Total Escape Outside » Off-Road Trail

Split Mountain Anza Borrego

DanaMite — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:13:56 +0000

Anza Borrego Desert State Park

Fish Creek Campground

E of Borrego Springs CA.

Well off Highway 78, past the busy OHV area, quads at Ocotillo Wells, past all the rural homes & the redneck bar, past the Elephant Trees hike – where the road goes from pavement to graded dirt to a wild desert wash, in a few short miles. If you don’t know where you are, then you’re almost there.

This is a large wild desert wash with huge unstable walls, several areas for wind caves and a few historic markers. Lots of 4×4 trails beyonf Split Mountain, to the south. No real water in sight, except maybe the puddle you are standing in as it starts to poor. The soft sand can give way to a few heavy rain drops. May not be a great area to be during a serious storm or flash flood possibility, unless you want to get buried alive. Check the weather forecast in advance.

A ratty, small developed campground of Fish Creek is on the left side, upon the ledge. Fish Creek Campground is picnic tables & a pit toilet – at most. Ya may as well camp out in the open, off road, like the pioneers did. You can do that out here in Anza Borrego. (Just keep it clean & carry a metal fire container.)

Split Mountain, Anza Borrego Desert State Park

This portion of the “mountain” is less than a mile from Fish Creek Campground. Fossils can be found in these walls. Shade is good in summer months, when day temps reach 100+. The rest of the year is ideal weather. This mountain split from water, erosion, mega force. High walls, wind caves, desert washes, great primitive camping & 4×4 routes.

This desert scenic drive will require you to get that SUV dusty. 4 wheel drive not required. No RVs past the campground. All low lying passenger cars are warned, there are uneven areas, soft sand & boulders.

Duh, do not attempt this one when desert flash floods are possible.

ANZA BORREGO STATE PARK

ANZA BORREGO MAP – San Diego Deserts

nearby towns -

BORREGO SPRINGS CA

OCOTILLO WELLS CA

SALTON SEA CA

Great desert back road exploring out here. A zillions washes & canyons.

4×4 Camping California

DanaMite — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:04:14 +0000

Okay, you got your 4 wheel drive vehicle dirty, it is now several years old & maybe you even have a scratch or two. Now is the time to finally start using that beast for real off road adventures. The trips you dreamed about when you first purchased it. 4×4 camping in California is plentiful. California has trails for OHV use – which means ‘off highway vehicle’, that can accommodate your machine. These remote camps are always primitive camp sites, with picnic tables, fire rings & maybe a pit toilet (if you are lucky). You can find total seclusion on these back roads & trails, well away from the developed campgrounds & RV parks.

San Bernardino National Forest – has a few trail camps for 4×4 enthusiasts. John Bull Trail (near Holcomb Valley) has one real awesome spot with great views over the desert night lights. Holcomb Creek Trail also has a few spots near the creek. Overall this area is somewhat crowded for wheelin’ (especially on the weekends), as the population is so dense nearby.

Los Padres National Forest – has the most 4×4 camping, readily accessible to Southern California. Tis is the best kept secret for Angelinos wanting an escape. The southern portion of the forests has Tecuya Ridge #9N22, with several camps only minutes from I-5. Out west, Cerro Noroeste Road has the Blue Ridge & Quatal Canyon #9N09. Hwy 166 leads to Miranda Pines towering above the fields of Santa Maria & so much more. 2 OHV parks in the area: Hungry Valley & Ballinger both serve the OHV crowds. The northern section of Los Padres (near Big Sur) has plenty of dirt roads & primitive camps, but none are truly 4×4 routes, as most can be accessed easily with a passenger car.

Sequoia National Forest - has 4×4 camping right along the Kern River, near Keysville, at the junction where Hwy 178 meets Hwy 155. Also, further up the Kern, Forest Rd#22S82 leads to primitive Camp 4, where there are several spots near granite pools, that can only be accessed by 4 wheel drive.

Sierra National Forest – has plenty of 4×4 routes that lead to granite rock gardens & mighty fine, secluded, forested camp sites. Gorgeous Red Lake & Coyote Lake are popular spots that require some technical skills & much patience to access. Both are frequented by fishermen & horses. Near Wishon Reservoir is the dead end trail of Spanish Lake. Onion Springs Meadow is awesome back behind Edison Lake. Near the granite wonderland Courtright Reservoir is the infamous Dusy Trail signed #28E34 (aka #7S32, the Dusy Ershim), second only to the Rubicon Trail for high Sierra granite.

