Need help understanding Orange Country Trails

[crewkip]

Hey everyone. I am planning on doing a little off roading in the OC on a weekday early in April.

I have been researching and the trail names that are getting thrown around are Santiago Canyon, Silverado Canyon, and Holy Jim. I am having a heck of a time trying to figure out where these trails begin and end and the regulations one each. I have been looking at mostly google maps and dirtopia.com

1) Silverado Canyon Road: So it looks like you pick this up off Santiago Canyon Rd. Follow this and it eventually becomes Maple Springs Rd.
A) How technical is this?
B) Is there an outlet or is it up to an obvious dead end and then turn around?
C) Regulations? Ticketing for specific reasons other than being an asshat? Can you stop to eat lunch?

2) Holy Jim Trail: From what I have found this trail is picked up from El Toro Road--> Live Oak Canyon Rd--> This turns into Trabuco Canyon Rd --> Left onto Trabuco Creek road and this is the part that is actually off road. Is this correct? Same questions as above.

I have a 4x4 Tacoma with OME lift. I will be going with a 4X4 Tahoe and Jeep. Which run do you suggest? Are there online maps of these trails which are more useful than google maps or dirtopia?

Thanks for the help guys;)

[Ackerlight]

I haven't personally done all of those trails that you listed, but a good resource for Southern California trails is the Charles A. Wells book "Guide to Southern California Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails" ISBN 978-0966497649. You can find it at Amazon.com and a few other local retailers. It is probably the most thorough book you will find for trails in this region. It contains full GPS coordinates (Long and Lat) for major trails and their features as well as a very descriptive guide to the trail and its difficulty.

Besides that, I would let some of the other veterans here give you specifics on each of the trails that you listed from their own experience.

[roastbeef]

holy jim's canyon is just a fire road. the fun stuff off to the side will tear up your rockers if you don't have sliders. that place is only fun after it rains. not really a trail though.
check out gold mountain in big bear. rattle snake canyon is sort of part of johnson valley, and there are tons of stocker friendly trails in anza borrego.

[crewkip]

I haven't personally done all of those trails that you listed, but a good resource for Southern California trails is the Charles A. Wells book "Guide to Southern California Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails" ISBN 978-0966497649. You can find it at Amazon.com and a few other local retailers. It is probably the most thorough book you will find for trails in this region. It contains full GPS coordinates (Long and Lat) for major trails and their features as well as a very descriptive guide to the trail and its difficulty.

Besides that, I would let some of the other veterans here give you specifics on each of the trails that you listed from their own experience.

Purchased that book. Thanks!

Anyone else want to chime in here while I wait for the book.

[crewkip]

Got the book today. Unfortunately it does not tell you how to make it to Santiago Peak from the OC side using Maple Springs Rd.

[BillDozer]

Got the book today. Unfortunately it does not tell you how to make it to Santiago Peak from the OC side using Maple Springs Rd.

mostly because it's just a fire road. You can get on the fire road from blackstarr canyon and just go from there.

[muddytruck858]

agreed but keep moving past to silverado canyon, and take the fire road up. the mountain. when i moved to OC that was the first place i went! bring a camera, the views are awesome!