California Trails

From the high desert floor flush with Joshua trees, Yucca, and crisp blue skies to the green forest of Big Bear, Burns Canyon, also known as Arrastre Creek, is an odyssey waiting for you in Southern California. Rich with history, particularly if you start at the south end and take in Pioneertown, travel through the famous Rose Mine, and find the rare Redwood trees, this trail makes for a great gateway for an epic overland trip close to home. This is the perfect get-away for a day or days when combined with the other amazing trails this area has to offer.

Gold Mountain Trail, 3N69, is one of those names all Southern California offroaders know. For many, it was their first rock crawling trail. For others, it is their next ambitious goal. Located in the San Bernardino National Forest, near Big Bear Lake, this easily accessed rock crawling trail takes you up and into the mountain range of SoCal, cresting over 8,000 feet above sea level before dropping you near the history-rich Holcomb Valley. Along this scenic wonderland, the trail offers fantastic views of Big Bear Lake, the bustling mountain village below, and the towering San Gorgonio Mountain.

The trail was established in the 1860s during the Big Bear gold rush to facilitate mining operations. Today, the obstacles bring people to this historic trail. With two waterfalls, a rock garden, and several hard corners, this trail tests driver skills and vehicle capability. There is no doubt why Jeep picked this trail as one of its legendary Jeep Badge Of Honor Trails.

3N16 provides a scenic, enjoyable drive for all off-road enthusiasts. At roughly 26 miles, this overland trail will take you through the backwoods of the San Bernardino National Forest. Along with some great views, 3N16 also has a historic route for which more information can be found at Big Bear Discovery Center or Gold Fever Trail's trail review. 3N16 is the main connector between most of the trails in Big Bear, including Holcomb Creek, Dishpan Springs, John Bull, White Mountain, Gold Mountain, and many more. Just be warned that there are several water crossings along this trail that can swell up in flash flood conditions. While snow on this trail can get over 5 feet deep in the winter. Please plan accordingly and travel in pairs.

Maple Springs Road is the backdoor to Saddleback Mountain from Orange County. One of Orange County's few trails, this is a popular overland route for people wanting to get out of the house and stay local. Others say they enjoy this road because it leads to the best view of Orange County. Suppose you are fortunate to have a few hours around sunset. In that case, the view from the top of Saddleback Mountain is known for photographs of the sun setting over Catalina Island in the Pacific Ocean with Orange County in the foreground.

The lower section of the trail has a unique scenery for Orange County. The area is covered in oaks and pines. A nearby creek runs most of the year. It's an excellent place for a picnic. If you are lucky, you can find a swimming hole.

Filled with oddities, scenic beauty, history, and a sense of adventure, it is no wonder that the Mojave Road has such an iconic stature. Formed as an early Native American trade route and then an east-west passage for settlers, the road has a long and storied history. Passing through the Mojave National Preserve, Mojave Trails National Monument, and the Lanfair Valley, you are remote and far from civilization. Today it is one of the more famous overland routes in the southwest. Although the road is not at all technical, the sense of adventure you get by being so deep in the desert is what makes it worth the trip.

One of the must-do offroad trails in Southern California and maybe even the United States, 3N10 - John Bull is a legendary trail in the offroad community and offers an amazing rock-crawling experience to all users. Often used as a trial run for larger trips such as to the Rubicon or the Dusy-Ershim, this Jeep Badge of Honor trail will test a vehicle to its breaking point. John Bull features large boulders over 36 inches round, loose rocks that love to bend sheet metal, and big trees that seem to jump out of nowhere and kiss your vehicle, leaving behind body damage scars that make for epic campfire stories. If looking for a unique and challenging trail within Big Bear's Holcomb Valley, John Bull will certainly fill the void.

No longer the stagecoach road that connected Georgetown, California, and Lake Tahoe, Nevada, in the 1800s, the Rubicon Trail is a legitimate badge of honor known as one of the most iconic offroad trails in the world! So much so that Jeep has even named its famed Wrangler model after it. Decades have passed without the stagecoach in operation, and what was left of that route has become one gnarly and famous Jeep trail. The trail became famous in 1953 when 55 Jeeps and 155 participants ran what is now known as "Jeepers Jamboree 1". Since then, hundreds of thousands have earned the right to say they have conquered this famous Sierra Nevada offroad trail.

Adding to its popularity, the scenery knocks your socks off with a mesmerizing display of natural beauty. Towering pine trees, crystal-clear streams, and entire hillsides of white granite give the trail even more reasons for its world-renowned status. A word to the wise: you need to read the complete Trails Offroad Trail Guide to plan the logistics for this multi-day trip.

There is no other place like Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Many overlanders and outdoor enthusiasts seek it out for its endless exploration opportunities. Fish Creek Wash is the starting point for many since it connects to many of Anza-Borrego's most famous offroad trails. Wind, rain, powerful earthquakes, landslides, and father time have shaped Fish Creek Wash into a living, geological museum. With its wind caves, dinosaur tracks, fault lines, towering mud hills, sandstone canyons, and wildflowers, Fish Creek is a perfect place to begin your exploration of the astonishing Anza-Borrego.

Comfortably nestled in the San Bernardino National Forest, Holcomb Creek is a challenging rock-crawling trail that has attracted visitors for decades. It is a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail, and for good reason. It is one of the most demanding trails in the Big Bear Mountain range and provides perhaps the best rock crawling of them all. While traveling the trail, expect everything from water crossings to extensive rock gardens with rocks the size of small cars. You can also expect challenging hill climbs and fantastic views of Holcomb Creek and the Pacific Crest Hiking Trail. Over the years, this trail has claimed many vehicles and should not be underestimated. People often exit this trail with their hopes and vehicles destroyed. If you think you and your vehicle have what it takes to complete this epic 4x4 adventure, then air down your tires, engage those lockers, and be prepared to make unforgettable memories while earning your badge!

Odessa Canyon is the flagship of offroad trails in the Calico area near Barstow, California. Comprised of many challenging obstacles with no bypasses, this extreme 4x4 jeep trail makes you earn your trip to the top. Odessa also provides great views of the area. But be ready. This trail has a 7-foot waterfall, an extremely narrow rollover spot you must see to believe, and a super tight off-camber canyon. With all these challenges, don't be surprised if the trail wreaks havoc on your vehicle.

When you hear or read about obstacles named "Heart Attack Hill" and "The Squeeze," you must make excellent adventure decisions before you decide to take them on. Pinyon Mountain is a Jeep Badge of Honor trail in the renowned Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and arguably its most challenging. The Squeeze tests every bit of your precision as you listen to fenders scrape on its narrow passage, while Heart Attack Hill will surely give you that proverbial "heart attack" when you first see it.  This isn't a solo-type excursion trail. You will need every bit of your wheeling mates' eyes and collective experience as you conquer what people call "The Secret of the Desert."