QWR's Don Amador at Intersection of Bald Mountain Road
and Snow Camp Road
The coastal mountain range in the Eureka, California area
offers the dual-sport or adventure rider a lot of high-quality backcountry
experiences. While on a recent 190 mile dual-sport
trip with local off-roaders to review travel management issues on the Six
Rivers National Forest, l had the privilege to enjoy many of the historic non-paved
and paved road segments that circle north from Eureka and out through the old
logging towns of Blue Lake and Korbel, south through sections of the Forest,
and back west to Eureka via Highway 36 and the Kneeland Road.
Bald Mountain Road and Snow Camp Road Intersection GPS
Leaving Korbel we took Bald Mountain Road east and turned
left on Snow Camp Road to Lord Ellis Summit where we hit Highway 299. After following Highway 299 east for a few
miles, we turned left on Chism Road and stayed on that route until it joined up
once again with Highway 299. A short
jaunt east on that highway took us to the top of Berry Summit where we turned
right on Titlow Road.
Forest Highway One
Route One GPS
After lunch at the world famous Burger Bar (located in a
circa 1960s-era travel trailer) in Mad River, we headed west on Highway 36 where we
gassed up at Dinsmore. After gas, our
journey took us west to Bridgeville (I think the entire town is still for sale!)
where a right turn placed us on the Kneeland Road which is the mostly non-paved
back entrance to Eureka.
Bridge at Yager Creek
We stopped at Yager Creek for a break and saw some pretty
large trout in the steam below the bridge.
Not too far north of the bridge was the Iagua Ranch where supposedly some
scenes were shot in a recent sci-fi movie.
Road Through Iagua Ranch
Many of you have journeyed on these routes before, but I
wanted to share this info with the growing number of new riders who have joined
the dual-sport/adventure family. There
are plenty of great hotels or campgrounds to stage from in the Eureka
area. The town also has a lot of cool
places to visit including the Carson Mansion, Fort Humboldt, and the Samoa
Cookhouse.
Be sure and stop by the Six Rivers National Forest HQ in Eureka and
get one of their Forest Maps as there are lots of two-track dirt roads to explore off of Route
One.
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What about all the single track on the Mad River district? I think much of it was closed, I think one big segment got converted to a hiking trail. I sent comments on that District's Travel Management Plan but they were ignored, as usual. There are still some bits of the old system left. I understand you might not want to post the location.
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