Where are good places to go off roading in Oregon?

If you want to do it this year you better get on it. Snow will probably move in this week and forest service closes the roads up there after I think December 1st to wheeled traffic over 50 inches wide.

Here's badger lake from above.

 

yea I usually am hunting in the woods around ashland and love it down there.

 

Yea I live in sandy. Just haven’t done the lolo pass run since I got my tacoma.

 

I have been talking to my uncle about taking a week next summer and driving a bunch of dirt roads and camping and fishing. He has a tundra and an rpod so it can be crazy roads but we will find some good stuff I’m sure.... with his knowledge of the forests it should be fun.

 

It’s been about that long since I’ve been up there as well. Every time I get a chance to go in the winter, there is way too much snow and I’m driving solo, so I usually end up stopping shortly after the point where the road isn’t plowed anymore.

 

Taco will do it fine. Haven't been up there for a bit though.

 

Elk Lake from last Nov

 

Ha, I was out there last weekend.

 

I too was up there on the 1st. Great place with great views.

 

I'm a Washington native, but have wheeled a bit down in Oregon (mainly TSF). This last Sept., I explored a couple more Oregon OHV areas with some other Taco buddies (@Chickenmunga and @mutilatedjak). I hope to return to and check out a few more of the places I've listed here.

PDF Maps attached (at the bottom)

• Tillamook State Forest (TSF) aka Brown's Camp:
  

Brown's Camp and most of TSF has a lot to offer, in the way of varied trail difficulty and overall size. If you haven't already, I would suggest picking-up a (free) TSF OHV map at the local Shell station, look at the Class II OHV Trails and start exploring. There have been quite a few TW meets down there over the years. Check out some great pics/vids here and here​

• LaDee Flats OHV:

I was there for the first time in Sept. It was pretty fun and easy going; they recently added a new section on the 803(?) with some decent rocks and logs to crawl over. A big mud pit area, if you're in to that - I will say some of the pits are pretty deep and I would definitely recommend running a snorkel in case you get stuck in the deep ruts...
ask me how I know

Keep heading E/SE down the 4610 to find a fun and sloppy hill-climb area.​

• Santiam Pass OHV:

We also had the chance to check out this OHV area, and while it was relatively short-lived and had limited trails for Class II OHV, it was still pretty damn fun! Overall, the entire park was very well-groomed and maintained. We hit every trail we could find, with the exception of #211 (which was pretty extreme). Trail 47 had some fun obstacles, tight trees, ledges, rocks etc.
​

• More Oregon OHV Parks (I have not been these yet, but they're on the list...literally )

*Just make sure to double-check what trails are open to 4x4 Vehicles (Class II)*​

1. Cline Buttes OHV
2. Edison Butte OHV
3. South Millican OHV
4. East Fort Rock OHV
5. Mount Emily OHV
6. Virtue Flats OHV

• Other POIs to check out:
  • Lost Lake (visit in late Spring to see the water draining into the lava tubes underground)
  • Skylight Cave
  • Sardine Creek Rd. (just turn around after the 2nd crossing - it becomes impassable)

And let me know if you venture across the Columbia...there are a TON of great places up here, too!

 

Oh man, this is fantastic. Thank you so much! I'll absolutely be hitting up these places and more.

And no, definitely not shy of mud! I WAS the blue one

 

Hell yeah- adventure on!!!

I don't see a blue truck - just two brown ones

 

This is a terrible thread... what you should do is find people to wheel with. Then we don't have to give out our favorite locations so that joe schmo doesn't some how find this post off google to go out and trash our favorite locations. There are a few local clubs and some FB groups that do a lot of off roading (Central Oregon Land cruisers, pdx overland(i think), cascade cruisers, im sure there are more but i don't want to look). There are some great locations shown here but i just hate seeing them posted as i have seen what happens with that.. they get everyone showing up and not everyone likes to leave it better then they found it.

 

I’m sorry but I just don't get this attitude. Its called “public lands “ not “just for me and my buddies lands” the other word for that is “private”

 

I don’t disagree with either of you.... I like public lands a lot my issue is with the fucktards that don’t follow the rules or don’t pick up after themselves.... example.... went to badger lake this year for the first time. On the way I noticed at least 3 no trailer signs. Second day there some dumb ass brought his drift boat down on a trailer. Shit like that just bugs the hell out of me! Take care of the public land so everyone can enjoy it

ok jumping off my soap box

 

I used to feel the same way - wanting to keep my favorite spots all to myself. Luckily, most of these (at least the ones I posted) are OHV Parks and not some secret undisclosed locations. The info. is out already there - some people just don't know where (or how) to start looking for it. I enjoy researching maps, driving around aimlessly and finding "new" areas that I've never been to - that is what exploring is all about!

I completely agree that finding a good wheeling group that you click with is essential and recommended (wheeling alone can be risky) and I've been fortunate enough to meet and wheel with some great folks from this forum. However, some of the clubs and clandestine FB Groups are very elitist and most of them don't want "new off-roaders" joining in on their runs. Others may want to tackle harder trails that a new off-roader is not confident or comfortable with, and they won't want to spend their whole day doing easy stuff or babysitting/spotting the "new guy". Some other groups are more concerned with publicizing their runs and the social media aspect - which itself can be turn-off. As an exception, TacomaWorld has been always been a great place to find good people to wheel with.

The best you can do is set a good example and if you see people being asses on the trails (not treading lightly, littering, trespassing, ignoring closures, trashing trails/landmarks, etc.) - assert yourself, be an advocate for the off-road community, speak-up and say something.

I wanted to contribute to this thread because I had recently explored a few of these areas for the first time this year, and I had already done a ton of research so the maps/links were readily available. We are blessed to live in the beautiful PNW and we should celebrate the fact that there are other like-minded people wanting to get out there and experience it!

 

2 Thoughts: The first you probably already know. At the top of Lolo Pass go straight (following the powerlines) instead of making the right. To the right (east?) is the better maintained route. Going straight (north?) pay the sign that says 'road closed to through traffic' no mind because even if things are badly washed out the backtrack is short. Second thought, if you end up in Parkdale stop at Apple Valley BBQ.

 

https://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/ATV/pages/index.aspx

Nice for tablet...
https://www.avenzamaps.com/maps/sea...r_ids=&category_ids=&merge_mode=v4&debug_ids=

 

I understand what you're getting at, but I also just don't subscribe to that line of thinking anymore. I want people to have fun and explore. I'm a leave-no-trace kind of adventurer and am vocal to others about doing the same. Sometimes people will surprise you in a good way.

 

I use Avenza Maps for off-road exploring, great app! Have all the USGS topo’s on board my phone from the Coast to the Cascades, from the South Umpqua to the Northern California border!

Use the OnX Hunt app for hiking/hunting and to locate NF boundaries and private property lines.