4x4 Corps - 4x4Corps.com
4x4 Trails (11)
Bullfrog Trail
BULLFROG TRAIL
Johnson Valley has so much to offer but Bullfrog trail is a unique experience with a beauty second to none. If you want the challenge of great off-roading in some of the most scenic desert anywhere you must run this trail. The trail is located eight miles east,north,east of Lucerne Valley California and is about three hours from San Diego. Most of the trail is made up of decomposing granite and is great for traction. It has many obstacles but there are turnouts for most of the difficult sections.The trail is not as extreme as many of the trails located within the "Hammers" but don't think you won't be tested. You should have a lifted vehicle with at least 33 inch tires. The 4x4CORPS rates this trail as fun, scenic and a must do with a difficulty ranging from moderate to difficult.
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Bullfrog Jan 2010 from Ron Baker on Vimeo.
Dusy Ershim Trail
DUSY-ERSHIM
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The Dusy-Ershim Trail is located in the SierraNational Forestabout 31 miles east ofShaver Lake. It has been referred to as the king of trails and for good reason. Many know of the famous Rubicon Trail but far fewer know of this equally grand National Treasure. If it's not the longest, toughest and most beautiful trail in theUnited States its damn close. The Dusy is a 33 mile long, class 10 four wheel drive trail in the heart of some of the most beautiful land on the planet. The trail begins at an elevation of 8,400 feet just past Courtright reservoir. It tops out at around 10,000 feet however much of the surrounding landscape is much higher. This trail will challenge you in many ways; the most difficult thing is keeping your eyes on the trail. It is very easy to be distracted by the sheer beauty of the area and not pay attention to the challenges at hand. There is a lot of information on the internet about this trail but some details are hard to find. Here are just some. Will I need additional fuel? Yes, if you fill up in Shaver Lake which is the last stop for fuel you will be on fumes by the time you reach the end of the trail. The end of the trail is about 30 miles from the nearest gas station. Should I worry about bears? Probably not but they live in the area and you should be aware of their presence (). Should I bring bug spray? Yes, the beauty of the area is in part from all the water and mosquitoes are an issue especially in the early part of the trail season. Should I be prepared for difficult terrain? Yes, this is a very difficult and long trail. As with most trails there is a varying degree of difficulty along the trail with some class 10 areas. The technical aspects of the trail and the distance to parts and help are great. We successfully ran this trail in a Jeep with 3 inches of lift, 33 inch tires, lockers and a winch. I would bring friends, tools, additional parts, fuel, a spare tire and some common sense when traveling this trail. The trail is very well marked with little Jeep pictures on the trees but there are some areas that can a bit confusing. You will also need Adventure passes, fire permits and a fishing license. You will want to take two to three days to run the trail minimum. Don't forget to bring your sense of adventure and your camera. If you are a lover of off raoding and incredible natural beauty you will love this trail. The 4X4CORPS rates this trail as difficult, beautiful, unforgettable and a must do.
ROUND TRIP FROM SAN DIEGO INCLUDING THE TRAIL 890 MILES
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The Hammers
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Johnson Valley is well known for its intense off road challenges and it’s famous for the trails known as the Hammers. The Hammers are actually six different trails with infamous names like Sledgehammer, Jackhammer, Clawhammer, Outer limits, Wrecking Ball and After Shock. Theses trails are all rated difficult and should be challenged by the avid off roader with well equipped rig. The trails are located in the southeast corner of Johnson Valley and are famous with the Jeep’n crowd throughout the country. If you love the outdoors then you will love the area just for its natural beauty. Don't be scared away by the extream trails, this is a very large area and offers all levels of off roading. The 4X4CORPS rates these trails as extreamly difficult but a must do if your into hard core rock crawling. Expect breakage and body damage.
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Hammer Time from Ron Baker on Vimeo.
Gettin Hammered part 2 from Ron Baker on Vimeo.
Coyote Canyon and Sheep Canyon
Coyote Canyon and Sheep Caynon
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Coyote Canyon and Sheep Canyon offer a great off road experience for all, better known as LowerCoyote Canyon. Located just north of Borrego Springs in the Anza Borrego State Park, this area contains fun obstacles for the off roader and surprising features. There is something for everyone to enjoy. If you travel to this area you will find water to cross, rock crawling to challenge and site seeing all packed into the park. This area is famous for its wildflowers but only bloom for a few weeks during the year. If you love natural beauty, the scenery in the early spring is unreal. Wildflower hotline (760-767-4684). The trail is 9.5 miles long and dead ends in Sheep Canyon; you must return the same way you came. The water crossings are easy to traverse but heavy rain can cause flash flooding. The trail is closed between June 1st and September 30th for big horn sheep breeding season. The 4X4CORPS rates Lower Coyote Canyon as easy to moderate and a must do.
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A great day in Coyote Canyon from Ron Baker on Vimeo.
