Has anyone in So.Cal. heard of a Johnson Valley Poker Run? Or how about some info on family friendly ATV clubs? My daughter and I are recent converts to the "off road" and would like to join other families in weekend day trips. I've heard of a poker run at Johnson Valley and have had little or no luck in finding out about it.

We'd also like to find more areas to ride in that are a reasonable drive from San Bernardino. Our favorite spot (right now) is the Stoddard Valley OHV right off of Dale Evans Parkway. Lots of trails, and I mean lots, with terrain for both my 7 year old and me. The only thing it's missing is a ladies room (well at least until I get my fun runner)!

 

For a quickie ride, we sometimes go behind Cal State. What about Silverwood lake, which will take you to the trails behind Arrowhead?

 

Where behind Cal State, and is it "legal"? I didn't know that Silverwood had OHV trails. For our quickies, we usually go to Hesperia and take our chances in the wash on the north side Evans takes my vote any day.

Do you know of any other local areas? I've seen people in Devore on the frontage road between the Sierra and Blockbuster exits off the I-15. How aggressive is local law enforcement? How safe are the local spots as it's just two ladies, me and my daugther? I feel relatively safe at the Dale Evans location as there are lots of other riders and the area is very wide open.

Thanks

 

Where to ride

Try this link.....I hope I dun it right.

I have not heard anything about a Poker run.

There are many trails from The Silverwood lake area all the way to big bear. I'ts a little warm right now to be out in Johnson or Stoddard valley unless you like the heat. LOL

This time of the year most of us go towards big bear or ride at night.

HTH

 

See (http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardin...461374575.html) The thing about the mountains is that it is at least a LITTLE COOLER, this time of year.

Select the three OHV maps, mail in the form (don't know why you can't submit it online?), and they will send them to you. You can also ask for them by calling the Big Bear Discovery Center (sorry don't know the number). For Silverwood, take Highway 138 east off the I-15. Go past the lake, and there will be an exit to the left for MILLER CANYON. Then make an immediate right (by the sign that says you will need an Adventure Pass!). This is road 2N37. Go a few hunderd yards, and there will be 2 staging areas on the left (I suggest the second one, it has a little more room). From there you can ride the dirt roads, or go up to the Pinnacles area and over to deep creek. This is my favorite place to ride in So. Calf.!! I don't know what your experience levels are? The roads are easy, but the trails (narrow single track) are not for beginners (or 7 year olds)!!

Or you can drive to Crab Flatts campground (you can ride right from camp) near Green Valley Lake (off of the 18 on the way to Big Bear), and access a lot of roads from there. The roads are easy, so a kid can handle them, but watch out for the TRAFFIC!!

I can't remember the street names at Cal State, but I can get them and will post them later. The area is probably not "legal", but I don't know anybody who has ever been run out of there. What kind of bikes are you riding???

We sometimes ride with RUTS (www.ruts.org) It is EXTREMELY FAMILY ORIENTED!! It is great for single parents, because if you want to go on a ride, you can just leave your kids playing around camp, and other adults will watch out for them. It is mostly dirt bikes, but there are more of us quads all the time. They do have an anual poker run at Johnson or Stoddard Valley!!

 

Thanks for the info! A closer to home place would be nice i.e. Cal State. We've pretty much hung up our helmets for hte summer. Our last trip to Stoddard Wells was about 4 weeks ago. Get there at about 0800 and left by 1200, before the temp got too high.

I've got an 02 Kawasaki Lakota Sport, and my daughter as a little Suzuki Quadmaster 50. I need a place that has easy trails for her, and some place that is wide open as she gets a little wigged out when we get too far from base camp. If I can keep showing her the Jeep, she's fine. Although the little dare devil enjoys the small whoop de doos and the smaller hills. Now, on the other hand, mom wants bigger hills and longer trails.

