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Clay Pit SVRA

Sunday, August 4, 2024

Trail Map

Other Names

Oroville, Feather River Valley, Thermalito

Last Known Status

Open

This 220 acre riding area was created in the depression left from where clay was excavated to build the Lake Oroville Dam. And depression, is what you are going to feel if you drive more than 30 miles to get there.

This is not a vacation destination. It's a small, flat practice area where an average 2WD car could tackle 90% of the terrain. The are a few trees and a couple of small pop-up jumps, and when we say a couple, we mean... one.

Ok, we're sorry. It's a great place for the local kids, for giving ATV lessons, or for breaking in a new top end, and as riders we are grateful for any public land we have. The area is lightly patrolled, with one hazard that is clearly marked, and no services.

Riding Area Map... Nearby ATV Riding Areas...

REGULATIONS

Permit Required	Yes	CA OHMVR stickers required
Dates Open	Daily 8am to sunset	CA OHMVR red sticker vehicles permitted from 9/1 to 6/30
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	Certain Times	CA OHMVR restrictions apply
MX Helmet Required	Yes	helmets required by state law
Camping	Prohibited
Campfires	Prohibited
Night Riding	No	riding hours 8am to sunset
Trail Blazing	Permitted
Alcohol	Some Areas	CA open container laws
Rule Enforcement	None

TERRAIN

Approx Size	220 acres
Miles Of Trail	3
Climate Type	Large Clay Pit
Elevation	50 to 150 ft.
Trail Maintenance	Not Marked, Not Rated, Not Maintained
Loose Dirt	None
Hard Pack	All
Sand	None
Mud	Some
Dust	Some
Rocks	Some	lots of loose baseball sized sharp rocks
Trees	Few
Steep Hills	None
Water Crossings	Few	couple crossings irrigation/drainage ditch aprox 12ft wide
Small Jumps	Few
Large Jumps	None
Berms	None
Sand/Gravel Pits	None
Single Track	None
Roads	Mostly
Intersections	Some
Rider Traffic	Few
Shade	Few	adequate - 10-20 shady parking spots from trees
Ranges/Gunfire	None	prohibited, but firing range adjacent (to the south)
Hazards	Few	(hazards not marked)
Novice	All
Amateur	Little
Expert	None
Comment	easy terrain - novice

TYPE OF AREA

Area	Gravel Pit, area is a large open pit

Land	State Recreation

GPS POINTS

KEY SERVICES

Gasoline	5-20 Miles (NE)	Jiffy Food Stores (530) 534-5015
Diesel	5-20 Miles (NE)	Valero Gas Station (530) 533-3560
Water	5-20 Miles (NE)	River One RV Park (530) 533-8679
RV Hookup	5-20 Miles (NE)	River One RV Park (530) 533-8679
RV Disposal	5-20 Miles (NE)	River One RV Park (530) 533-8679
Campground	1-5 Miles (S)	Oroville Wildlife Area Campground (530) 538-2236
Conv Store	5-20 Miles (NE)	Jiffy Food Stores (530) 534-5015

FEES & PASSES

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

RATINGS

Pros	not very busy, not patrolled, good for novices, good place to learn or fix bike, have picnic, all hazards are clearly marked
Cons	no services, no challenging terrain
Our Rating	Fair
Recommended Stay	Half Day
Comments	(Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Nearest City

Oroville, CA

Address

4900 Larkin Road, Oroville, CA 95965

Trail Map

From: Sacramento, CA
1) Take Highway 70 North to Exit 46
2) Turn left (west) onto Oroville Dam Blvd, continue 2 miles
3) Turn left (south) on Larkin Road, continue 2 miles
4) Park entrance is on the left (south-east).