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Rattlesnake Ridge Area

Saturday, December 23, 2023

Trail Map

Other Names

Smith River National Recreation Area, Little Rattlesnake Mountain, Boulder Ridge, Pigeon Roost, Rattlesnake Lake, Soldier Well, Mud Spring, Goose Creek, South Fork Smith River, Childs Hill, Six Rivers National Forest, Pigeon Roost Spring

Last Known Status

Open

This area offers some great scenery but mainly consists of old mining roads from the 1940's. The sharp rocky routes lead past a small pond and over the ridge, with some spurs leading to old nickel / chromium mines.

There are no real motorcycle trails, and due to the rugged terrain, this place is best explored on an ATV or in a Jeep. Some portions are overgrown from lack of use and there is no designated staging area.

One positive aspect is the abundance of attractive swimming and fishing spots on the Smith River which you'll pass as you approach the area.

Trail Map... Nearby ATV Trails...

REGULATIONS

Permit Required	Yes	CA OHMVR stickers required
Dates Open	Year-Round	CA OHMVR red sticker vehicles permitted year round
Other ATV Stickers Accepted	Yes	Residents of any state not listed must purchase a Nonresident OHV Use Permit. (AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, IA, ID, IN, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, TX, UT, VT, WA, WI, WY)
Spark Arrestor	Yes	A spark arresting exhaust silencer or end cap is required for all vehicles.
Noise Limit	Yes (96 dB)	CA OHMVR noise limits apply (1985/older limit 101 dB, 1986/newer limit 96 dB)
Whip Flags	Not Required
Maximum Vehicle Width	No Restriction
Motorcycles & Dirt Bikes	Permitted	CA OHMVR stickers required
ATVs	Permitted	CA OHMVR stickers required
UTV & SXS	Permitted	CA OHMVR stickers required
SUVs & Jeeps (registered)	Permitted
Dune Buggy & Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered)	Permitted	CA OHMVR stickers required
2 Stroke Engines	No Restriction	CA OHMVR restrictions apply
MX Helmet Required	Yes	helmets required by state law
Camping	No Restriction	(camp anywhere)
Campfires	Some Areas
Night Riding	Unknown	Not Recommended
Trail Blazing	Prohibited	keep on the trail
Alcohol	No Restriction
Rule Enforcement	None

TERRAIN

Approx Size	16,000 acres (25 sq mi)
Miles Of Trail	15
Climate Type	Forest
Elevation	550 to 3500 ft.
Trail Maintenance	Marked, Not Rated, Not Maintained
Loose Dirt	Little
Hard Pack	Mostly
Sand	None
Mud	None
Dust	Little
Rocks	Mostly
Trees	All
Steep Hills	Few
Water Crossings	Few
Small Jumps	Few
Large Jumps	None
Berms	None
Sand/Gravel Pits	None
Single Track	None
Roads	Mostly
Intersections	Few
Rider Traffic	Few
Shade	All
Ranges/Gunfire	None
Hazards	Few	(hazards not marked) Beware of open mine shafts.
Novice	Little
Amateur	Mostly
Expert	Some

TYPE OF AREA

Area	Motorized Trails

Land	National Forest, Nat Recreation

GPS POINTS

KEY SERVICES

Gasoline	5-20 Miles (NW)	Hiouchi/Chevron
Diesel	5-20 Miles (NW)	Hiouchi/Chevron
Water	5-20 Miles (NW)	Hiouchi Hamlet Market (707) 458-3114
RV Hookup	5-20 Miles (NW)	Hiouchi Hamlet RV Resort (707) 458-3321
RV Disposal	5-20 Miles (NW)	Hiouchi Hamlet RV Resort (707) 458-3321
Campground	5-20 Miles (S)	Big Flat Campground (707) 457-3131
Conv Store	5-20 Miles (NW)	Hiouchi Hamlet Market (707) 458-3114

FEES & PASSES

Parking	(None)
Entry	(None)
Riding	(None)
Camping	(None)

RATINGS

Pros	free, beautiful forest scenery
Cons	no real motorcycle trails, area consists of old and unused rocky jeep trails
Our Rating	Fair
Recommended Stay	Full Day
Comments	(Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Nearest City

Crescent City, CA

Trail Map

From: Crescent City, CA
1) Take US-101 North about 2 miles
2) Take exit for US-199 east (Redwood Hwy) about 7 miles
3) Turn right onto South Fork Road, continue .4 miles
4) After crossing bridge veer left CR-427, continue 7.5 miles
5) *Turn right onto FS-16N23 (rough road), continue about 200 yards. Stage anywhere.

Alternate Route (less rocky):
6) Continue past FS-16N23 2.15 miles
7) Veer right onto FS-15N02 (you will see a brown FS sign on the right, turn here), continue 1.1 miles
8) Stage here.

*Note: The alternate route is a gravel road and is a much smoother route. Road FS-16N23 is very rocky.

OFFICIAL CONTACTS

Contact Info

Six Rivers National Forest - Smith River NRA
Highway 199 P.O. Box 228
Gasquet, CA 95543
(707) 457-3131
mailroom_r5_six_rivers@usda.gov
www.fs.usda.gov