Advice please on riding from Indian Springs

[MrPolaris]

i left my cable at the office that connects to my GPS so will send it to you tomorrow. . . as far as I know the fire road we took was allowed. . . maybe I should jsut stop now for fear of saying something incrimenating. . . then again after riding on Hwy 49 for for 10+ miles not to worried about riding on a fire road. . .

[traildad]

Ken, my Girlfriend and I rode from Lake spalding area (off Hwy 20) to Meadow lake. it was a great ride, mostly fire roads, a little dusty at times, but nothing like we have had in the past. I think this is a great family type ride. . . I believe that Ken has posted the GPS way points, but if he has not i can send mine to you . . .

I wrote to the TNF last June asking about riding from 80 to Lake Bowman. This is what they wrote back

Hello Ken--thanks for asking before just heading out and getting into
trouble. There really is no way to legally ride an ATV from Bowman to I-80
because of paved roads. The issue of where to ride ATVs and other Green
Stickered only vehicles legally is complicated. Generally you're OK if
you're on a public dirt road already wide enough to accommodate an ATV and
you're legally registered. However there are some dirt/gravel roads that
are county roads or Forest Roads that are of a higher maintenance standard
where, technically, Green Stickered only vehicles are not allowed. This is
difficult for the public to discern I know. I would like to think
reasonable officers would understand this and would not cite people for
riding on such roads, but would simply explain the situation.

If you can't get to Bowman I would think you can't get to Meadow Lake (Legally)

[Ken]

The FS is correct. You can't get from Bowman to 80, but you CAN get from Bowman to Meadow Lake. It's a VERY popular riding area and on any given weekend in the summer, you'll pass many ATV's and motorcycles.

You have to go to 80 to Hwy 20, toward Grass Valley. Exit at the Bowman Road turn (it's about 4 miles from 80). You then have to go toward the Grouse Ridge area and follow the winding road for about 10 miles. It eventually turns to dirt road and you can ride from there.

Also....I've done it MANY MANY times...in truck/suv you can NOT get to Meadow Lake faster than driving around through Truckee to 89. It's about 40 miles farther, but about an hour faster. Sure..on an ATV you can get from Bowman to Meadow Lake faster...but a truck, is SLOW going. It's about 11 miles from Bowman Road to Meadow Lake...and it's 10MPH max....slower in parts....so you're looking at an hour, just for that segment.

And yes...riding from Bowman (or a few miles before Bowman) is a reasonable dirt road and totally family oriented. Remember...Meadow Lake is at 7000+ feet and I've never made it there before Memorial Weekend.

[d2photo]

Ken (TD) - if you remember the Ride we took last year (parked at snow camp) and stopped at Bowman for lunch.

If you just continue on that same road - you eventually end up @ Meadow Lake.

You go by Catfish Lake and Tollhouse Lake.

Great ride. lots of great scenery.

Would be happy to join you. let me know when you are heading out.

Derrick

[traildad]

Ken (TD) - if you remember the Ride we took last year (parked at snow camp) and stopped at Bowman for lunch.

Yes that was what I was referring to about coming in by way of Graniteville Rd.

If you just continue on that same road - you eventually end up @ Meadow Lake.

Yes when we camped at Meadow Lake in Oct. we rode all the way to Bowman Lake while you took the other guys back to camp.

The whole point of it is to find a way to do a day ride at Meadow lake. It takes so long to go thru Truckee and come in from 89 that it needs to be a sleep over. According to my map program it is 2 hrs 20 min. to snow camp and 2 hrs 8 min to where it looks like the dirt road starts in the Grouse Lakes area.

I think it would be reasonable to do a day ride from the Grouse Lakes area and make it back without pushing too hard.

Would be happy to join you. let me know when you are heading out.

I will post here. It will be when the snow is pretty much gone.

[Ken]

It's easily a day ride to go 80 to 20...exit Bowman Road...and drive to dirt, park and ride to Meadow Lake. Dusty, Stacey and I did it in October and ran into Derrick on Meadow Lake road waiting for you guys.

[Pepe]

It sounds like Traildad is comeing from Truckee, right? Why not go out 89 to Henness Pass rd( turn off twards Jackson Meadow lake) then unload at Meadow lake rd. and ride in there from there. Or go all the way in to Jackson Meadow lake and unload on the other side of the dam and go in to Meadow the back way.

[d2photo]

Pepe, TD has done that before - in fact we were camping there last Oct. So he know the route -

I think he is ust looking for a shorter quicker access to the same trail system.

[traildad]

i left my cable at the office that connects to my GPS so will send it to you tomorrow. . . as far as I know the fire road we took was allowed. . . maybe I should jsut stop now for fear of saying something incrimenating. . . then again after riding on Hwy 49 for for 10+ miles not to worried about riding on a fire road. . .

I am still interested in the GPS track if you have it.

It sounds like Traildad is comeing from Truckee, right?

I am driving up from the Vacaville area. I went in once thru Truckee and up 89 and it took 4 hours to get to summit city. I would like to spend less time pulling the quads and more time riding them. It sounds like going 80 to 20 is about the same as going 49 to Graniteville Rd. Going 80 to 20 starts the ride closer to Lake Bowman and I think will make a better Day ride as a trip to Meadow Lake. Thanks Ken

[Ken]

Exactly.

[Pepe]

i left my cable at the office that connects to my GPS so will send it to you tomorrow. . . as far as I know the fire road we took was allowed. . . maybe I should jsut stop now for fear of saying something incrimenating. . . then again after riding on Hwy 49 for for 10+ miles not to worried about riding on a fire road. . .

I am still interested in the GPS track if you have it.

It sounds like Traildad is comeing from Truckee, right?

I am driving up from the Vacaville area. I went in once thru Truckee and up 89 and it took 4 hours to get to summit city. I would like to spend less time pulling the quads and more time riding them. It sounds like going 80 to 20 is about the same as going 49 to Graniteville Rd. Going 80 to 20 starts the ride closer to Lake Bowman and I think will make a better Day ride as a trip to Meadow Lake. Thanks Ken

My bad.

Yes the best way in from the bay area would be to go in off Hyw 20, turn off at Bowman lake rd. Go twards Bowman untill the pavement ends. There is a couple of pull outs about 1/4 mile after the pavement ends, just past the turn off for Lindsey lake. Ride in from there. It should take less than 1 hr to get to Meadow from there on the quads.



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