Mt. Pinos OHV Trails
General Information
Welcome to the Mt. Pinos Ranger District of the Los Padres National Forest. The Mt. Pinos Ranger District's Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) area offers over 200 miles of system trails and roads through beautiful scenery and challenging terrain. This guide is designed to provide the Off-Highway vehicle enthusiast with information, regulations, and travel tips.
The Mt. Pinos Ranger District encompasses 497,064 acres in portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Kern counties. The of the district includes climatic and vegetation zones, from high desert to alpine mountain tops. The riding area varies in elevation from 2000 feet near the junction of Fish Creek to 7800 feet on Frazier Mountain with trails ranging in degree of difficulty from novice to advanced. Vegetation varies from sagebrush and annual grasses to mixed conifer forests, primarily of pinyon and Jeffery pine.
The OHV opportunities on the Mt. Pinos District are considered to be some of the best in the nation. One of the most popular is the Ballinger Canyon ares on the west side of the District. This 8000-acre area has about 68 miles of routes that vary from sandy washes to a ridgeline trail. The relatively dense route network provides many opportunities to make loops of varying difficulty.
Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area (HVSVRA) adjoins the east side boundary of the Mt. Pinos District and there are several OHV routes that provide access to the HVSRA. This provides a unique OHV opportunity for the forest visitor by increasing the difficulty and length of OHV routes.
The District is not an OHV "park." OHV Recreation is just one of the many uses of the National Forest.
An OHV is a registered non-street legal vehicle. The USDA Forest Service, in cooperation with the State of California Off Highway Vehicle Fund, has developed trails, roads, and facilities for further enjoyment for the OHV user. Remember, these are your facilities and OHV funds are being used to develop and maintain them. The OHV rider/ driver must assume responsibility for proper registration and vehicle use.
Springs, lakes, ponds, and streams may look inviting and harmless, but they may not be safe for drinking. Treat all water for drinking and cooking by either processing through a portable water filter or by boiling for five minutes. Wide selections of water filters are available at sporting goods stores.
Ballinger Canyon and Deer Park
The Ballinger and Deer Park areas are geared toward OHV use. These areas provide 11 4WD roads, 12 ATV trails, and 14 motorcycle trails. Access to 4WD roads is available to both ATVs and motorcycles, and access to ATV trails is available to motorcycles.
Name/ Miles below/ then Description100.
Sulphur Spring
Canyon
4
Four-wheel drive route along sandy washes in badlands terrain. Dead-end.
101.
Tinta Trail
7
Wandering motorcycle trail up a canyon. Connects Tinta Campground with West Dry
Canyon Road.
102.
Cuyama River Corridor
7
Dry sandy river bed most of the year. Great deal has a great deal of private
property so, respect fences and other facilities. Dead-end both directions.
103.
Apache Canyon Corridor
9
Four-wheel drive route in sandy wash with two short side roads into the
Badlands. Some private land in wash. Use Apache Canyon Road to get around
dead-end route.
104.
Quatal Trail
1.5
Motorcycle trail in sandy wash that starts on Quatal Road and feeds into Quatal
Canyon Corridor.
105.
Toad Springs Trail
Closed due to landslide.
106.
Quatal Canyon Corridor
9
Sandy wash with four spurs off of Road 9N09 for four-wheel drives. Connects with
Quatal Canyon Road and Quatal Trail.
107.
San Emigdio OHV
3
Four-wheel drive road along a forested ridge. Start at San Emigdio Road and
connects with Marian Camp and Road 9N27. Dread ends at Brush Mountain.
108.
San Emigdio Mountain
1.5
Meandering four-wheel drive road along forested ridge with good vistas. A
dead-end route.
109.
Dry Canyon
8
Four-wheel drive route along sandy washes in Badlands terrain. Dead-end route.
110.
Wagon Road Springs
1
Short four-wheel drive road into badlands terrain. Dead-end route.
111.
Pleito Creek Road
3.5
Steep challenging four-wheel drive road down a deep wooded canyon. Dead-end
route.
112.
Salt Creek Road
3.5
Steep, four-wheel drive route. A dead-end route.
113.
Cherry Creek Road
1.5
Steep four-wheel drive road down wooded canyon. A dead-end route. Ends at Cherry
Campground.
114.
West Tecuya Trail
2.5
Motorcycle trail along forested ridge between Scott Russell Road and Cherry
Creek Road.
115.
Tecuya Timber Sale Road
2
Wandering four-wheel drive road along a forested ridge. A dead end route for
four-wheel drives, connects with East Tecuya Trail.
116.
Cold Springs Trail
2.5
ATV trail climbing from Frazier Park to Tecuya Timber Sale Road.
117.
East Tecuya Trail
3
ATV trail along main ridge, with many scenic vistas. Connects Tecuya Timber Sale
Road and Edison Road.
118.
West Frazier Mine Road
6
Rocky four-wheel drive road which passes several old mining areas. Connects
Lockwood Valley Road, Lockwood Creek Road and West Frazier Tie Road.
119.
West Frazier Tie
1.5
Steep four wheel drive road connecting West Frazier Mine Road with road 8N42on
top of Frazier Mountain.
120.
East Frazier Trail
3.5
Motorcycle trail climbing from Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area to
road 8N42. Passes through scrub oak and pines.
121.
Arrastra Trail
2
Steep, narrow, rocky motorcycle trail which switchbacks from the Tejon Trail to
the top of Frazier Mountain. Connects road 8N42 and Tejon Trail.
122.
Tejon Trail
9
Motorcycle trail traverses south side of Frazier Mountain. Connects Hungry
Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area Arrasta Trail, Whata Trail, Long Dave
Trail, and Gold Hill Trail.
123.
Long Dave Valley Trail
4
Motorcycle trail with nice scenery that connects Gold Hill Trail, Tejon Trail,
and Lockwood Creek Road.
124.
Gold Hill Trail
4
Motorcycle trail through pinyon pine trees. Connects the Gold Hill Road, Long
Dave Valley Road and Tejon Trail.
125.
Cottonwood Trail
1
Spur four-wheel drive trail route from Lockwood Trail to Cottonwood Campground.
Dead-end route.
126.
Yellow Jacket Canyon Trail
6.5
Rocky four-wheel drive road that passes by several small meadows; please stay on
the trail. Dead-end route for four-wheel drive, but connects Lockwood Trail and
road 7N03 for motorcycles.
127.
Lockwood Trail
8.5
Rocky four-wheel drive road starting at Lockwood Creek Road. Connects Lockwood
Valley Road, Miller Jeep Road, Long Dave Valley Trail, Yellow Jacket Canyon
Trail, and Piru Creek Trail.
128.
Piru Creek Trail
Motorcycle trail from Goldhill Campground. Trail follows Piru Creek and meets
Halfmoon Trail two miles south of Sunset Campground. This trail provides
connections with Lockwood Trail, Miller Jeep Road, and Gold Hill Road.
129.
Miller Jeep
3
Four-wheel drive road up Alamo Mountain from Piru Creek. Steep and rocky.
Connects with road 7N01, Lockwood Trail, and Piru Creek Trail.
130.
Snowy Trail
14.5
A narrow, winding trail from Kings Campground up into the forested top of Alamo
Mountain. The trail is in steep and rocky terrain. Recommended for experienced
trail riders only.
131.
Whata Trail
2.5
A challenging motorcycle trail that connects the top of Frazier Mountain and
Tejon Trails; nice views, forested terrain.
132.
Halfmoon Trail
3
Four-wheel drive road down Piru Creek drainage to the Piru Creek Trail. Dead-end
route for four-wheel drives and ATVs.