Jacumba
JACUMBA
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Jacumba is known for its beautiful high desert terrain and large granite rocks. Its also known for Elliot Mine and Smuggers Cave but offers much more to the adventurer than just these attractions. For those who love off roading the area is full of moderately difficult trails. For the hiker and rock climber the area has endless opportunitys to discover. For the photographer there is beauty that is hard to discribe. This is a great area for camping. The weather is hot in the summer and cold in the winter because of its location it can also be quite windy. The area is heavily travaled by the U.S. Border Patrol so unless your smuggling drugs or migrants you do not have to be concerned. The 4X4CORPS rates Jacumba as easy to moderate in difficulty and a must do.
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Terra del what from Ron Baker on Vimeo.
John Bull Trail
BIG BEAR
Big Bear California in the San Bernardino National Forest has 22 off road trails but only 4 stands out as real off road challenges. Dishpan Springs (3N34), Holcomb Creek (3N93), Gold Mountain (3N69A) and John Bull (3N10). If you choose to challenge these trails we recommend that you travel in groups of at least two vehicles. Much of the reference material available on these trails list them as difficult, however the difficulty varies based on the weather, trail traffic and time of year. The books suggest that you have high clearance vehicle with lockers. I personally find that picking the right line and using some common sense is just as important as your equipment. Lockers are no substitute for a lack of driving skill. I have personally travelled and completed all of these trails in a Wrangler with 3 inch lift and 31 inch tires, better equipped vehicles will have an easier time. If you attempt to cross these trails in a stock vehicle I want to be there to take the pictures. The real beauty of the Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead area is you're never really that far from civilization. You can spend the day challenging the trails and the night sitting in a lake front cabin with your feet up on the fire. If you enjoy roughing it, then you may want to camp along the trail, just remember that you need an Adventure Pass which can be purchased all over the mountain. The trip from San Diego is about two hours give or take traffic.
JOHN BULL TRAIL (3N10)
John Bull Trail is probably the most difficult trail in the Big Bear area. It not only has some .jpg "TRAIL WEATHER")
of the bigger challanges but is the most consistantly challanging. This is a very fun trail and unless you break something you won't regret finding this trail. It is one of the more remote trails in the area so it is generally a good idea to travel in groups, besides if you don't screw up you will probably be able to get a few good laughs out of your friends. This is a must do trail if you love off road challanges. You can get to the trail after playing on Gold Mountain Trail and turning left on 3N16 and then right on 3N02 and follow the signs. The oppisite direction by taking 2N09 north off of Highway 18.
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JOHN BULL STARTS 40 SECONDS INTO THIS VIDEO
John Bull Gatekeeper from Ron Baker on Vimeo.
Gold Mountain
BIG BEAR
Big Bear California in the San Bernardino National Forest has 22 off road trails but only 4 stands out as real off road challenges. Dishpan Springs (3N34), Holcomb Creek (3N93), Gold Mountain (3N69A) and John Bull (3N10). If you choose to challenge these trails we recommend that you travel in groups of at least two vehicles. Much of the reference material available on these trails list them as difficult, however the difficulty varies based on the weather, trail traffic and time of year. The books suggest that you have high clearance vehicle with lockers. I personally find that picking the right line and using some common sense is just as important as your equipment. Lockers are no substitute for a lack of driving skill. I have personally travelled and completed all of these trails in a Wrangler with 3 inch lift and 31 inch tires, better equipped vehicles will have an easier time. If you attempt to cross these trails in a stock vehicle I want to be there to take the pictures. The real beauty of the Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead area is you're never really that far from civilization. You can spend the day challenging the trails and the night sitting in a lake front cabin with your feet up on the fire. If you enjoy roughing it, then you may want to camp along the trail, just remember that you need an Adventure Pass which can be purchased all over the mountain. The trip from San Diego is about two hours give or take traffic.
GOLD MOUNTAIN TRAIL (3N69A)
Gold Mountain Trail is a moderately difficult trail, but it's not without it's own challanges. What does stand out about this trail is the very obvious elevation gain. There are plenty of points at which you may want to stop and take pictures. The other thing that stands out from the rest of the area is the type of rock that the trail and mountain are made up of. The name is Gold Mountain but the rock is redish/brown iron rock. It makes for a nice change being that most of the mountain trails are grey granite. Much of this trail could be done in a stock Jeep with larger than stock tires. I think it is also a great warm up for the John Bull trail. Gold Mountain lies just north east of Big Bear lake off of Highway 18.
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1ST ANNUAL GLOBAL WARMING RUN? from Ron Baker on Vimeo.
