Noobie light wheelin' near Bay Area?

[amaurer]

I might just be displaying my noobness here, but hell, nothing ventured, nothing gained...

I'm from a part of the midwest where off roading meant taking Mom's Cherokee and blazing across a field of soybeans at 1am. Having moved to California last year, I'd like to taste the real thing when a friend from back home visits here in two weekends.

Does anyone know of a good trail(s) within weekend-trip-range of the San Fran? My BJ42 is still on the boat, so the vehicle du jour would be a stock '04 Ram (4x4, factory limited slip). Not out to prove anything (or break anything), so I'm not looking to climp up rock faces.

Any suggestions? Maybe somewhere I could pop the truck tent and camp too?

 

[jsuthey]

Just go up to Tahoe somewhere,easy drive from bay area.There are tons&tons of easy dirt n' little rock 4wd roads with great camping all over.
I would take that truck up to Blue Lakes off hwy. 88.
Take the Red lake turn off just past carson pass.Great trail,
easy w/some steep sections,very senic.Go to blue lakes for camping,lots of campgrounds or free camping off some of the 4wd roads.
Check it out! Any of the Hwy's leading up to the Sierra's 80,50,88,4,108 offer the best wheeling&camping around.

 

[4rnr]

I'm from a part of the midwest where off roading meant taking Mom's Cherokee and blazing across a field of soybeans at 1am.

Thats not specific to region, just people.

 

[petescoffee]

Close to the Bay Area is Hollister.

 

[Fast Eddy]

Close to the Bay Area is Hollister.

And Clear Creek and north in Ukiah is Cow Mountain, and south is Pismo Beach and some other little stuff around Pozo and way the hell up past Downieville is the Lakes Basin...

 

[amaurer]

I did a bit of reading last night and today, the SNT posts made me think about Pismo: the girl would love beach camping, although its starting to get cold at night. Would we be bored though? Are dunes any fun in a lumbering beastie like a Ram?

 

[jsuthey]

Yea north of Ukiah-Lake Pillsbury area tons of wheeling up there!
Drive down the Eel river banks,nice litte cobblestones to wheel on & find a place to camp or run around naked!
You did say a weekend camping trip.

 

[tomatopants]

There's a place called Knoxville in Lake County, I haven't been there, but apparently it's a cake walk.


Other than that, Cow Mountain near Ukiah is about it. I've been searching for a place within a half hour of my house for a long time to no avail. YEARGH!