Need help finding a 4x4 trail for mid-june camping in norcal

Looking for something that is norcal, below oregon, that is easy/moderate 4x4 that leads to some sorta alpine lake. Meeting friends for their 15th anniversary and planning trip now.

I dont know how trail ready his jeep is so nothing too hard, but we'd like a nice 1/2 day drive up to a remote lake. He's from Bellingham im in socal so something high alpine, with trees.

any suggests of trails to look into. Access from the 5 area would be ideal.

 

Heya friend. Checkout the thread two posts below I started earlier today. I know I may be biased but not far at all from I5 is the town of McCleod and forest route 11 which winds up the reservoir and there is plenty of fun to be had along the river that feeds it. Lots of camping, easy forest road driving and places to stop fish/jump in the rice and camp.

 

And I hate to put another dude on blast but maybe hit @jAndyMendo and look at his routes that are linked through his signature. I only know him through his TW posts but dude has got some routes. All over.

 

i would be shocked if alpine trails are thawed/open in june. maybe near the coast in Six Rivers NF and the lower parts of Mendocino (not near the border). The ishi in Lassen may be thawed but not many lakes there and not alpine. Mondoc near Nevada at the lower elevations may be ok at the non alpine lower elevations. Deserts will be good in northwest Nevada.

this is a pretty rough winter, and if it keeps up the thaw will be delayed.

 

thanks for the info guys.

I hadnt really though about the 50feet of snow thats fallen up north this winter

 

Leavitt lake off the Sonora pass is awesome or gold lake up north of hwy 80

 

With snowpack in June, I'd save the alpine trip till August/September and instead hit up King Range, Big Sur or something else coastal.

 

I can vouch for big sur area. If you're family/friends are coming down from Oregon they'll love it. Litter farther for them but little closer for you. Big sur has some good light trails around is a 10/10 for "wow that's pretty"

 

Might be quicker to hit that off 395 if you're coming from SoCal.

Also probably won't be open until late summer this year due to the little bit of snow that falls up there

 

Moved trip to September. Any suggestions for that time? Same places? Thanks.

 

Slick rock trail is fun, right next to a lake/resivoir

 

Closed.

Rather the road to it closed unfortunately.

 

I just got back from a great weekend of camping in the Los Padres NF over looking the ocean, it's about a one hour drive from the 101 heading east since hwy 1 is closed. You get to do a half hourish of FS road driving, nothing hard. It's primitive so you have to dig a hole to shit in but it's free and probably one of the best views I've camped at, if you want more info PM me, happy to pass it along since it was passed to me by guys here.