When we’re looking for a great campsite, a scenic trail, or a new favorite lunch spot vista, we often head toward the National Forest. As we make our way around the country to each Overland Expo, there’s almost always a slice of National Forest nearby, and no matter if you’re looking for an extended trip or a quick getaway, these areas are excellent options for a bit of time in the wilderness. In honor of National Forest Week, we wanted to highlight some of our favorite National Forest areas around the country. If you’re attending an Overland Expo this year, take some time to check out these areas. They’re definitely worth the detour.
West
Let’s start with one of our favorite places to overland, the beautiful mountains of Northern Arizona. Overland Expo West has called Arizona home for nearly two decades, and one of our favorite areas just outside of Flagstaff is the Cinder Hills OHV Area. Affectionately dubbed “the Cinders,” this section of Coconino National Forest covers just shy of 400,000 acres and provides a maze of trails through the pines for days of exploration. This is unique to many other sections of the National Forest as it’s an open riding area, but if you’re looking to stick to an established route, Road 777 is a great option. It’s plenty wide enough for any vehicle and will give you a taste of the pine forest, open lake bed, and the namesake cinder cones with options to camp along the way. The Cinder Hills offer a unique driving experience along with neat geology, and of course, this whole region is criss-crossed with countless miles of overland adventure opportunities for further exploration.
Pacific Northwest
Between the more coastal cities and the flatter interior of Oregon, you’ll find a huge swatch of land covered by a chain of National Forests. Starting the north and heading south, you’ll find Mt. Hood, Willamette, Deschutes, Umpqua National Forest, and Rogue River National Forests stretching nearly uninterrupted from the Washington border down to the California line. Every year during Overland Expo PNW, we try to sneak away for a bit of exploring. Even if you’re just passing through on your way to or from Portland, Mount Hood National Forest provides some excellent options to explore via foot or vehicle, with plenty of hiking, camping, fishing, and more near route 26.
Mountain West
Colorado is an adventure lover’s dream, and one of our favorite areas to explore is Roosevelt National Forest. Last year, we spent a week after Overland Expo Mountain West exploring a 300-mile route that skirted just north of Rocky Mountain National Park before heading towards the Wyoming border, before circling back to Loveland. This route has it all, with high mountain lakes, great creekside campsites in the valley, and beautiful Rocky Mountain views along the way. This area offers great options for overlanders regardless of their rig, with everything from graded dirt to more difficult options, so be sure to check it out when you have the chance.
East
Admittedly, National Forest and other wilderness areas in the East are more segmented than the western regions, but you can still find some amazing places to explore. Depending on the time of year, you could be exploring through a green tunnel of rhododendron or experiencing amazing fall foliage, but regardless of the date, you’ll likely find trailside waterfalls, well-worn rock formations, and unique ecosystems dotted along the route. If you’re visiting Overland Expo East, you can literally see the mountains of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. Here, you’ll find a great network of trails that zigzag through these ancient mountains. While the roads might be shorter, you can still put together an amazing route and explore the region far from the beaten track.
Southern California
Our newest event, Overland Expo SoCal, takes place in Costa Mesa, just miles from the Pacific Ocean, but just because you’re in the hustle and bustle of SoCal doesn’t mean you can’t retreat to the mountains with relative ease. Literally 10 miles away, you can check out the Cleveland National Forest. It’s a relatively small section of National Forest Service land, but it still offers a few routes and camping. Overlanders looking for a bit more room to roam can head further north to Angeles National Forest, where they’ll find a great trail system offering challenges from beginner to advanced. From there, Los Padres and several other great options are within easy weekend driving distance.
While this is a tiny sample of what the National Forest system has to offer, it just goes to show that all across the country, you can find wilderness respites that offer chances to recreate, explore, and unwind. Remember to follow Tread Lightly principles, and leave it better than you found it for the next adventurer.
