Favorite spots...where do YOU off-road?
- scott the viking
- Posts: 3864
- Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 8:35 am
Favorite spots...where do YOU off-road?
I thought it might be a good idea if everyone would share where they personally like to off-road. We are all scattered throughout the country, so if any of us move to a different state or want to visit that state while on vacation, it would be cool to know where the locals like to off-road. You don't need to include pictures of where you go...just a description and some basic directions would be fine (always dig pictures though).
As most of you know...I do 99% of my off-road driving in the sand dunes. I was born and raised literally walking distance from sand dunes. I have tried all the rest and have come to realize that duning is just "my thing". Some of my favorite spots around where I live are....
Sand lake Oregon....Just a few miles outside Tillamook Oregon. Sand lake is a great place to test out a car or for beginners to get used to the dunes. The camping area is pretty good sized and heavily treed. There are a few small hills, most of which can be climbed in your average 4X4. It's fun and plenty of roley poley dunes to bumble over. You can go pretty much anywhere at sand lake, even if you have a beginner style rail or buggy..fun for all.
Spinreel/ Horsefall recreation area....These are both a little bit North of Coos bay Oregon. Spinreel is a few mile North of Horsefall. Both have good places to camp, you can go right from the camp ground to the dunes. The dunes at Horsefall and spin reel are large and many of them will require paddle tires and horsepower...BUT...there are miles and miles of smooth sand and beautiful views to explore. You do not have to go up anything big if you just want to have a nice trip around the dunes. A Baja bug will be limited if you do not have tires made for the sand. During the summer, the sand get plenty soft...an aired down all terrain will keep the bug moving...just be careful where you stop, because you might not get moving again without some help. Even with limiting where you go...there are still miles to explore.
South jetty, Florence Oregon... Florence Oregon has some great sand dunes. Many of which would be too much for a low horsepower/heavy buggy. Again though...you can put around with a very mild off-road buggy, you are not forced to climb the big stuff. The south jetty recreation area turn off is about one mile south of the town of Florence. The camping is alright and this should be a place you visit if you are into duning.
Winchester bay (AKA windy bay)....Windy bay is three miles south of Reedsport Oregon and about 25 miles North of Coos bay. Windy bay is my personal favorite. Most of the camping is away from the dunes (1/2 a mile or so) they ARE building a new campground right next to the dunes, so that solves that problem. Windy bay is pretty...and has some great views...but for a mild rig...Baja bug, stockish 4X4, low hp buggy. You may not find it as fun as some of the others. You can drive a lot at Windy bay...with mild rigs, but you will feel limited and you should not wander off the common paths too much. You WILL get stuck or get yourself trapped in an area that you just cannot get out of. I like windy bay for it's dunes. Some of them are so steep that you cannot even approach them head on, you have to hit them diagonal, otherwise it would just be like hitting a wall. If you have a really hot buggy (or light) you can wheelie into the hill and then gas it once the front tires touch. Some of it is steep enough to make a long four seat rail go completely over backwards (take my word for that one). Windy bay is a blast for the experienced off-roader and is okay for beginners, but it demands your respect and attention. Many of beginner and veteran have been surprised by a 30 foot drop off that was not there the last time the visited. Unfortunately, Windy bay claims quite a number of lives each year. Most of it is do to riding or driving beyond your means. Dune fest is held annually and people come from all over the country. If you are a people watcher, this is great, if you want to enjoy the dunes and the scenery...it sucks. The place literally looks like a busy ant hill during the week of dune fest. It's a good party, but if it's your first time to windy bay...I would suggest you plan around it.
Here is a picture or two...I will add a few more later I am planning a trip there weekend after next.
As most of you know...I do 99% of my off-road driving in the sand dunes. I was born and raised literally walking distance from sand dunes. I have tried all the rest and have come to realize that duning is just "my thing". Some of my favorite spots around where I live are....
Sand lake Oregon....Just a few miles outside Tillamook Oregon. Sand lake is a great place to test out a car or for beginners to get used to the dunes. The camping area is pretty good sized and heavily treed. There are a few small hills, most of which can be climbed in your average 4X4. It's fun and plenty of roley poley dunes to bumble over. You can go pretty much anywhere at sand lake, even if you have a beginner style rail or buggy..fun for all.
Spinreel/ Horsefall recreation area....These are both a little bit North of Coos bay Oregon. Spinreel is a few mile North of Horsefall. Both have good places to camp, you can go right from the camp ground to the dunes. The dunes at Horsefall and spin reel are large and many of them will require paddle tires and horsepower...BUT...there are miles and miles of smooth sand and beautiful views to explore. You do not have to go up anything big if you just want to have a nice trip around the dunes. A Baja bug will be limited if you do not have tires made for the sand. During the summer, the sand get plenty soft...an aired down all terrain will keep the bug moving...just be careful where you stop, because you might not get moving again without some help. Even with limiting where you go...there are still miles to explore.
