Where2Wheel Off Road Blog

Off road trails near Bakersfield, California - Jeep & 4x4 offroad trails

Want to go offroading near Bakersfield, California?

Where2Wheel will help you find off road trails near you!  We only cover Jeep trails, 4x4 trails, truck trails, and OHV trails.  Keep reading and we will point out off road places near Bakersfield, California.

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Alright, we are talking about off road trails near Bakersfield, California.  Last Warning, the off road trails mentioned are Jeep trails and 4x4 trails large/wide enough to fit a passenger vehicle - no ATVs or dirtbikes talked about here.  The first off road trail near Bakersfield, California is Cuyama Peak Trail located 50 miles southwests of Bakersfield. Cuyama Peak Trail climbs a long spur to the old lookout tower on Cuyama Peak. The lookout is not maintained and the road up to it sees correspondingly little maintenance, making it rougher than many other such lookout trails. The trail leaves California 33 at an unmarked intersection south of marked Ballinger Canyon Road. The sandy trail runs across a river flat before crossing the wide, sandy wash of the Cuyama River. It then joins the paved Santa Barbara Canyon Road. If the Cuyama River crossing is impassable for any reason, an alternative entry/exit to the trail can be found at the junction of Santa Barbara Canyon Road and California 166, a couple of miles east of New Cuyama. This route is longer but avoids the sandy river crossing. Special Attractions: Cuyama Peak Fire Lookout and shingle cabin; Rough, unmaintained shelf road climbing to Cuyama Peak; Popular trail for hunters (in season) and bird-watchers. High-clearance 4WDs are preferred, but any high-clearance vehicle is acceptable. Expect a rough road surface; mud and sand are possible but will be easily passable. You may encounter rocks up to 6 inches in diameter, a loose road surface, and shelf roads, though these will be wide enough for passing or will have adequate pull-offs.  You can see what other wheelers are saying about Cuyama Peak and other trails by visiting the Where2Wheel trails map here.

The next offroad trail near Bakersfield, California is Freeway Ridge located 52 miles south of Bakersfield. Start of Freeway Ridge is conveniently located just off Highway 178 southwest of Lake Isabella. The trail climbs rapidly with outstanding views of the lake and surrounding mountains. Lake Isabella is a popular recreation area offering fishing, boating, water skiing, camping and picnicking. Consistent strong afternoon winds make the lake popular for wind surfing. Very steep and washed out with occasional rock obstacles. Avoid when wet. Drivers should pay close attention to deep ruts on steepest slopes where a misplaced tire can quickly lead to a rollover. The worst stretch is descending Borderline Trail, which has places barely wide enough for a Jeep. This trail is used mostly by ATVs, dirt bikes and the occasional risk-taking four wheeler. Borderline Trail is very prone to washouts.  Reminder, you can browse the offroad trails map anytime for free on Where2Wheel.  There is a good chance that since writing this article that new off road trails near Bakersfield, California have been added, so click here to view the W2W map and check the area for yourself.

jeep trails near you

The last offroad trail near Bakersfield, California is Hungry Valley SVRA located 50 miles south of Bakersfield. All levels of OHV operator skills will be challenged by the wide variety of terrain and trails at Hungry Valley SVRA. Elevations at Hungry Valley range from 3,000 to nearly 6,000 feet. Occasional snowfalls occur during the winter. Summers are most often hot, dry and dusty. The most pleasant times of the year for OHV fun are during the Spring and Fall months when the temperatures are mild and occasional rain showers make for good traction and reduced dust. Nighttime temperatures often drop below freezing in the Spring and Fall, as well as during the Winter. The wide variety of trails at Hungry Valley provides excitement for both beginner and experienced off-roaders. For experienced OHVers challenging trails can be found in the hills and sand washes of the back- country section of the SVRA. Beginners can enjoy the scenery and relative ease of the trails in the Native Grasslands Management Area. Trails in the adjoining Los Padres National Forest are recommended for experienced riders only. Don't forget to visit the Where2Wheel off road trails map to see all the off road trails near Bakersfield, California.  We also have a great community of offroaders on W2W, so be sure to check out the news feed and groups sections of Where2Wheel as well.

Lastly, feel free to create an account on Where2Wheel; it's free to use and you can find other offroaders in your area that you can hit the trails with.  If you do enjoy using W2W and want to support us, please either tell your offroading pals about the site or sign-up for a premium account, which takes ads off the map for just $2.99/month.

Thanks for reading about some of the offroad trails near Bakersfield, California.  For more off road trail information you can visit Where2Wheel anytime.

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