Have you tried the area off Dale Evans Parkway? We sort of stumbled on it one weekend. I love it. It's got a HUGE staging area, trails for miles and enough terrain variation to keep all happy. I-15 at the Dale Evans Parkway exit, about mid way between Victorville and Barstow. It takes about 45 min from SBDO and is right off the freeway. I like it because as long as I keep the freeway in sight I won't get lost. We went with friends and I was able to do some exploring and traveled a few miles from base on some really nicely groomed trails. Not too many berms or ruts. There's a powerline access road that appears to go on for miles and is great to get some speed for us beginners.

I'll check out the rutts. org site. That's sounds like what I've been looking for. As for the poker run, my daughter had a training session at the Honda Center in Colton in April. One other parent mentioned that he was forgoing an ATV poker run that day. It sounded like fun. He mentioned that there were two per year at Johnson Valley, but oculd not remember the organization that put it on. My web surfing has not panned out either. If I find it, I'll post it.

 

Yep, you dun it rite. Thanks. How stringent are they with the two stroke red stickers at Arrowhead/Big Bear? My daughter's quad is a Suzuki Quadmaster 50, a two stroke. it doesn't have a red sticker as it's registered in AZ, but all you need to do is hear it to know it's a two-stroke. Do they enforce the time frames that two-strokes can ride?

The link to the Pinnacles at Arrowhead seems really nice, but I don't want to get there and find out we can't ride. Although we've pretty much hung up our helmets until the fall, an evening or early morning ride in Arrowhead sounds tempting!

 

We do just as much riding in summer as we do in winter!! You just have to pick the high altitude places!! This weekend we are headed for Bishop/Mammoth. Most of the rides top out at around 10,000 ft. We went up there Memorial Day weekend, and got stopped by SNOW! Hopefully, enough has melted in the weeks since then, that we will now be able to get through????

RUTS is going to Kennedy Meadows this weekend. It is all above the 7,000 ft level, in the mountains near Kearnville. Unfortunately, the quad riding is pretty limited up there (but it is dirt bike paradise!), but the scenery is spectacular!! There is NICE camping along the Kern River.

I wouldn't worry about the red sticker thing. NOBODY EVER CHECKS, and they have dropped it for everything but the new bikes. You might want to start you daughter by going to Miller Canyon, and just letting her ride around in the parking area, and a little way up the road. Unfortunately, they graded the road this spring, and it brought up a bunch of rocks, so it is rough in places. There are a couple of water crossings, and the kids always love those. Go in the early morning though. (For some reason, the place has quite a few flies.)

Or, go to Pinnacles and let her ride around the parking area. There is also a small practice loop, where kids can try their hand at some single track. Thing about Pinnacles is that there is NO SHADE. Even though it is high altitude, you are out in the open sun. I always bring an Easy Up! Better yet, from Pinnacles, drive in on 3N34 (the regular road, NOT the rough hill to the left) a couple miles, and just before you cross Willow creek, there is a nice place on the right, that has trees where a beginner can ride around. From there, you can ride 3N34 down to Deep Creek, and the kids always have a great time playing in the water. Again, watch for TRAFFIC on the roads! We are planning a kids ride up there in the near future. A friend has kids (age 6 and 9) that have never ridden, and we are going to take them out to give it a try. e-mail me, if you are interested in joining us.

Then, there is always Pismo if you are willing to do a 4 hr drive!! The place is incredible fun!! Go while you can, before they close it.

As for Cal State. I know you exit the I-215 at University Parkway, and go east. Just before you reach the entrance to the campus, you turn left and the road goes over a big bridge (can't remember the name of the road). Shortly after crossing the bridge, you turn right and go up a dirt road toward the "glider port" (they fly hang gliders). Usually there is a pretty good crowd, so just park where everybody else is. The riding is a little rough, but you can find some spots for a beginner to have fun.

 

Do a search of "So. Calif.", here in the Where To Ride section, and you will come up with a bunch of my old posts. Cal State is in there.

 

you can also go to el mirage, which is very child friendly. plenty of flat and trails from beginner to much harder. but its hot during the day. we do alot of night trips around this time of year. good luck and ride safe.