Where are good places to go off roading in Oregon?

Oh and speaking of Washington, my wife and I went up to Silver Star Mountain this last weekend. The road to the trail was closed sadly so we ended up just driving around the service roads for fun till we found picnic spot. We're up in Washington a lot as my wife's family is from Battleground. They also recently got a beach house up by Oysterville/Ocean Park so we go there often as well, I gotta do more exploring up there but easy access to beach driving.

 

I think you miss understand.... I take people out ALL the time to explore public lands! I spend lots of my time helping clean up public land so people can keep using it, and a few times a year we(club) take people out in conditions they normally would never try. What I think sucks is posting those spots on the web for anyone to find..... I find that the people who trash most areas don't really explore they wouldn't normally find these spots unless someone provided it to them... I am more old school i guess, find new people to wheel with and find new locations to see with those new friendships... not posting online so whoever can just find that spot that took you time, effort, or maybe the creation of a friendship to find..

 

Shoot me a PM if/when you're headed up here again and want to go explore. I can send you some trails and POIs to check out and might tag along if the timing works out.

The Long Beach Peninsula doesn't have much in the way of off-road trails, but lots of hiking trails and beachcombing.

 

Sure, no offensive meant, none taken. I do understand and respect your perspective. I retired after 30+ years working for a natural resource agency in those woods. I am very aware of the damage done by unethical use of public lands. For people such as yourself, that give back your time, share your trail skills and use public lands in a respectful way, more power to you, after all those are your woods!

Guess thats my point. I just don’t prescribe to the notion that “before you, go I” when it comes to those lands.

Granted, there are many that abuse the privilege. When was the last time you saw a sign without a bullet hole in it? Lost track of the illegal dumps I reported in my career. Illegal firewood cutting, mushroom picking, timber theft, cedar bough theft, illegal mining, native artifact theft, arson, the list goes on and on.

The OP was asking for areas to explore in Oregon, so I wanted to share an area but also wanted to point out the inherent danger of exploring Bear Camp Rd. specifically.

I also would submit that posting group outings on Facebook is far more advertisement of those areas than doing so on TacomaWorld?

Believe Facebook has 244 million members per month in the US and Canada. Not sure what TW’s total membership is? 250k give or take?

Just my opinion of course,

Happy Trails!

 

The only time I feel this way is with social media platforms like Instagram...but on an enthusiast forum like Tacomaworld I don't see the harm in helping fellow members out with some common knowledge about local trails.

When it comes to IG or FB though, you get people with massive followings hashtagging locations to their thousands of followers that then share those posts with their followers and before you know it, local trails get flooded with people from all over.

I don't see that kind of harm coming from a thread on TW. Especially when a lot of these areas being shared can easily be found with some google searching.

 

We went up there a few weekends ago. It's a fun ride.

 

GOOD POST! I was just at Cline Buttes today. Another good one is the Christmas Valley Sand Dunes. Most of the surrounding area is BLM and has lots of neat places to explore also.

 

I’m heading up to Elk Lake past Detroit today in a couple of hours for a little day trip with my young boys and dog. If anyone wants to head up and meet up I’ll be on CB 14. Short notice I know, but I have to get out of the house.

 

Heh if only you posted last night.

 

Might be going next weekend too.

 

I've wheeled in the dunes near florence a few times and it was kick ass, anything thing else I've wheeled is in the Douglas county area or around bend. I think it would be pretty awesome if we had an annual oregon meet.

 

To take the Lolo pass 4x4 route is it pretty obvious where to get on it? It’s been 20 years since I’ve been up that way...

 

Subbed. Interviewing now for a job in the salem area and possibly relocating to the region. Wheeling and hiking is definately factoring into the decision!

 

what are you guys using for trail maps? looking for something I can use on my phone. if it also lists trail difficulty that would be nice, i'm new to off roading and want some easy trails to start with.

 

welcome!

there are some apps that I have heard about on TW but I’m just a paper map guy... for now. Sorry I couldn’t help more. But again welcome!

 

This was on an old thread.
https://treknow.com/oregon/backroads/

Haven’t looked it over to much. But lots of trails.

 

Hey guys. I'm looking to do some exploring in the GX this weekend around the Ochocos. Supposed to snow, but I'm not scared. Any tips or locations? Gonna use the map attached but not sure how accurate it is...

 

Not an area I’m familiar with. But nice build and have fun!

 

I’m not saying be scared but don’t go in there overly confident. The ochocos tend to get more snow/ice then the cascades in areas. Have fun!

 

No worries. I plan on being more cautious than usual as I will be alone. I work in Prineville and have full view of the Ochocos daily. They look fairly bare currently, but that could change overnight. Just hoping to get out a bit.