California is home to one of the best locations for extreme offroaders: Rubicon Trail. This 22 mile-long trail is one of the wildest offroad trails in the country, and its a place where drivers of 4x4 trucks are able to put their skills to the test!
The Rubicon Trail is a route in Sierra Nevada, a route that runs for 22 miles. You can look for the trail on a map and find it about 80 miles east of the California city of Sacramento, or directly to the west of Lake Tahoe. The road starts in the California town of Georgetown, and it runs on concrete pavement for about 10 miles. This part of the road is known as the Wentworth Springs Road, and its the section of the road where newbies like to cut their teeth. Its a fairly simple trail to follow for the first 10 miles, but once you hit Loon Lake, its all hardcore from there!
Loon Lake is a gorgeous reservoir nestled in the heart of El Dorado National Forest, and the off-road stretch of the Rubicon Trail winds its way alongside the lake. It goes through the national forest, and it continues on its way through some of the most challenging off-road conditions that exist in the country.
Anyone who owns a Jeep will have seen the Rubicon model, and this is the location where the hardcore vehicle was tested. Jeep actually uses this trail as the testing ground for all of its new vehicles (remember the "trail rated" logo?), and there are many events that take place on the rugged trail. If youre a hardcore 4x4 nut, youll find that names like the Jeep Jamboree, Marlin Crawler Round-Up, and TLCAs Rubithon are all names that are familiar to you and theyre all held on the Rubicon Trail.
The Rubicon is the name of a river in Italy, the river that Julius Caesar had to cross as he returned to rule Rome. Caesar was general at the time, and no general was allowed to cross the river while an army was under his command, but the great Roman made the decision to "invade" Roman territory and take control. As he crossed the Rubicon, he was heard to say, "Alea Jacta Est" or "The die has been cast".
The name of the trail comes from the river nearby, which was named after the river in Italy. It has always been synonymous with adventure and challenge, but only in the last few decades has the trail really made its name as one of the top offroading spots in the country. Since the very first Jeeper's Jamboree was held in 1953, the Rubicon Trail has taken its place as the best spot for hardcore performance trucks and 4x4 vehicles to come and prove their independence from the concrete jungle.
The Rubicon Trail can be accessed from Wentworth Springs or the entrance near Loon Lake, and most people coming to the trail for pleasure will access it via Wentworth Springs. Those visiting the trail for serious offroading will take the McKinney-Rubicon Springs Road entrance close to Loon Lake, bypassing the paved road almost completely.
Right off the bat, the vehicles and their drivers are put to the test as the hill slants steeply upwards. The uphill climb is quite punishing, and, though it levels out for a bit, it turns into a second uphill once you reach Ellis Creek.
The first serious challenge for hardcore 4x4 drivers is Walker Hill. This is some of the toughest terrain to drive over, as the hairpin turns combine with the loose rocks and the hardcore terrain to make driving a challenge for even champion 4x4 racers. Immediately after making it up Walker Hill, the woods become dense and tough to traverse in large offroad vehicles. The trail continues on until you make it to what is considered the greatest challenge of all: Little Sluice.
Those who challenge Little Sluice are the best and toughest, as its a route for those of stout heart. The trail is dominated by huge rocks, and the trail is incredibly hard to navigate. Those that cant pass through Little Sluice have three options for bypassing the trail, but these bypasses arent much easier for those without years of offroading experience not to mention a trained spotter.
(Note: Before you reach Little Slice, theres a turnoff to enter Tin Can Alley, which is a much less challenging route that is comprised mainly of boulders that make a technical obstacle course.)
Regardless of the route you take, you will end up at Spider Lake home of breathtaking views, amazing fishing opportunities, and a great spot to take a short rest. You can detour from the lake to sit on Thousand Dollar Hill, an experience you cant miss.
The trail forks once you leave the lake, with both forks heading back to the Rubicon. The right fork heads to the Old Sluice a challenging portion of the road while the left fork leads to Granite Slab a much simpler and easier route. Once the two paths merge, you head towards Buck Island Reservoir and another challenge: Big Sluice.
Big Sluice is home to some of the toughest technical rock crawling that youll find in the country, which is why its also been called The Rock Garden. The boulders in this portion of the trail are not for newbies, and it takes a very experienced driver to wind their way through.
The final obstacle is Cadillac Hill, which is surprisingly steep but leads to a lookout point that will give you a stunning view of the trail. Once you crest the hill, its a short drive to Lake Tahoe and the frosty beer that awaits you!
Rubicon Trail - It's in your hands
"The purpose of this video is to educate the public on proper use and appropriate behavior while visiting the Rubicon Trail, the crown jewel of the OHV trails, to protect this trail for future generations."
Only take the Rubicon Trail if youre a very experienced offroader. Even if you choose the easier portions of the trail, its still a challenge. The paved section of the trail will be a great place to cut your teeth, but the offroad sections are tough even for hardcore drivers.
Photos by: Jared Van Horn - Great shots!
