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It’s a great spot, and Tassajara Hotsprings is a few miles further along the road (we didn’t go that far). One note, the campground may be closed in the wet season as the road may be impassable when wet.

Probably a combination of cost and customer choice. For example 2 years later, I still didn’t insulate mine and here in California I can’t say we’ve suffered unduly due to lack of insulation. Still on my todo list, for sure, but other things have taken priority.

Glad the video was helpful! There’s a couple non-edited cuts linked in the description that might be useful.

@@Karen-e1u probably? At least, in the dry season. During or after rain I would not recommend. In the first case, it’s likely to be muddy and slippery in spots. And in the second it could be rutted or even washed out.

​@fourwheeltravel thank you. One more question, is there cell service?

I honestly don’t recall, but I’d assume coverage is poor at best in sections.

We didn’t get to ride the boat unfortunately.

@@fourwheeltravel oh no! Timing issue?

@@SmartWentCrazy If you check the related video, you can see we were on a road trip, and this was a stop along the way (to Dennys for breakfast, actually.). :)

@@vin374 yep, when you purchase the permit at recreation.gov the gate code is printed on it.

@ hmmmm I wonder how often it changes

@@vin374 often I think, plus there are multiple locks (red, blue, etc). Each permit is valid for only 1 day.

No, I did not drive that road, though I am aware of it. There are a few roads in that area where public access is ambiguous, and quite often it seems a padlock answers the question in practical terms.

@@fourwheeltravel Next time I'm up that way will check to see if one can open the gate. thx

Elkhorn Road is on the todo list. Passed the trailhead of Old Sierra Madre on the way home from Carrizo, don’t know much about that one but it looked interesting.

@@portquarter yes, along Clear Creek Road each ford over Clear Creek has a concrete section. I was going to mention, given the rain today, some of those dirt roads will need extra care, regardless of what you are driving/riding. The places I can think of specifically are the section from New Idria up to the north gate (which does seem to have had a dozer in recently, but is quite steep and possibly muddy) and then the section right after the north gate on the so-called Aurora Cutoff (past the Aurora Mine) which is steep and very powdery in dry conditions, and I’ve seen video of folks in trucks doing that section in the wet and it did not look like fun. I don’t think the rain has been too heavy, but it’s remote out there so I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention it.

Oh, and regarding Panoche Road and the ford there, yes that has concrete pavers. It has seen better days but when I went the pavers still covered the width of the road.

@@fourwheeltravel Regards Aurora Cutoff, is the section of Clear Creek Rd that the Cutoff bypasses gated so one has to take the Cutoff? If not, any intel on the bypass section? I read on a motorcycle forum that one of the two is the easier but cannot remember which one was recommended for a big bike. thx

@@portquarter​​⁠Clear Creek Road itself is gated, and Aurora Cutoff is not. I did not try to open the gate, but the signs say “gate locked”. Clear Creek Road looks very steep, but I did not attempt it because of the gates. Aurora Cutoff is also steep but I’ve been over there up and down a couple of times with no drama (other than maybe a little increased blood pressure).

@@portquarter you are correct *but* see this video: ruclips.net/video/Oda0wGq5Qro/видео.html On that occasion the code for the north gate did not work. I was coming in the south-north direction so I was stuck inside the ACEC (I got a refund from recreation.gov, for what that is worth). That said, on my subsequent trip (now editing the footage) I did make it through to New Idria and the code worked on both gates. Note also that the last I heard, the bridge at San Carlos Creek on New Idria Rd is still washed out, and the bypass that exists goes over private property. I think everyone just uses the bypass, and I have not personally been through that route (I did Clear Creek in and out), just something to be aware of. I’d be interested to know what you find there. The section from New Idria up to Clear Creek is a lot of fun, steep shelf roads going up the mountain!

Yeah same. We heard about it on a local Facebook group. We went the weekend before Thanksgiving.

@@fourwheeltravel This was my fourth trip down there this past year. May, Sept, Late Oct/Nov and the past three days in Dec. So quiet with HWY 1 closed. Like going back in time. It won't be the same when the HWY reopens.

Interesting that Nacimiento CG is open. Thanks for the info! I notice that Nacimiento CG is one that is not managed by recreation.gov (or at least not on their website). On the camera perspective, yeah I've started using a 360 camera (Insta360 X4) - I used to take multiple GoPro cameras but the X4 is pretty flexible for different views and so on with a single cam.

Here's a before and after I did over on our Instagram, before and after the Dolan Fire up where Nacimiento Fergusson meets South Coast Ridge Road. The before section is from Google Streetview from I think 2017 or so. The difference is pretty stark, basically no trees left up there. instagram.com/reel/DDiDgQnzT_0/#

@@fourwheeltravel The road just feels so much more exposed without the trees. Now you can actually see how steep the drop off is on the Hunter Ligget side.

@@fourwheeltravel Nacamiento CG is pretty primative.

As I mention in this vid, I pulled a 30ft RV trailer over there with a Suburban about 20 years or so ago. I definitely don't remember feeling so exposed back then. Having said that, present day me can't imagine trying to do that today. That road is pretty tight in places!

@@晴李-y1k enjoy your drive! It’s very scenic with a good number of parking spots where you can pull over and take in the view.

