Forest roads/routes/lakes/camping/off roading

Has anyone driven Baltic ridge?

 

Is that the trail off of Mormon Emigrant? If so - yes I have. Very tame fire road

 

Yeah it is, is it easy to spot?

 

Only if you know which road to take.

@CalTacoma09 has the gpx file we used. I’m sure since it’s just a simple trail he’d be willing to send it.

 

I want to visit Bowman Lake now..

 

That would be helpful indeed.

 

need to cross something off my bucket list before this year ends, also before knee surgery next week.

I must check out a "natural hot spring" It don't necessary has to be a secret location one, just one worth going too. Thank you in advance

 

There are plenty in the Owens Valley/Mono lake Basin/Inyo Craters Area off of HWY395...

 

Sounds like the area I went to for travertine last year (or early this year). Careful if you go near Bridgeport. It got to -1 F when we camped there (I think it was january). But travertine hot springs are nice. They just tend to get crowded to get there early or on a weekday or something

 

wow thanks guys. I'll look no further will be making a trip Wednesday to travertine hot springs, done deal
thanks again.

 

Wintertime is the best time in that area. -1 sounds nice to me... no bugs, no tourists, no hot tub hippies. Just miles of snow dusted trails with no end in sight.

 

It would have been a lot nicer if the heater didn't die on us. But it was still pretty significantly crowded. And no snow

And significant wind gusts while we were trying to enjoy the springs. So once we got in we were joking that we were just going to stay in til we died. It could have and probably would have been nicer another time.

 

Nowhere did I mention I got my fat ass in those cess pools...

I just appreciate the much lower amount of traffic. Not having to dodge Sprinter vans around every corner(see what I did there?) and keeping my recovery gear clean of VW leakage is good for me. The further out, the less I find. Fall season seems to be the most packed time for that area. I prefer dodging snowmobiles...

 

Do want more 395 this winter

 

If you’re already out by Bridgeport you might want to check out Bodie.

 

hey new to the bay area, got stationed here in the coast guard. what are some easy weekend trips that you guys recommend? i have a mostly stock 2018 tacoma TRD Off road, planning on a small lift and some better all terrains soon. not expecting anyone to give up there secrets, but a nice lake thats a little off the beaten path would be cool. I've heard gold lake is a good place?

 

welcome. you should come out camping and wheeling at bald mountain this weekend
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/camping-wheeling-bald-mountain-ohv-trail-nov-9-11.570534/

Check this thread for some other trips discussed here:
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2018-nor-cal-wheeling-camping-and-bs.526580/

 

Most accessible lakes are not off the beaten path, including Gold Lake (which is a real nice area).

Another area is the Crystal Basin area off of highway 50 past Pollock Pines.
Lots of lakes, big and small, all with fish. Many forest service campgrounds
Its very popular in the summer, not so much now.
An interesting side trip would be to checkout the Rubicon Trailhead,
where you can watch the serious offroaders go by.

I'll send you a PM about a good camping spot that I don't want to broadcast to the entire world.

 

Resurrecting this old gem of a thread in hopes it will take off again and I'll learn about a few new routes or at least see some pretty pictures.

Anyone camped down at Cleghorn Bar? How likely to be occupied should I expect it to be on a summer weekend?

 

It's worth a visit at some point. I camped at Lindsay Lakes last year and I managed to get there fine in a 2017 Mazda3. My fiancee's father didnt think any of our 2RWD could make it up to the campgrounds so he left his truck for us a half hour before we got there at a horse trailer staging area. In that time between he left the truck there and when we got there, a meth head already had broken into it and tried to hot wire it, but couldn't start it a screwdriver. Meth head passed over the big book of blank checks, expensive field glasses, etc. There is still debate amongst family whether or not the motorcyclist we saw a second before was actually the attempted car jacker or not.