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| Home > California > Devil's Backbone |
Devil's Backbone
Saturday, December 23, 2023
| Other Names | Six Rivers National Forest, Mad River Ranger District, Mad River Ridge, Mad River Rock, Van Duzen River, Hale Creek, Ruth Lake |
| Last Known Status | Open |
This part of the Six Rivers National Forest offers a forest service road that follows a scenic mountain ridge. The road starts out as pavement but eventually turns into hard packed dirt. This route is open to street legal vehicles only, which makes it a good choice for dual sport motorcycles or 4x4s.
The road is about 10 miles long each way but is linear (one way in, one way out). The road starts off from Hwy 36 and heads south, following the Mad River Ridge and ending just a short distance past Mad River Rock.
Other then some short spurs off the main road, there are no real ATV or dirt bike trails in this area. Nearby Pilot Creek offers designated but challenging single track trails for motorcycles.
REGULATIONS
| Permit Required | Yes | CA OHMVR stickers required |
| Dates Open | May 1 - November 15 | 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 street legal vehicles only |
 ATVs | Prohibited | CA OHMVR stickers required |
 UTV & SXS | Prohibited | CA OHMVR stickers required |
 SUVs & Jeeps (registered) | Permitted | street legal vehicles only |
| Dune Buggy & Sand Rail 4x4 (unregistered) | Prohibited | CA OHMVR stickers required |
| 2 Stroke Engines | No Restriction | CA OHMVR restrictions apply |
| MX Helmet Required | Yes | |
 Camping | Some Areas | (camp in developed sites only) |
 Campfires | ||
| Night Riding | Unknown | Not Recommended |
| Trail Blazing | Prohibited | keep vehicle on trail |
| Rule Enforcement |
TYPE OF AREA
| Area | Motorized Trails |
| Land | National Forest |
FEES & PASSES
| Parking | (None) |
| Entry | (None) |
| Riding | (None) |
| Camping | (None) |
RATINGS
| Our Rating |  Good |
| Recommended Stay | Full Day |
| Comments | (Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments) |
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
| Nearest City | Mad River, CA | ||
| Address | Mad River Rock Lookout, Mad River, CA 95552 | ||
| From: Eureka, CA
1) Take US-101 South about 20 miles 2) Turn left (east) on SR-36, continue about 45 miles 3) Turn right (south) onto FS Road 1N03/Mad River Rock Lookout Road, continue about 6 miles toward trailhead. |
OFFICIAL CONTACTS
| Contact Info | Six Rivers National Forest - Mad River Ranger District 741 State Highway 36 Bridgeville, CA 95526 (707) 574-6233 mailroom_r5_six_rivers@usda.gov www.fs.usda.gov |
ADD PHOTOS
TERRAIN
| Miles Of Trail | 10 | |
| Climate Type | Forest | |
| Elevation | 3500 to 4000 ft. | |
| Trail Maintenance | Marked, Not Rated, Lightly Maintained | |
| Loose Dirt |  Little | |
| Hard Pack |  Mostly | |
| Sand |  None | |
| Mud | None | |
| Dust | Little | |
| Rocks |  Some | |
| Trees |  All | |
| Steep Hills | Some | |
| Water Crossings | None | |
| Small Jumps | None | |
| Large Jumps | None | |
| Berms | None | |
| Sand/Gravel Pits | None | |
| Single Track |  Few | |
| Roads | All | |
| Shade | All | |
| Hazards | Few | (hazards assumed marked but use caution) |
 Novice | Some | |
 Amateur | Mostly | |
 Expert | Little |
KEY SERVICES
 Gasoline | Mad River, CA | |
| Diesel | Mad River, CA | |
 Water | Mad River, CA | |
 RV Hookup | Mad River, CA | |
 RV Disposal | Mad River, CA | |
| Campground | Mad River, CA | |
 Conv Store | Mad River, CA |
RIDER COMMENTS & REVIEWS