Anybody know of a spot close to Orange County (CA) to 4x4? The closest I've found was Azuza which is fun if you like washing the mud off your truck for HOURS!....Anybody else know of a spot?

 

Santiago canyon, near mission viejo.

 

Is that spot (Mission Viejo) mostly rocks/dirt?.....Better known as Body Damage Central....or does it have mud & sand too?

I got a newer truck so I try to stay away from tha rawks

 

 

Kadukoboy,

Just saw your post. As a native of OC, (Born & Raised) I can assure you there is a lot of places to go.

Canyon wise there is Silverado, and Blackstar Canyon, both off of Santiago Canyon Road. Fire season is what closes these canyons, however when there open you can zip up to to the top of Saddelback Mountain. Lots of historic stuff on the way up. Some of the old silver mines, just don't get too adventuresome and walk inside the mines. Every few years a couple of people die from the methane gases in the mines.

Theres the old swimming hole dams on Santiago trail. County rangers in the 30's installed dams along Santiago creek and every spring they would install steel doors to trap water into swimming pools. I remember going there in the 60's when I was a kid, but the practice ended shortly after.

At the base of ONeal park there is a river bed, (Trabuco Canyon) with an access road that will take you back about 4-5 miles to ranger station housing. Again, during fire season the road ends here, however when its open its up to the top of Saddelback.

I have actually traversed from Coal Canyon, off the 91 freeway across the ridge route all the way to Ortega Highway. Crossed Ortega and almost made it to Fallbrook, except for a wrong turn where we ended up going down a canyon while a platoon of marines and M1 tanks were coming up the same canyon.

Also done the same route and ended up in varies parts of Riverside County.

There is also a lot of runs off of Ortega highway, close to the Lake Elsinore decent. Also a few at the beggining of Ortega just outside of San Juan Capistrano.

OC is limited so enjoy it when you can. I first started 4x4 the area in 1980 when I got my first 4x4. However I discovered as the years passed access became very limited. In fact I can remember a few times when the canyons were only opened for two weeks a year.

What's sad is when I was really young every spring vacation I would spend a week on the trail as a cowboy rounding up cattle for our good family, who was the one big three ranchers, next to the Oneals and Mission Viejo company, in what is now Trabruco Heights, Rancho Santa Margerita, area, etc....

I have been out of the 4x4 routine for about 8 years, however just got a new truck and plan on re-investigating my old trails.

Patrick,
The Water Surgeon

 

Watersurgeon, what kind of rig did you get? Would you be willing to lead some of us on these trails?

 

BrokenBronco,

Just picked up a 2003, 350, CC, Lariat, 4x4, LB, 7.3, in Kansas, of all places and drove it back a week ago. (Dorothy's not too happy, I think I ran over Totto on the Turnpike, I was in such a hurry to get the hell out of there) LOL

Still has that new leather smell.

Saved myself about $8,500.00 over private party resale. It had 14,000 miles on it. (Now that I figured out how to do it, all never buy another truck in California again)

As for trails, it's been awhile since I was up there. The majority of these trails are in the Cleveland National Forest so you can call the Forest office, which is located in Corona, (it used to me in Orange). I can assure you without calling all the canyons are going to be closed. Some of the trails off of Ortega might be open.

The one thing I did learn was that when the canyons are closed for a couple of years and you get some good rain there almost impossible to get through, until the rangers get in there with bulldozers, and clear out the landslides.

For yucks we could get a group together and meet at Cooks corner, (Trabuco and Santiago cny) one morning and head up Trabuco Canyon. Thats always open up to the ranger station housing. Not much in the way 4x4, but a chance to rattle the truck and spin some dirt.

Im going to go over to the Cleveland NFS site and see what they have too say.

Just went through the trail info and it lists all the Trabuco trails as Hike and Mountain Bike. Like I said its been awhile. Guess all call the office next day light and see what they say.

Patrick,
The Water Surgeon, Inc

 

humm if you guys go i wouldn't mind checking it out. haha i have a rack and could fit all the camping supplies on my truck

 

try taking the orgeta entrance upto the repeter towers at the top of saddleback, its ALOT of fun then come back the silverado way. My stock 92 super crew cab does just fine well at least after the buffing compound did its job removing the "evidence" of a rogue branch

for real though I bought the book of southern cali trails and such and thats a great one for a nice 4 hours

I condiser my self a novice totaly, but hav faith (or plain ignorance) in my new truck, But I bought it for doing this so I dont mind a scratch or to, my stock tires are getting very chewed up, but my lift and 33's should solve that soon....