bring a hammock, relax or find a waterfall.
Forest backroads in higher altitudes can be muddy, snowy more than half the year. Be careful when approaching snow on a dirt road. Check the snow & mud depth. Use snow chains or 4 wheel drive if unsure. Snow cables do not have the traction needed for back road driving. Think first. or.... you may walk 3 miles to get a nearby Subaru to pull you out, or worse, hike longer up hill, just to get a cell signal (in the dark, freezing). Tow trucks, or local yokels, can charge big bucks (hundreds) to help YOU out of a bad predicament on a remote road.
CREEK CROSSINGS are pretty common on many dirt backroads. Go slow!
NOT LIKE THE COMMERCIALS ON TV. Cute lil animals & delicate wildflowers live at water sources. Plus erosion of rock & soil is strong enough, without you adding to the process.
There are plenty of dirt roads to be explored in California. Leading to such interest as: meadows, waterfalls, indian pictographs, mud caves, wind tunnels, great view points & most of all, seclusion. It's time to use that newSport Utility Vehicle for what it's made for. But please respect the earth & the wildlife, stay on the trails & pick up any litter you find. Some of these roads can be accessed by normal passenger cars as well. It's a perfect way to really get away from the crowds.
Coast
Desert
Country
Mtns
City
bluffs over looking
ocean & coastal foothills
steep hills with rocks & flat
sandy washes, scenic canyons
oaks trees, stream crossing &
foothills, beware of cattle in the road
small roads that lead to lush dense
forest, waterfalls & meadows
suburban areas bordering cities,
sometimes fire roads with locked gates
Driving Tips
Many backcountry roads can be accessed by passenger cars, but use wise judgment when entering unfamiliar territory. SUV or 4x4 may be required for some roads. Know your cars limits.
Most of these back roads are one lane & narrow. Be aware of on-coming traffic.
Pass slowly & cautiously.
Drive with lights on, even in the day time. You can see lights thru bushes easier than a dark vehicle.
If road seems to be worsening, chances are it will get a lot worse a few miles down. Pick a good spot to turn around when you are hestitant or unsure.
Try not to travel these roads at night, unless you are familiar with it. There are no markers & can be very dangerous.
A patch of snow on a dirt road in spring/summer may look harmless, but there is guaranteed thick mud underneath. Be weary of snow on dirt roads if you don't have a 4 wheel drive vehicle.
Try not to stop or even slow down in soft sandy washes. Chances are you will get stuck, unless you have 4 wheel drive & then it is sometimes still questionable.
Beginners should not speed on dirt roads, especially on long straight aways. Dips & slight bumps & turns can be dangerous at a high rate of speed. Vehicles handle a lot differently on dirt roads.
Down shift, instead of braking, around curves to control your grip.
Straddle a deep rut in the road. Placing tires on each side of the trench, to prevent unbalanced driving.
Go slowly over big dips in order to prevent bottoming out your vehicle.
Bring emergency gear when traveling on back roads: flashlight, shovel, matches, blankets, water, tow strap, cell phone
More Thoughts
A sign for '4x4 required' usually means difficult or bumpy terrain ahead. Know how to use your vehicle & if you are at hestitant (maybe your SUV is only 2WD or AWD), you can come back at a later date with a 4x4 pal for further exploration.
National Forest maps show dirt roads, lakes, creeks & campgrounds; Benchmark California Atlas is a great overview for the entire state & Tom Harrison makes waterproof back roads maps for popular California destinations.
Safety
Soft Sand: Don't stop in soft sand. Even 4WD vehicles can get stuck. Bring a shovel, old lumber pieces or an old blanket to help get out of super soft sandy spots. Or best yet, another vehicle with a tow strap.
Fire Danger: Your catalytic converter can cause a wildfire if you are parked ontop of dry brush for more than a few seconds. Be caustious as to where you pull over & pick a clear spot without weeds or dry wildflowers.
Recent Rains: Dirt roads conditions can change with each season, as the earth's erosion does it's thing. If he road quality is in question, walk the worst parts first to chevck it out. Watch for boulders in the road way. Snow patches can be decieving. There may be one foot of deep mud under that 6 inches of old icy hard snow. Use 4WD or you may end up walking for help.
RIGHT OF WAY on a one lane dirt road
Passing on steep hills - the driver with the nearest pull out should reverse to that spot. But if no pull outs are in sight...
When two vehicles meet on a steep road where neither can pass, the vehicle facing downhill must back up until the vehicle going uphill can pass. (The driver facing downhill has the greater amount of control when in reverse, cuz they don't have the gravity to deal with)
Please respect the private lands along these roads & help keep the cattle in their place. Close the gate along the backroads!
There are plenty of dirt roads to be explored in California. Leading
to such scenic interest as meadows, waterfalls, indian pictographs, great
view points & most of all, seclusion. It's time to use that
new Sport Utility Vehicle for what it's made for & a perfect
way to really get away from the crowds. Most of these are located
in National Forest or BLM land. Read all entrance signs &
remember, 'private roads' are most likely no entry. Do not even
think of taking a road marked 'closed'.
National
Forest Service Maps are extremely helpful
when venturing off pavement to dirt roads. Most really good primitive
camping areas are located on these dirt side roads. Get off the
beaten path & find that perfect meadow, waterfall or creek
side spot.
There are plenty of dirt roads to be explored in California. Leading to such interest as: meadows, waterfalls, indian pictographs, mud caves, wind tunnels, great view points & most of all, seclusion. It's time to use that new 
