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Boca Reservoir

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Trail Map

Other Names

Boca Dam Reservoir Rd, Truckee River, Tahoe National Forest, Boca Hill, Boca Lake Rd, Woodchoppers Springs, Old Reno Rd

Last Known Status

Open

The trails along the west side of Boca Reservoir are a great place to take a beginner. With nothing too challenging and a host of boating, fishing and swimming opportunities, it's a pretty good place to bring all the family toys. There is some single track in the connecting areas, but mostly just wide trails and dirt roads surround the campgrounds and day-use areas which line the lakeshore.

These trails connects directly to Prosser Pits to the west, Billy Hill and Stampede Reservoir to the north, and even Verdi Peak and Bull Ranch Creek (Dog Valley/Long Valley) to the northeast.

This area caters more towards the boating crowd than to OHVs but if you are heading out to the lake anyway, why not bring the bikes too?

Trail Map... Nearby ATV Trails...

REGULATIONS

Permit Required	Yes	CA OHMVR stickers required
Dates Open	April 24 - December 31	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	Certain Times	CA OHMVR restrictions apply
MX Helmet Required	Yes	helmets required by state law
Camping	Some Areas	(camp in developed sites only)
Campfires	Some Areas	(permitted in developed campsites only)
Night Riding	Yes
Trail Blazing	Prohibited	keep on designated trails
Alcohol	No Restriction
Rule Enforcement	Few/Periodic

TERRAIN

Approx Size	4,480 acres (7 sq mi)
Miles Of Trail	10
Climate Type	Forest
Elevation	5600 to 6600 ft.
Trail Maintenance	Not Marked, Not Rated, Lightly Maintained
Loose Dirt	Little
Hard Pack	Mostly
Sand	None
Mud	Some
Dust	Little
Rocks	Little
Trees	All
Steep Hills	None
Water Crossings	Few
Small Jumps	Few
Large Jumps	None
Berms	None
Sand/Gravel Pits	None
Single Track	None
Roads	All
Intersections	Many
Rider Traffic	Few
Shade	All
Ranges/Gunfire	Few
Hazards	None
Novice	Mostly
Amateur	Little
Expert	None

TYPE OF AREA

Area	Motorized Trails

Land	National Forest

GPS POINTS

KEY SERVICES

Gasoline	5-20 Miles (W)	Texaco (530) 587-6505
Diesel	5-20 Miles (W)	Truckee
Water	5-20 Miles (W)	Truckee
RV Hookup	1-5 Miles (SE)	United Trails RV Campground (530) 587-8282
RV Disposal	1-5 Miles (SE)	United Trails RV Campground (530) 587-8282
Campground	On Site
Conv Store	5-20 Miles (W)	Safeway (530) 582-7950

FEES & PASSES

Parking	(None)
Entry	(None)
Riding	(None)
Camping	Yes Tent: $20.00 RV: $20.00 Addtl. Vehicle: $5.00 Boca Campground Fee

RATINGS

Pros	beautiful scenic views, close to Boca Reservoir, plenty of camping opportunities, great place to take a beginner, plenty of boating, fishing and swimming opportunities.
Cons	no single track, most campgrounds are closed until mid-May
Our Rating	Good
Recommended Stay	1-2 Days Summer/Fall
Comments	(Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Nearest City

Hirschdale, CA

Trail Map

From: Reno, NV
1) Take I-80 West to Exit 194/Hirschdale Road
2) Turn left (west) onto Boca Dam Road
3) Follow this road across the railroad tracks
4) If Boca Dam is closed, turn left just after the railroad tracks and stage in the gravel parking area. Ride across the narrow steel bridge to reach the trails.
5) If the dam is open, continue up the paved road and turn left at the top of the hill to cross the dam.
6) Staging is available at the large gravel lot on the left, or continue further for various day-use areas.

OFFICIAL CONTACTS

Contact Info

Tahoe National Forest - Truckee Ranger District
10811 Stockrest Springs Road
Truckee, CA 96161
(530) 536-0417
(530) 587-3558
mailroom_r5_tahoe@fs.fed.us
www.fs.usda.gov