Where to go -- Auburn - Grass Valley - Placerville areas

[hemingray]

With a dizzying array of illegal choices (closed OHV areas, etc.), can someone help out with some suggested riding choices (aside from Prarie City, Mammoth etc.) that can be legally be done currently in the subject areas?

I've read tons on the forests, but it's really hard to tell what's legal and not legal at this time of year. For instance - are all open (non-gated or signed as closed) NF roads fair game for riding (the non-paved ones)? Heck, it's not really spelled out whether I can really ride an ATV on a Forest Rd (non-paved). In my stock truck 4-wheeling, I've sure seen a number of ATV'ers up in the Tahoe (one almost got a backward Ford emblem tatooed on his forehead...)

I guess I came into this at a confusing time, with all the road inventories and all, making for confusing maps. I am looking for some easy rides to help acclimate my significant other to riding before things get going in the summertime.

Thanks for your expertise!

Dave

[Ken]

It is indeed complicated.

Anything in El Dorado NF is on their maps.

Tahoe NF, is in route designation process.

Generally...anything dirt is ok....unless it's marked. Grass Valley, we ride around Malakov Park....just trails. There's a 9/10's mile of asphalt that really MESSES up the riding!! So if you want to go to Graniteville, you have to start at the pavement.

Larry knows an area over there too...I've never been on it. The trails around Washington are also popular.

[oldtrucks]

Greenhorn area is close and offers lots of entry riding. If you know your way around you can legally get all the way up to hwy 20 on good dirt roads. Once some of the snow clears there are countless areas to go, legally, within an hour of Auburn

[hemingray]

Thanks Ken & Larry!

Where do you put in at in the Greenhorn area? I'm loosely familiar with it on-road.

Dave

[ToddW]

Thanks Ken & Larry!

Where do you put in at in the Greenhorn area? I'm loosely familiar with it on-road.

Dave

HWY 80 -> Colfax -> HWY174 -> Right You Bet Rd. turns in to Red Dog Rd and takes you all the way down to the river bed. I wouldn't take a trailer down this road. If you want to go in the other way you can take the road right after the bridge once you turn right on You Bet Rd. but be sure to stay out of the miners "area" by staying on the main road/path through this area.

[oldtrucks]

Dave how soon do you plan on going? I have a couple parking spots that I'll give you coordinates for if you have a GPS, take me a day or two to get them.

[Keith Strong]

Can you add me to that email list Larry?

[hemingray]

Thanks Todd - I've almost always been thru there on a weekday (and was shocked last fall at how much Greenhorn Creek has deepened!) so I rarely see anyone there. I'll think about the trailer, it's pretty high clearance - but I know which spots you're probably thinking about!

Thanks Larry - I am GPS-saavy, so waypoints or fixes would be great. I think I've figured out the route to 20 from there, but I've only driven Chalk Bluff and not any of the side routes.

I appreciate the info from y'all here!!

Dave

[oldtrucks]

Dave if you go into the creek and head East you can catch Buckeye Rd where it crosses through Greenhorn (W39 14.40 W120 54.23). Look for it on each side or use this coordinate, it's easy to drive past. That's another route up to Chalk Bluff, creates a nice loop. The place I park is about mid way between the intersection of Chalk Bluff and Red Dog and the creek (N39 13.06 W120 54.28 ). The road is a little rough but I can easily get in and out with a trailer. I see a lot of guys tow all the way to the wash area with big trailers carrying unlimited rigs.

Dusty and I were up there a couple months ago on a Saturday and it was pretty busy, I went back the next day with my daughter in the Rhino and it was a parking lot, a real zoo I had never seen or imagined there would be that many people down there.

[ToddW]

Weekdays are awesome you have it ALL to yourself

[regor54]

I take my wife to the pipi area. It has plenty of fs roads and a marked trail system with nothing to extreme. It can get busy on the weekends, but there's plenty of room. Take 16 to plymouth, take right on sheandoah valley road, take that all the way through mt aukum. Take right on omo ranch road, take that through omo ranch. Take left on sopiago creek road. Follow road till pavement ends, there are roads going every direction. Try trail 33, it's about an 18 mile loop, with a little of everthing, on the way in on sopiago road you'll see a sign "watch for ohvs", that's 33 crossing the road.

[WillRide]

I take my wife to the pipi area.

Has anyone been to Pipi valley recently? I was wondering if the roads are open, and if there is much snow on the trails. I'm thinking about going there this weekend.

[hemingray]

Thanks all - this will keep us busy for a bit! I couldn't find anything on the ENF website to the contrary, so I assume the Gold Note trail system is open.

Dave

[regor54]

I was there sunday, no problems. Still some deep snow in places. Melting fast though.