[fantom1]

I'm looking for a place that is:

1) Fairly remote/secluded.
2) Accessable by my 4x4 truck
3) Has some decent riding

I'm just looking to get away for about a week, so I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions. Ideally it would be within two hours of San Diego.

 

[HarryCallahan]

I'm gonna suggest you need to put more info out.

What are your priorities? When do you want to go? How rigid are you about that 2 hour radius?

 

[jeffj]

Look into some of the 'yellow post' sites in the San Bernadino mountain areas around Big Bear. Each site is all by itself and many are near good trails.

 

[DIRTJUNKIE]

Look into some of the 'yellow post' sites in the San Bernadino mountain areas around Big Bear. Each site is all by itself and many are near good trails.

Did you say Big Bear? great idea if you have a snow bike. We are in January aren't we?

 

[Howeler]

1.5 hours east of San Diego is a big ol desert called Anza-Borrego. Take off on any dirt road and camp.

 

[Mudd]

Ocotillo Wells...

http://www.desertusa.com/ovr/du_trailmap.html

 

[Howeler]

I wouldn't hit Ocotillo Wells unless I had a jacked-up 4x4 pulling a trailer filled with some sort of sand-moto-thing.

For mtn biking hit up Oriflamme Canyon and ride all the way up to Julian - then back down

 

[Rob M.]

Check out Indian Flats. It's close to Warner Springs. Very cool place. There is some riding out there although I have not ridden there. We usually just hike up and around on the dry river bed, you can scramble around out there quite a bit. Also a good place for the 4X4. Thinking about it is making me miss So Cal. Try it out and have fun.
Happy Trails
http://www.socalcamping.com/000cleveland/indianflats.html

 

[jeffj]

Did you say Big Bear? great idea if you have a snow bike. We are in January aren't we?

I thought the same thing, but he asked for remote mountain camping. Snow could could be a part of that in any mountainous area. Besides, it's been a pretty dry winter so far and I don't know that there's snow (or much of it) everywhere up there.

Some people also need to make reservations now for the campgrounds in the summer. I just made reservations for July at Serrano and there wasn't that much left with full-hookups.

Regards,
Jeff

 

[CharacterZero]

NOBLE CANYON.
Julian.

 

[Rivet]

NOBLE CANYON.
Julian.

It's currently in the 20's at night and 40's during the day there, not my idea of great camping/riding weather.

 

[lazybeaner]

Just east of sissor crossing is Little Blair valley, Pinyon mountain(the sqeeze and the drop-off), and further down you get to Indian Gorge, and Canyon Sin Nombre. I have camped all over Anza, and these are my favorite spots. If you realy want a chalenge go ride Pinyon mouintain, a 4x4 with 31"+ tires can make it to the squeeze, but Jeeps only past it. There are some great Camp spots up on the mountain in the pine trees, and it is as isolated as you can get. I'll search for some maps and edit this post later, if i find any good ones.

EDIT: MAP of Anza-borrego, it is a big PDF, but it has the entire area.

 

[endohappy]

As far as Borrego is concerned, be aware that many areas are sandy - specially in the Charrizo Badlands area (not sure about the upper bandlands area). But there can be interesting exploring none-the-less and if you don't mind fireroads you can cover some serious distance and really see the desert. On weekends there will be 4x4 traffic on many areas. Legally, fire needs to be in a metal container while in the park.

The Marshal South Home up/down climb is really fun (if it's still open to bikes - used to be) although not very long. It's of those trails where if you endo yourself off the trail, you're almost sure to fall on a cactus or one of those horrible spikey ground-flower things. I would add a small pair of needle noise pliers and diagonal cutters to your tool kit for cholla cactus repair (this goes for many areas of Borrego).

I might politely suggest tho that if you plan to stay in just one spot for a week, you may get bored if biking is all you wanna do there. We got a lot of fun stuff around here but it ain't exactly Moab.

 

[jeffj]

Ocotillo Wells...

http://www.desertusa.com/ovr/du_trailmap.html

Nice Photochop job!

 

[fantom1]

Cool, thanks for all the suggestions guys. I think Borrego is looking like the best option right now. Hopefully I'll get out there before it gets hot.

 

[HarryCallahan]

If you do go to Borrego, I higly recommend a day hike up Palm Canyon. Get an early start, take food and water, and make a day of it. Last time I was there, (years ago) a flood had washed out the trail beyond the first palm grove, but you could go much further by careful scrambling. There is a stream with ocasional small pools. Even in the summer, there is usually water in spots. It's a very beautiful hike. Just be careful. You wouldn't want to break a leg up there, and there are occasional rattlesnakes.

The visitor center is also pretty cool. Great info and photos, and it is built underground with a hill and desert plants on top.

 

[OldDogDan]

SD 4x4 & MTB

That was a good comment about priorities. Hard to know what you'll like.

But there are a lot of places you can combine 4x4 camping and MTB rides. Anza Borrego is beautiful. Little Blair Valley/Pinyon Mtn, Oriflamme/Chariot were mentioned.

Also check out in Anza-Borrego --- Coyote Canyon, Culp Valley/Grapevine Canyon, Calcite Canyon, possibly down south by Indian Hill / Carrizo Gorge. Other areas -- Los Coyotes Indian Reservation (but they may have closed the trails- not sure), Lake Morena/Corral Canyon.

Have fun!

 

[lazybeaner]

Going camping/riding at Kitchen Creek. Some good riding up Fred and Thing canyons. Even more fun getting a ride up and getting some good DH back.

 

[REIGN 2]

McCain Valley

How about McCain Valley? 13 mile dirt road gets you to the Cottonwood campground. Mostly fire roads with great scenery. Also good for rock climbing. Very remote area.

 

[Padre]

It's currently in the 20's at night and 40's during the day there, not my idea of great camping/riding weather.

good point...but then again...camping in general seems to be less than a great idea...

....save vacation time and money...
...pack/load/prepare for a week...
...then live semi-homeless under the stars or in the rain/wind/dust/etc...
...hope you don't forget some way to light a fire or open a can...
...hope to avoid getting your stuff stolen by the people in the next site over who were drinking till 3am...
...showers are limited...
...unpack/unload for another week...

no thank you...

how about a hotel/motel....then some incredible riding....:thumbsup: