Where to go off-roading in Orange County?

Let’s say you’ve got a 4-wheel drive vehicle and you’d like to go four-wheeling onto a dirt road or trail in Orange County, California. For example, a Jeep Wrangler. (Granted, there are other kinds of off-roading too, like ATV-ing and dirt-biking.)

It shouldn’t be so hard to find information for where to go four-wheeling in the OC, right? Here’s what I’ve found for everything you’d need to know about where and how to go off roading.

About Off-Roading in the OC

Before you go, know the off-road basics, trail etiquette and heed them. Some of them are so-called “common sense” but they’re not so common, so please read and learn.

Now, here’s 2 things to check. First, check the status of the road at Cleveland National Forest Trails and Road Closures. Secondly, purchase a recreation pass before going, if you plan to stop your vehicle:

Southern California National Forests do not charge an entrance fee to travel the trails, but a Forest Adventure Pass is required to park your vehicle. If you plan to stop for lunch or a hike, you will need the pass.

Best Off-Road Trails in Orange County

Basically there’s three:

(cf. Best Places For Off-Roading Near OC – KCAL CBS; Five Favorite Four-Wheel Drive Roads and Trails in Orange County/Los Angeles, CA Area – trailsoffroad.com; A Beginner’s Guide to Where to Go Offroading Near Los Angeles – trailsoffroad.com; Santa Ana Mountain Off-Road Trail Guide – drivingline.com; and, read this for an extensive commentary- Off-Road Trail Rides in Orange County, Calif.)

Get the best detailed info about these trails and more at alltrails.com, for off-road driving trails in—

Trails Offroad Community is another useful database of info for offroading.

trailsoffroad.com