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omg_bbq
I have a few hours free this Saturday or Sunday and I'm itching to get the bronco dusty. Who has recommendations for literally anything nearby, I'd say within an hour and a half generally of the Bay Area. I'll take a dirt road this point šŸ˜…
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Sewie
Sewie
Not sure where in the Bay you are, but besides Hollister, the closest parks are Frank Raines OHV (Patterson), Carnegie (Tracy), and Knoxville (Napa). A little further out are Prairie City and South Cow Mountain. Not really any trails or decent fire roads that I'm aware of in that radius. If you don't mind driving further, Old Coast Road down by Big Sur is easy and has great views.
omg_bbq
omg_bbq
I'm in Oakland, thanks for these suggestions. I'm pretty new to off-roading but want to get out there when I am able, do you have opinions about the parks you named? Like least crowded, easiest for beginners etc. @Sewie
Kai
Kai
Daktari
Daktari
there's some off road park in Livermore, but I think it's mostly (only?) for ATV and dirt bikes etc, been meaning to call them and find out. I'd be happy with just some practice hills and obstacles to play and try the different modes and settings, but don't want to get in the way of faster vehicles. Also prefer to make a fool of myself w/o much of an audience :-D

There is also off roading at Stonyford off highway vehicle park in Mendocino Natl Forest, but I don't know if or how much of that got burned last year, been meaning to find out. Oddly can't find all that much online about either of these.
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Sewie
Sewie
@Daktari You might be thinking of Carnagie. Used to be mostly bikes, but they've expanded their 4x4 areas.
Daktari
Daktari
@Sewie yes, could not think of it's name. Since it's close I think I'll go check it out sometime during the week, see what's there and play a bit.
@BadBlueBronco
@BadBlueBronco
Drive east and hit a few fire roads in the lower sierras. Will be about 2 hour drive from the bay.
Mdemieville
Mdemieville
You could always hit up sourgrass or corral hollow. Both are in Calaveras County and have great scenery and are easy trails
omg_bbq
omg_bbq
Thanks! I've been invited out there a few times but couldn't make it work schedule wise. I've seen photos from Sourgrass, looks challenging but maybe my buddy was on a hard section. He said he was getting hung up etc. @Mdemieville
Nemo
I'm meeting a couple of my more experienced buddies at sourgrass this weekend. I'll try to get some photos.
omg_bbq
omg_bbq
A buddy of mine on here has been to Sourgrass twice with experienced people, looked difficult but maybe they just chose a harder route. It looks super fun up there though, I'd love to go some time with someone whose been there before @Nemo
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Sewie
Sewie
I did most/all the trails up Highway 4 back when I had my H3 - Sourgrass, Slickrock, Corral Hollow, Deer Valley, Barney Riley, Red and Blue Lakes. The only ones that would present a challenge would be Slickrock and Deer Valley, but definitely still doable in a stock Bronco.
BLMike
BLMike
Knoxville would be good. I did a write up on my first trip there. There is one area you don't want to go. I went in the week so don't know how busy it will be during the weekend. I thought Sourgrass was also more advanced from things I read but have never been so not sure. If my memory is working today, I could have sworn I read someone needed to be winched out from the river crossing.
BLMike
BLMike
@omg_bbq So my memory is working today. Sourgrass is on our list. My buddy doesn't think his stock 4Runner will make it but we will find out. I heard there is a place where you can bypass a more difficult part.
omg_bbq
omg_bbq
Thats probably where my buddy got hung up, he was with some built Jeeps I think and I can see a scenario where he went where they went. He's got a 4dr BD Sas like me. He just recently put quick disconnect links on the front, said they helped albeit annoying to lay down in the mud to disconnect them @BLMike
BLMike
BLMike
@omg_bbq I had found the original thread and asked him. He posted a video and said the trail went on for about another 10 minutes. Has to be the Rattlesnake Creek crossing. Looked like fun!
omg_bbq
omg_bbq
Looks like a ton of fun, now its just getting time to go out there. DM me if you ever want a trail buddy, I'm inexperienced but want to change that @BLMike
Nemo
