be scared of cows and farmers..... that HATE cars (READ: foreign cars) flying through there. We did it enough in 03-05 going to the lake and going home/whatev.

be careful.

 

awsome place +1 also great fishing

 

TRANSLATION:

Bring something to shoot back with

 

the end of S. Shingle Rd. at Latrobe to Scott Rd. (unmarked road between Scott and Latrobe on the map) is a nice LONG gravelly road with some good straights and turns. (make sure to go East to West from EDH/Latrobe)
there are said to be some ranchers that may be out there, so don't go being an idiot.
also, at almost the end, near Scott Rd. (coming from Latrobe/EDH) there is a seasonal "creek" that can become a small, unpassable river (~8' to 20' wide depending on the rainfall) but when low, it is fun to blast through McRae style (after first carefully checking for hazards/ruts/logs/rocks/ledges/etc.).
if the road is blocked, you can go back a few miles to Michigan Bar Rd (road going to the south from S.Shingle/Latrobe about mid-way on the map), which will take you over the Consumnes(?) River and drop you out onto Old Jackson Hwy.
if you DO take Michigan Bar Rd., once you get to the bridge, SLOW DOWN!
there is a ranch ON Michigan Bar Rd, just over the bridge, and since the road pretty much splits his property at his house, the rancher doesn't take lightly to people "blasting" through the 10MPH 90-degree turn out front of his house.
also, take it easy after that on the paved portion, there is light traffic on Mich. Bar Rd. sometimes farming equipment.


in Pollock Pines, take Sly Park Rd. exit, go North, under the overpass, turn Left at the stop and then a Right onto Forebay Rd. (directly across from Safeway).
[[MAP]]
head out Forebay Rd. about 8-10 miles to the bottom of the canyon, (careful on this road, it's narrow/one-lane and lots of logging traffic) once you get to the river, cross the bridge and head up the other side about 2-3 miles, at the TOP of the mountain (should take you about 30-40 mins to get there) there is a large OHV area that is all graded gravel logging roads. they loop back and forth, cris-crossing all along the ridge of that mountain., you can see them if you zoom far enough in on the google map in hybrid view.

also, be cautious for hunters in this area during hunting season, and beware of drunk rednecks/hill-billies w/ guns in general, at any time of the year out here.

none of these roads are marked, there is no cell phone reception, and this is a very desolate area, so take caution!
the way the roads loop and double back, it is very easy to get lost out there.
my recommendation is to bring a GOOD GPS (garmin hand held even), a topo-map (you can get one from the forestry office of this area), a compass (and know how to use it), shortwave radios or CBs, and always go with another car, just in case something happens, you have a support vehicle to help in case of an emergency.


remember, these areas are NOT race tracks, so don't go being stupid.
taken with caution, these areas can be a fun afternoon (or whole day on Forebay) of exploring.

have fun, but be safe!

 

Alright, sounds like a ton of great information...

Would anyone be interested in some sort of group drive up towards the aforementioned areas?

It sounds like I am going to need to look into a GPS at some point. Luckily I have a compass mirror! (haha, this is good enough right!!!)

Also, I prefer the not pissing people off strategy to the bring something to shoot back with one... to each his own I suppose.

 

meiss road if you go up 16 take a right at dillard then a left on meiss it will be paved for a good 5 miles then you will pass a rock quary and it will turn to gravel. there is no one around and no houses. if I were your I wold drive it slow once to get an idea of the road and the hazerds there is one "creek" there is never water in it but it has some nasty rocks so dont be brave just slow down. I have been going here sence highschool. it might be to much for some of you so dont think you are going to take you expencive tires and rims out here just use your junkers. it will take you all the way to ione you can eather turn left at the end and it will take you back to 16 and then take a left back to sac or you can go right to ione (there is a sk8 park)