@@portquarter yes, you can Google this and find multiple reports of specific ranch owners engaging in aggressive (bulldozing the road where it fords the San Benito River, chasing people off) behavior to try to keep people off what is recorded as a county road (I checked). There are road closure notices on each end Old Hernandez, and in each case the *actual* road closures is at that ford over the San Benito River, which trickles to a couple of inches in summer (winter will be a wholly different story). It is clear that the road is used often by local traffic. There is a ranch at the San Benito end of the road with scary no-trespassing signs, and I interpret that as ‘stay on the county road’. I am not offering any legal advice here, but I am guessing the road closure is intended by the county to be seasonal.

Yes, I heard about those signs on the North end, hence my plan to start on the South end. Next time I am in the Central Coast area, I'll give it a go. Thanks again for your videos. Just the kind of roads I was looking for. I left the area on the dirt Pozo Rd which was also enjoyable.

The views are fantastic! Even though I’ve lived out here for years, I have never really been out on those Los Padres roads and trails, though I have driven past the trailheads a few times. Hopefully some of them will open back up.

@@dank3823 I have read that the gates can be closed during periods of activity at the base. Also, Nacimiento Fergusson only opened on November 14, I am not sure where it was gated prior to that.

@fourwheeltravel ok that could be the reason. Thanks

@@fourwheeltravel It was gated just past the west Hunter Ligget guard shack and down at the HWY 1 entrance. A combo lock. We stayed at Kirk Creek this past Sept and again at the end of October. Two weeks/site #5. With the big pine trees over the creek. Like winning the lotto to get two weeks there!

@@Deetroiter interesting that you did it in a Crosstrek! To be honest there are a few spots that were a little tight, especially height-wise, in the truck, which is taller now because of the camper. Maybe I can persuade my wife to take the Crosstrek over there. It is a hidden gem, that’s for sure.

It was a little muddy in places where the road crosses a natural spring, but I don't remember much sand. We did Nacimiento Fergusson a week ago and it was fantastic. Obviously fewer trees than there used to be where the fires were, and there was a fair bit of medium sized rock fall on the road here and there. Views were amazing, full video coming just as soon as l can edit.

@@fourwheeltravel Thanks very much!

This was the final leg of our 2-week trip to Scotland back in 2018, and we were surprised and delighted to come across this scenic section of (what turned out to be) a 10 hour drive from the north coast down to Edinburgh. Beautiful country.

I did add a quick note in the description, plus full video soon including our drive over newly reopened Nacimiento Fergusson Rd.

@ excellent. i don’t normally read the description on videos. I tend to read the caption only. i’m looking forward to watching the full video soon.

Thanks for watching & commenting! A couple more coming up, not a dirt road, but Nacimiento Fergusson Rd has now reopened and we drove it both ways at the weekend. Video for that one coming up.

I was surprised just how deep the dust was in places. Looks solid but a good few inches thick if you walk on it.

Same here! I’m confident I’ll make it.

There is a trove of photos of the mercury mill in operation, plus the adit, etc. I’ll dig out the link I was looking at earlier. It is fascinating, a different world.

There is a little reservoir just beyond the gate, so I didn’t get that far.

@@fourwheeltravel Minimium security prisoners from Soledad. No where to run. They took care of the lake.

@@scottymac5174 I’ve read here & there of some controversy about that gated stretch of Clear Creek and also the current bypass which is Aurora Cutoff Road, the road I took in the video that goes past Aurora Mine.

It is a BLM lock, with all the permit notices etc. it is one of those fancy multi lock contraptions with color coded locks etc.

@@fourwheeltravel I just got back from seven days camping down in Big Sur. Kirk Creek. Nacamiento road. A combo lock. Cars going up regularly with the code. Every BroBra down there has it.

Ah yeah my backyard. Nacimiento Ferguson Rd is a bit of a special case due to the road closure these past few years. I think residents have a code but the road is not generally open yet and perhaps the code “leaks”. Speculation. I’ll be happy when the road opens again.

@@fourwheeltravel The code does "Leak". But if you are stopped. Hunter Liggett MPs. There is a master list of sanctified people.

I am looking forward to seeing the road open again so we can reach the coast more directly (though not necessarily faster!). It’d be nice if the South Coast Ridge Road was opened up too.

@@scottymac5174 yeah. They’ll refund (some of!) my $17 but it was certainly disappointing.

Yes it looks like there are some trails branching off Mexican Lake Road that head to the ACEC boundary but IDK if they’ll bypass the gate. Unfortunately it took me way too long to get the truck packed (for the camping I didn’t do, lol) and so it was around midday before I headed out, so I really did not give myself enough time to explore. Next time! :)

@@mredofsc1937 thanks for watching & commenting! I need to follow up with recreation.gov. Technically the ACEC permit is free (plus $6 fee), but I’ll never get the time back. I will take it up with them though.

I heard there was some controversy about that section of Clear Creek Road and the current bypass which is Aurora Cutoff Road. Both descents are very steep and I figured the gated section was just impassable after rain damage or some such.

@@fourwheeltravel Yes, that road is steeper, and has an area prone to wash outs. I did drive my truck up the road after the closure. Most of my travel was on a dirt bike. That grey serpentine soil when damp is heavenly on a dirt bike.

Thanks for watching & commenting! La Gloria Rd is a fun one, and Old Coast Rd is excellent. We’ve been out to Clear Creek a couple of times recently - might be interesting for motorcycles. Editing our 2nd trip out there now.

@@coolman84.8 site #1, first on the left entering the campground. Escondido is a few miles beyond Wagon Caves. Full video is here: ruclips.net/video/tm-ymr0ARNw/видео.html

@@fourwheeltravelthank you