Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Darwin, California

Darwin Canyon

This trail is easy to complete in almost any vehicle. Along the way you'll encounter the Darwin Falls trailhead, various side trails, and some interesting abandoned structures. There are some spots with loose sand and…
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Total Miles
11.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Saline Valley Road

Death Valley is famous for its barren valleys and soaring vistas, but few people wander into its more remote regions like Saline Valley. The road into this area is dirt, and often heavily corrugated and…
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Total Miles
74.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Monache Meadows

Total Miles
8.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Butte Valley

Street-legal vehicles and a Death Valley National Park pass are required for this route. Begin on a wide road across open desert land and then pass through Warm Springs Canyon. You'll pass by talc mines…
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Total Miles
24.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Wi / Sp

Movie Road, Alabama Hills

Total Miles
20
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

The Easy Route to Trona Pinnacles

The main (occasionally) graded route to get to Trona Pinnacles. This hard-packed washboard road takes you across the desert and across the shortest operating railroad in America. Be sure to stop and check for trains…
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Total Miles
4.4
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Alabama Hills Singletrack

Exploring the Alabama Hills Singletrack by dirt bike allows for you to get up close to incredible rock formations and go where no other vehicle can. This singletrack trail that crosses the high desert of…
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Total Miles
3.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Sp / Fa

Milford Road Cutover

A mostly easy trail that cuts across the BLM land from Trona Road over to Highway. This easy trail, with mostly sand and washouts, leads to lots of dispersed camping and connects Trona Road to…
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Total Miles
3.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Trona Pinnacles Scenic Loop East (Easy)

An easy scenic loop around and through the Trona Pinnacles National Landmark that is accessible by passenger car with careful tire placement (easy trail, just be careful of your sidewalls on sharp rocks). This trail…
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Total Miles
1.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Rosebud Rocks to Wagon Wheel OHV

This trail begins or ends outside the town of Ridgecrest at a large, seemingly out-of-place rock formation painted in roses. Use caution when approaching as there are many nails in the dirt and broken glass…
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Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Pinnacles to Spangler Hills OHV Area

A sandy and bumpy dirt road with frequent washouts and whoops. This is a direct dirt route connecting the Trona Pinnacles area to the edge of the Spangler Hills OHV Riding Area. There are more…
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Total Miles
5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Murano Trail Part 1

This is the Western section of the Murano trail as it enters the Spangler Hills OHV area and leads in from BLM land that borders the town of Ridgecrest. It continues past this part 1…
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Total Miles
2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Straight Shot to the White Fluffy Stuff

This is a mostly straight trail with some sandy sections and deep washouts. The trail ends at the military border in the lakebed. The lakebed may be impassable when wet. There seems to be some…
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Total Miles
7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Fun Boundary Rip

A fun run one to the boundary of the OHV area. The trail has lots of bermed corners and many sandy sections. There is a great camping area with a nice view and a high…
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Total Miles
2.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Su / Sp

Another Way Around

A quick pop around the side of pinnacles out to the network of trails beyond. The trail is somewhat sandy with a few small steep hills, washouts, and very sharp rocks. One should take care…
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Total Miles
2.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

West Side Road - DVNP

Easy route around the west side of the dry lake bed in Death Valley. This route offers a different, and remote, perspective of the Devil's Golf Course and Badwater Basin. The route starts about 11…
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Total Miles
34.1
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi / Su

Easy Way to Camp From Trona Road

This trail starts out easy for larger rigs to access dispersed camping areas. It should be very doable for trailers and Motorhomes. Be sure to stop at the last large open space on the NE…
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Total Miles
1.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Boundary Circle 1

One of the more established boundary trails in the area. A generally easy connector trail to attach with other trails in the area. The trail has some whoops and bermed corners and crosses some sandy…
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Total Miles
1.2
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Lower Murano Road

It's a generally sandy two-track trail with plenty of bermed corners and some deeper washouts. The trail progresses and crosses through some impressive large rocks. Watch for desert tortoises and military planes buzzing the deck…
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Total Miles
3.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Iron Canyon EP21

Uneven and rutted dirt trail with loose rocks and sandy washes. Use caution, some washes are narrow. Potential for mud holes and water crossings less than a foot deep. There are trail obstacles of up…
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Total Miles
14.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Kiss The Boundary

This trail is a fun blast through the hills with bermed corners, some washes, and occasional deep whoops. This trail just kisses the boundary between the Spangler OHV Area and BLM land. The trail is…
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Total Miles
3.7
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Valley Crossover

A solid hardpacked trail across the middle of the valley. Many of the trails are whooped out and very sandy in the area. This trail leads to Pinnacle road and has a few steep hills,…
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Total Miles
2.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Old Railroad Grade to New Tracks

The trail starts at the north end with hard pack dirt road passing through an open meadow before coming to a massive open, dispersed camping area with many fire rings. It then continues south until…
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Total Miles
4.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Old Searles Station Road

This appears to be the main cut across the road for dispersed camping. There are plenty of fire rings and flat spots to pick from. The road is mostly graded, and some washboard with plenty…
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Total Miles
2.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

McIver's Cabin Trail Head

30 miles North of Mojave, CA on the 14 Fwy, is the Dove Springs open riding area. This area is well maintained and well marked with trail signs. The main trail leading into Dove Springs…
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Total Miles
18.7
Tech Rating
3 Moderate
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Rocky Little Wilderness Border Loop

A nice easy loop to the wilderness border features a few large open camping spots suitable for very big rigs right off the highway. The loop features tight twists and turns with narrow sections and…
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Total Miles
1.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp

Back Way to Schmidt Tunnel

The trail is single-car wide with short climbs and descents. This is a short trail with great views from multiple locations of the trail. This is the backway to the William Henry Schmidt Tunnel. It's…
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Total Miles
8.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Abandoned Old Dutch Cleanser Mine Trail

The Dutch Cleanser Mine in Red Rock Canyon State Park is the perfect place to end your adventure or have lunch when exploring the area. The Mine is massive as you can walk in and…
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Total Miles
0.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

R44

Located in the Mojave desert in California, this trail runs alongside the Rand Mountain Range and is suitable for all off-road vehicles. This trail contains nice elevation gains with a fun trail that rolls and…
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Total Miles
4.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi

Gold Bar Road

This trail starts out easy with a graded two-lane washboard dirt road by the private Big Red Art Barn. Look, but please don't touch. It also appears people camp in the parking lot by the…
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Total Miles
5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Sp