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Fort Sage OHV Area

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Trail Map

Other Names

Doyle, Fort Sage Mountains, Fort Sage Road, Turtle Mountain, Wild Horse Trail, Widowmaker Trail, Land of David

Last Known Status

Open

This is an out-of-the-way off-road area that is not well known to the general public, but it has marked trails spanning 28,598 acres, with newer facilities and plenty of privacy.

Most of the trails are sandy but fairly easy, with perhaps fewer bumps than your typical desert trails, but still enough sand whoops to make you a little bit weary. There are a number of steep climbs also, including one steep sandy chute called the "Widowmaker".

The access road is a wide and smooth dirt road but larger RVs might find the parking area to be a little cramped but manageable. The main staging area has picnic tables, fire rings and a clean restroom but no developed campsites.

This is a great choice to get away for a weekend, without travelling too far and without dealing with large crowds. Chances are good you'll have the whole place to yourself.

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	Some Areas	(camp in developed sites only) Limited to 14 days.
Campfires	Some Areas	(permitted in developed campsites only) Campfire permit required, call (530) 257-0456.
Night Riding	No
Trail Blazing	Prohibited	vehicles must stay on trail
Alcohol	No Restriction
Rule Enforcement	None

TERRAIN

Approx Size	28,598 acres (45 sq mi)
Miles Of Trail	100
Climate Type	Desert
Elevation	4500 to 7200 ft.
Trail Maintenance	Marked, Not Rated, Lightly Maintained
Loose Dirt	Little
Hard Pack	Some
Sand	Mostly
Mud	None
Dust	Mostly
Rocks	Little
Trees	Few
Steep Hills	Few
Water Crossings	None
Small Jumps	Few
Large Jumps	None
Berms	Few
Sand/Gravel Pits	None
Single Track	Few
Roads	Some
Intersections	Few
Rider Traffic	None
Shade	Few
Ranges/Gunfire	Few
Hazards	Few	(hazards are marked)
Novice	Mostly
Amateur	Some
Expert	Little

TYPE OF AREA

Area	Motorized Trails

Land

BLM

GPS POINTS

KEY SERVICES

Gasoline	20-30 Miles (SW)	BBJK (530) 832-4475
Diesel	30+ Miles (S)	Reno
Water	1-5 Miles (S)	Doyle
RV Hookup	5-20 Miles (N)	Honey Lake RV Park (530) 253-2508
RV Disposal	5-20 Miles (N)	Honey Lake RV Park (530) 253-2508
Campground	5-20 Miles (N)	Honey Lake Campground (530) 253-2508
Conv Store	5-20 Miles (N)	Honey Lake Campground (530) 253-2508

FEES & PASSES

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

RATINGS

Pros	secluded, fire rings, good staging area, clean bathroom, picnic tables, smooth graded access road
Cons	dry, not too much interesting terrain
Our Rating	Good
Recommended Stay	Full Day Spring & Fall
Comments	(Scroll Down For Rider Reviews & Comments)

DRIVING DIRECTIONS

Nearest City

Doyle, CA

Address

Fort Sage Road, Doyle, CA 96109

Trail Map

From: Reno, NV
1) Take I-395 N to Doyle
2) Take the Doyle Loop Exit (first Doyle exit), continue 1/2 mile north
3) Turn right on Hackstaff Road (you may see a sign that says "Fort Sage Mountains")
4) Continue 6/10 mile until the road turns to dirt, then continue another 1.5 miles
5) Turn right on Fort Sage Road, continue 1 mile,
6) Turn right again at sign that says "Fort Sage Mountains"
7) Follow 1.5 miles up the hill. Staging area is on the left.