Stanislaus National Forest – has camping in the Crandall & Niagara Creek OHV section of the forest, right off Hwy 108. Elevations range from 5000′-7000′. Higher up, Levitt Lake (access road near Levitt Falls) on the east end of the mountain, past the Sonora Pass sign.

El Dorado National Forest – has the area called Rock Creek for off roading in the Gold Country. Plus the ever popular Rubicon Trail starts hear (near Georgetown) & leads 20 miles across the High Sierra Nevada granite slabs to Lake Tahoe.

And yes, no question about it – you WILL NEED National Forest maps to get to these great spots.

[This list will continue to grow as we unravel all the decades worth of notes & photos. Stay tuned.]

California Off Road Maps

DanaMite — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:58:33 +0000

Dirt roads, backroads, desert trails, OHV routes, single tracks, dunes, fire roads

When you wanna explore a new area, California has plenty of public land to offer. Off Road Maps can get you away from the crowds & the main staging areas. Maps can show you prime areas to ride & camp that you may not have ever imagined. Whether you seek secluded stream side camp sites, with some fishing or a dusty, long, desert trail that spans the entire Mojave desert, you can find these secret spots with maps.

All California OHV maps are priced under $10

4×4 Panamint Valley has numerous canyons & ridges to conquer

Here are some of the off-roading maps Total Escape carries:

JAWBONE CANYON OHV MAP
Randsburg, California City, Dove Springs, Red Rock, North Mojave Desert Trails
SAN BERNARDINO OHV MAP
Big Bear, Arrowhead, Johnson Valley, Stoddard Wells, Barstow, Mojave Desert Trails
HUNGRY VALLEY OHV MAP
Los Padres National Forest, Frazier Park Trails, Lockwood, Quatal, Ballinger Canyon
ANGELES FOREST OHV MAP
Los Angeles Area, Antelope Valley Desert Trails
SOCAL OHV MAP SET
Buy all & get ‘em cheaper. This is a collection of 4 of the California Trail Users maps.
ROCK CREEK OHV TRAILS (outta print USDA)
Georgetown, Gold Country California, Sierra Nevada, El Dorado National Forest
MOUNT PINOS OHV TRAILS (outta print USDA)
Los Padres National Forest, Frazier Park Trails, Ballinger Canyon

These are awesome California locations that have off-road trails surrounding them:

SUV Trail

DanaMite — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 06:29:52 +0000

Since sport utility vehicles were invented for California yuppies, it makes perfect sense that this market also has the awesome terrain to use these rugged rigs. After the first shopping cart door ding or windshield crack, most folks are open to taking their utilitarian vehicles on dirt roads, but some will only dream about it.

Here at Total Escape, we are here to change all that. The fear of outdoors, the unknown, the capability, the driving skill. Your SUV is a good reason to be outdoors in the golden state, at bare minimum. No excuses. Enjoy the California you never knew – and sometimes that means getting off the pavement. Yes, more than 2 miles.

SUV trail - any path, dirt road or route that can be driven on; high clearance vehicle are often necessary, 4×4 needed on occasion. National Forests, canyons, deserts, mountains, country lane style drives, some classic routes skirt the wilderness boundaries. We have it all for ya here. Rock crawling Rubicon adventures, all the way down to the leisurely ‘Sunday drive’ thru a forest to a meadow for a picnic.

Jeep trails, forest roads, graded roads, gravel roads, back roads, dirt roads, 4×4 routes, OHV (off highway vehicle) trails.

MAPS will get you out there!

Dust, dirt, mud, snow. Beyond the county line, way back there, where you can discover ghost towns, old mines in the desert, hot springs, historic lodges, petroglyphs, river gorges, fire lookouts, waterfalls, and so much more.

Get motivated and travel in your SUV:

Tahoe Lake Map

DanaMite — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 05:45:49 +0000

Tahoe Maps: trail maps

lake, hike, mountain bike, off-road, ski, snowmobile

Tahoe Trail Maps / Tahoe National Forest

Wanna find every waterfall or every creek to fish? This is the place that will help you find them. Easily, with good old fashion printed maps. Hard copies, some waterproof & tear resistant, most with topographical data and all roads, trails, campgrounds and parks. Whether or not you water ski or cross country ski, these maps will save your ass – when you are way back there in the boonies. Tahoe Rubicon Trail connects the gold country to the lake via granite wilderness sky ways above 7000′ elevation, but a real 4×4 and overnights are required. The back roads and trails are endless in these parts of the Central Sierra Nevada mountains.