Holcomb Creek
BIG BEAR
Big Bear California in the San Bernardino National Forest has 22 off road trails but only 4 stands out as real off road challenges. Dishpan Springs (3N34), Holcomb Creek (3N93), Gold Mountain (3N69A) and John Bull (3N10). If you choose to challenge these trails we recommend that you travel in groups of at least two vehicles. Much of the reference material available on these trails list them as difficult, however the difficulty varies based on the weather, trail traffic and time of year. The books suggest that you have high clearance vehicle with lockers. I personally find that picking the right line and using some common sense is just as important as your equipment. Lockers are no substitute for a lack of driving skill. I have personally travelled and completed all of these trails in a Wrangler with 3 inch lift and 31 inch tires, better equipped vehicles will have an easier time. If you attempt to cross these trails in a stock vehicle I want to be there to take the pictures. The real beauty of the Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead area is you're never really that far from civilization. You can spend the day challenging the trails and the night sitting in a lake front cabin with your feet up on the fire. If you enjoy roughing it, then you may want to camp along the trail, just remember that you need an Adventure Pass which can be purchased all over the mountain. The trip from San Diego is about two hours give or take traffic.
HOLCOMB CREEK (3N93) CLOSED DUE TO FIRE
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Holcomb creek is not only a very fun off road challange but has everything you would expect of high mountain rock trail. The trail has many rock gradens and in the spring has plenty of water for water crossings as well as a couple of waterfalls. The trail follows Holcomb creek and if your willing to take a short hike from the trial you may also encounter some pretty impressive waterfalls. Just remamber your Adventure Pass.I would mark this as one of my favorite trails in the Big Bear area and a must do. You can get to the trail several ways. The best is to pass Crab Flats campground after completing Dishpan Springs and continue north on 3N16 until you reach 3N93 the start of the trail. You can also get to 3N16 by taking the Green Valley Lake Road from the Arrowbear area, or do the trail in reverse by taking 3N14 out of Fawnskin on north side of Big Bear Lake.
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Holcomb Creek Nov 2009 from Ron Baker on Vimeo.
Dishpan Springs
BIG BEAR
Big Bear California in the San Bernardino National Forest has 22 off road trails but only 4 stands out as real off road challenges. Dishpan Springs (3N34), Holcomb Creek (3N93), Gold Mountain (3N69A) and John Bull (3N10). If you choose to challenge these trails we recommend that you travel in groups of at least two vehicles. Much of the reference material available on these trails list them as difficult, however the difficulty varies based on the weather, trail traffic and time of year. The books suggest that you have high clearance vehicle with lockers. I personally find that picking the right line and using some common sense is just as important as your equipment. Lockers are no substitute for a lack of driving skill. I have personally travelled and completed all of these trails in a Wrangler with 3 inch lift and 31 inch tires, better equipped vehicles will have an easier time. If you attempt to cross these trails in a stock vehicle I want to be there to take the pictures. The real beauty of the Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead area is you're never really that far from civilization. You can spend the day challenging the trails and the night sitting in a lake front cabin with your feet up on the fire. If you enjoy roughing it, then you may want to camp along the trail, just remember that you need an Adventure Pass which can be purchased all over the mountain. The trip from San Diego is about two hours give or take traffic.
DISHPAN SPRINGS (3N34)
Dishpan Springs, otherwise known as Deep Creek can offer a fun challange, even for moderate off roaders. This is not the most difficult of the Big Bear trails. The most difficult section of the trail was the main water crossing and the boulder garden that has been bridged over by the forest service because of environmental concerns. It has also become my least fovorite trail in the area because fire revaged the area in 2003 and much of the land is deviod of trees. If you have two days in the area to devote to 4-wheeling I would put it on your must do list and it is a great way to connect to Holcomb Creek, if you plan on traveling both. You can get there either from Hooks Creek road in the Lake arrowhead area, or from tha oppisite direction past the Crab Flats campground.
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Pinyon Mountain Road
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Pinyon Mountain Road in the Anza Borrego State park has several obstacles including The Squeeze, Pinyon Drop-off (AKA, Heart Attack Hill), Sandstone Canyon and Diablo Drop-off. This trail is not a rock crawlers dream but it does encompass some of the most unique challenges and beautiful high desert terrain anywhere in southern California. Most of the trail is a one way trail running west to east. The first real obstacle is The Squeeze, if you don't drive a Jeep and you like your vehicle, you may not want to run this trail. The Squeeze will give you every opportunity to damage your vehicle, Jeeps fit through with little more than inches to spare. It will provide that thrill you’re looking for though. Most of this trail is moderate at best but the next challenge you will encounter is Pinyon Mountain Drop off, AKA, Heart Attack Hill. If you watch YouTube this challenge might scare the pants off you, however with good driving technique and average smarts you can successfully get to the bottom without landing on your top. The other features of this trail are more points of interest than off road challenges. Sandstone Canyon is a very unique area of this trail and offers great picture taking opportunities, it is one way in and one way out. All and all this is a great trail with more beauty than challenges but well worth traveling. The 4X4CORPS rates this trail worth the time and moderately challenging. Getting there depends where you’re coming from. We take highway 78 through Julian and turn right on the S2. From this direction Pinyon Mountain Trail will be about four miles down the S2 on the left, the horse riding signs mark the turn off. You can also take the S2 north from the I-8 to the trail.
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