South jetty, Florence Oregon... Florence Oregon has some great sand dunes. Many of which would be too much for a low horsepower/heavy buggy. Again though...you can put around with a very mild off-road buggy, you are not forced to climb the big stuff. The south jetty recreation area turn off is about one mile south of the town of Florence. The camping is alright and this should be a place you visit if you are into duning.
Winchester bay (AKA windy bay)....Windy bay is three miles south of Reedsport Oregon and about 25 miles North of Coos bay. Windy bay is my personal favorite. Most of the camping is away from the dunes (1/2 a mile or so) they ARE building a new campground right next to the dunes, so that solves that problem. Windy bay is pretty...and has some great views...but for a mild rig...Baja bug, stockish 4X4, low hp buggy. You may not find it as fun as some of the others. You can drive a lot at Windy bay...with mild rigs, but you will feel limited and you should not wander off the common paths too much. You WILL get stuck or get yourself trapped in an area that you just cannot get out of. I like windy bay for it's dunes. Some of them are so steep that you cannot even approach them head on, you have to hit them diagonal, otherwise it would just be like hitting a wall. If you have a really hot buggy (or light) you can wheelie into the hill and then gas it once the front tires touch. Some of it is steep enough to make a long four seat rail go completely over backwards (take my word for that one). Windy bay is a blast for the experienced off-roader and is okay for beginners, but it demands your respect and attention. Many of beginner and veteran have been surprised by a 30 foot drop off that was not there the last time the visited. Unfortunately, Windy bay claims quite a number of lives each year. Most of it is do to riding or driving beyond your means. Dune fest is held annually and people come from all over the country. If you are a people watcher, this is great, if you want to enjoy the dunes and the scenery...it sucks. The place literally looks like a busy ant hill during the week of dune fest. It's a good party, but if it's your first time to windy bay...I would suggest you plan around it.
Here is a picture or two...I will add a few more later I am planning a trip there weekend after next.
Last edited by scott the viking on Wed Jul 05, 2006 4:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- RyanB
- Posts: 1466
- Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2003 12:01 am
Great info and awesome pics there Scott.
I went to Sand Lake last weekend. 1st time really offroading with my lil Baja. Took the tires down to 6lbs and got around jsut fine. A few snafu's with Ignition and my shift coupler over the weekend but I got back to camp each time. Great place and lookin to go back soon. We are thinking of heading out somewhere the weekend of the 22nd. Just not sure where yet.
~Ryan
I went to Sand Lake last weekend. 1st time really offroading with my lil Baja. Took the tires down to 6lbs and got around jsut fine. A few snafu's with Ignition and my shift coupler over the weekend but I got back to camp each time. Great place and lookin to go back soon. We are thinking of heading out somewhere the weekend of the 22nd. Just not sure where yet.
~Ryan
- MNAirHead
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- Leatherneck
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- Daniel G
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Re: Favorite spots...where do YOU off-road?
Now that looks like a fun hill to climb...scott the viking wrote:
Daniel
- scott the viking
- Posts: 3864
- Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2004 8:35 am
Actually...it loses some of it's fun down toward the bottom. It is about twice as steep as you see in the pic the and you have to fit between two trees. 3X3 arm with off set wheels will scuff both trees on the way up. Problem is...you have to be doing about 60 at that point, or you wont make the hill, in which case you will have to BACK down through the trees. I just close my eyes and white knuckle the wheel.
This is that same hill from the bottom.
This is that same hill from the bottom.
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- shmoishere
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We just got back from a week in Idaho. By far my favorite if it wern't for that 12 hour drive. I may go back next year.
Here's some vids of the action. The ones at the bottom of the page.
http://www.buggyfreaks.com/videos.html
Here's some vids of the action. The ones at the bottom of the page.
http://www.buggyfreaks.com/videos.html
- Boneloader
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- Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 6:47 pm
Here's my playground: (Black Hills of SD.) Larger map HERE. WARNING! LARGE FILE: (2.3M)
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- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 4:05 pm
Wellsville Ohio
I ride the trails of Wellsville Ohio. Its located right on the Ohio/West VA border right on tthe Ohio River. There are 2000 Acres of some of the best trails for Off roading. They consist of Nose bleed hills, Mud bogs (will swallow a jeep LOL). simple trails to very technical to very rocky to flowing creeks. There are mutipal pay type camping areas with portajohns. You can rent them by the season or just park for the day. If your up to the challange come on down
- Leatherneck
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- Daniel G
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Yeah, I'd love to check it out for about a week sometime in the next few years, and get a big group together to go with me. Judging by the pics some of the guys on dune-buggy.com have posted of it, I think it would be a fun trip.Leatherneck wrote:From what I have read Wellsville is the meca for woods buggies, good place to see if you have a real buggy or not.
Daniel
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- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 4:05 pm
Because I have not ridden my Woods Buggy no where else but Wellsville I really have nothing to compare it too. Because Wellsville is only 2 hours from me I dont need to go anywhere else. It is definatly worth the drive to spend a week there. Odds are you would not cover all the trails. When ever your ready to go let me know and we can hook up.
Steve
Email: [email protected]
Steve
Email: [email protected]