My buddies have been telling me it has a good variety, you can make it as hard as you want to, and there are bypasses for just about everything.
omg_bbq
omg_bbq
Sounds like I need to get out there, got room for a novice stranger with zero recovery gear hahaha jk, kinda @Nemo
Nemo
@omg_bbq I'm going to learn a bit myself. I've done a little and gathered some stuff along the way, still no winch though. My friends are pretty experienced though. We're meeting at the Starbucks in angles camp @ 0700 if you can make it
MJBbase22
MJBbase22
Great thread. I am also a Bay Area 4x4 newbie and taking notes here. Need to get the thing dirty in a low-risk way!
omg_bbq
omg_bbq
Imagine two EG's getting dusty together! Hit me up if you end up going out somewhere this weekend. DM or on here, I'm in Oakland @MJBbase22
RandallLG
RandallLG
I just wanted to throw my 2 cents out here. Not worth much on the inter-webs, but I've been wheeling a long time, not quite buggy hardcore, but I have been down some gnarly trails with my 68. If you're newish, my advice is, go to Hollister. It is a GREAT place to start. There is a huge variety in terms of the difficulty of obstacles, a lot of obstacles have points where you can bail out on them, and there's always plenty of people there to help bail you out if you get into trouble. If you do head down, hit me up, that place is a blast and I'd happy to offer a spot and share what I know.
Sewie
Sewie
@RandallLG This is great advice. Another suggestion - take a 4x4 class. I took the Esprit de Four safety clinic when I first started wheeling and it was really helpful and got me hooked. I probably went to Hollister 5-6 times that first year, learning MY vehicle and how it operated differently than the solid axle Jeeps and Yotas, before moving onto more difficult/technical trails.
MJBbase22
MJBbase22
@Sewie Just checked it out. Will try for the fall event-exactly what I need.
omg_bbq
omg_bbq
Worth a ton, I appreciate the wisdom. @RandallLG Looking up Esprit de Four safety clinic rn, thanks @Sewie
LaMamalona
LaMamalona
Wildtrak in Antioch right here!!
Carnegie is just an obstacle course but lots of fun and Frank Raines is low traffic trails of all difficulty but a lot of it is closed do to fire damage
omg_bbq
omg_bbq
@LaMamalona yea Frank looks cool. I studied a map and youā€™re right it looks very limited but I think a few green trails are still open. Appreciate the tips
@BadBlueBronco
@BadBlueBronco
Iā€™ll be at bowman lake for memorial weekend. If you see me flag me down.
ladeda
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Daktari
Daktari
@@BadBlueBronco I've never been, pretty new to off roading and always thought the place is mostly for bikes etc. Seems to have some little things to play on, I just want to try out the different modes on something more than a gravel parking lot, LOL. Went off road in Anzo Borrego (spelling?) but that's mostly flat desert stuff, tried Baja which was fun.
The single lane road goes from Clayton, first Marsh Creek, then Morgan Territory. Fun little road, gotta watch for (rare) oncoming traffic since it's pretty much single lane, especially in a wide ride like the Bronco. Luckily the woods there were not touched by recent fires.

So, unfortunately don't have any clue if it's worth it to have a meet at Carnegie or if it's a 'done in 30 min' kind of thing. Maybe someone else knows? I'd be down for a meet sometime for sure!
@BadBlueBronco
@BadBlueBronco
@Daktari I think its a "done in 30 min" thing. Hollister, we wheeled the entire day and didn't get to all the trails. Anza* Borrego is amazing. it is mostly desert riding but there are a few entrances you can take from alpine that spit you into the middle of the desert. I did it a few years ago with some buddys and we had to go down a very exposed switchback but it made it really fun.
Daktari
Daktari
@@BadBlueBronco we drove into a slot canyon that got more and more narrow, got passed by a group of very built for this Wranglers, eventually I decided it's time to go back because it got VERY narrow and I did not know how the trail goes on, would not want to back out of that. Got some great photos though and really had fun.
I'll definitely check out Hollister later this year, June/July are too busy and it's probably quite toasty out there then anyway. Also want to check out the Stonyford OHV park in Mendocino Natl Forest, a friend lives there and while he's not into wheeling, says there's all kinds of off road vehicles driving by his place on the way in there. Don't know how much - if any - was burned in the fire last year.

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