California OHV Trails – ElDorado Natl Forest

I found information on OHV-ATV trails for Elkins Flat Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Route System in a PDF download-able format from the Dept. of Agriculture and the ElDorado Forestry. Click here for a Foresty Map of Elkins Area Eldorado Forest and additional information this bulletin contains.

Note: Roads are closed to motor vehicles between January and March 31st (sometimes later in the season depending on snow conditions). According to this  March 2010 bulletin there are approximately 600 miles of paved and gravel roads that are not affected by the closures. One of the areas is the Rock Creek area near Georgetown, CA where they have their own policy for closures.

You can also obtain free maps at the ElDorado National Forest offices. These maps – although available and supposedly updated – are not completely accurate as we have found out during our ATV trail rides. So do use a map but be ready to find additional routes as necessary. Join us in asking for up-to-date and clearly defined ATV Off Road maps and routes.

REMEMBER TO BE SAFE: Be aware of Age Restrictions – ATV safety certificates are required for riders under 18 years old. Children under 14 years of age must be supervised by a licensed parent, guardian, or authorized adult when operating an OHV. Wear helmets, don’t carry a passenger on your ATV unless designed for additional passengers. Have your vehicle registered.

For more information contact:
Placerville Ranger District, (530) 644-2324.

GEORGETOWN, CA: OHV Maps:  Xerox copy of the Rock Creek OHV Map is available at Georgetown District office.  The colored printed map is being updated and reprinted and is not available for sale currently.
A Green or Red sticker license is required for any non-highway-legal vehicle to ride on the Eldorado National Forest.  On the Eldorado National Forest, Red and green stickers may ride in the Mace Mill-Rock Creek OHV Area year around.  They may also ride on all other designated OHV roads of the Forest year-round.
7600 Wentworth Springs Road, Georgetown, CA (530)333-4312

For Current Conditions in the Eldorado National Forest click here.

Happy Quad Trails to you!

~ Nancy

Great News! Seasonal Closure Ends May 14th

Seasonal Closure of Designated Dirt Roads and Trails Ends May 14, 2010

Placerville, CA…. Designated dirt roads and trails in the Eldorado National Forest will reopen to motorized use on May 15, ending the wet weather seasonal closure that began on January 1, announced Forest Supervisor Ramiro Villalvazo.

“I am glad that we are lifting the seasonal closure and I appreciate the patience people have shown with the extended closure,” said Villalvazo. “I am sure there are many people who are anxious for the opportunity to get out into our beautiful great outdoors. It is important to me to remind all potential Forest visitors that with the freedom to visit the Forest on motorized vehicles, comes the responsibility to ensure that your activities do not cause resource damage.”

Forest visitors should contact the Ranger Station closest to where they want to visit for the latest road and trail information. Routes open to motorized travel are identified on free‐of‐charge motorized vehicle travel maps, now available at all Eldorado National Forest offices.

The western edge of the Eldorado National Forest has many routes that are located in clay soils that get muddy and easily develop ruts. Visitors who drive on routes that are too wet and cause resource damage may receive citations.

“In the future, decisions about allowing the seasonal closure to end, will be influenced by the evidence of how well the wet or soft soils have been recognized and respected,” said Villalvazo. “I ask that you be cautious about decisions to drive in areas that still have snow on or near the road.”

Higher elevations of the National Forest are still covered with snow and the roads won’t be passable until the snow melts. Villalvazo says that most of the designated routes in the higher elevations have soils that dry out faster than clay soils and are less susceptible to damage.

The decision to reopen designated motorized routes does not affect routes in the Rock Creek Area of the National Forest near Georgetown, which are managed under different closure criteria.

USDA Forest Service News Release
Date: May 13, 2010
Contact Frank Mosbacher  (530) 621-5268

~ Great News isn’t it – onewithquaders! ~

Happy Quading!

Forests Dirt Roads & Trails Closed to May 14

Eldorado National Forest Dirt Roads and Trails Remain Closed to Motorized Vehicles Until May 14

Due to the recent storms and wet conditions the Seasonal Roads and Trails closure is extended until May 14. If conditions dry out sufficiently before that date then the forest may lift the closure.

They keep extending the date because of the bad weather…ughhhhh!

See at ElDorado Forest Welcome page.

Why Eldorado not El Dorado?

Does anyone know why the forestry service prints “Eldorado Forest” on all the signs and pamphlets, etc., and not El Dorado?

BTW, El Dorado means “the golden one.”

El Dorado County and the Sierras

Coming Soon…

Taking Care of Our Eldorado National Forest

It is essential that everybody stay on the roads while driving your quad. The less impact we, as quaders, make on the forest, the better chance the Forest Service will help keep roads open to our travel. One of the problems is that the erosion from the dirt roads and the travelers driving off the designated dirt roads make for bare hillsides; the dirt is then filtering down the creeks and streams to the rivers. Logging is also a factor. Never-the-less, what it comes down to are groups like the Sierra Club and The Friends of the Sierra will use any means to keep everybody out of the forest but themselves. They are why the El Dorado National Forest is closed from January 1 – March 31 or later each year. As we know, the best time to quad is when the roads are wet and not dusty. The best thing we can do as ATV Quad Riders is to communicate with the Forest Service personnel we see, and let them know that we care about the forest, and would also like more access to more roads so we can take longer trips and explore more of OUR NATIONAL FOREST.

Rules of Travel in ANY Forest:
Simple:

• Stay on the roads. Even when the Forest Service signs are knocked down and it looks like other people have road up and down the hillsides. Stay off them.  (Do not tear up the natural ground cover of the forest; it helps with erosion control) We want to use the forest with minimal impact.
• If you pack it in – pack it out. (Keep the forest clean of trash)
• Try not to throw dirt by driving too fast around corners. This causes ruts and puddles and more erosion problems let alone tearing up the roads that the forest service needs to use. Remember the Eldorado National Forest is not a racetrack.
• If you see somebody, or a friend in your group doing something wrong (do everybody a favor), let them know.
• Use common sense and be courteous. Always slow down when passing other Parked Riders, Vehicles, Horses, Hikers,and Campsites. Help other riders in need. You might be the only help around. (Remember, what you do will come back to you)
• Ride Safely.  The roadways through the forest are used by many types of vehicles so you don’t know what you might meet around any corner. (Only drive as fast as it is safe – Remember, if you crash and get injured help is a long way away.)