Me and my buddy found ourselves all of a sudden about 1/4 mile away from the Stony Ford entrance to the OHV corridor that links Stony Ford to Penny Pines/Upper Lake OHV area. We had taken trail 45 which dumps you out on a trail/road intersection area. We took out the map and noticed that M-10 and road 17N16 was only another 1/4 on trial 45 where it would dump us right where we needed to be to link up to the OHV corridor.
Once trial 45 ended we hooked a gentle left hand turn and about 2 minutes later, there it was: the Upper Lake/ Stony Ford OHV Corridor, Route 17N16!
As soon as we found it I was ecstatic! I felt like we found a secret backside to Stonyford no one else had ever found!
I was able to ride in neutral with the engine off most the way once I was on the OHV Corridor route, 17N16. There were a few slow spots but nothing a quick bump start wouldn't fix. We came across a fork in the road which was an uphill left turn with a road that said Bartlett Springs Road. I'm sure if I looked it up I would find it but this is the road 17N04! This road leads to Crab Tree Springs which is closed off the the public. Actually you could follow this road all the way out to the Indian Valley Resovoir entrance. The sign reads of another historic springs location down this road but Crabtree Hot Springs is on this road as well and is privately owned and closed off to the public. I believe they actually blocked off the whole road which limits the tributary access to Upper Lake from the main "artery" corridor, 17N16.
Passing the access point to 17N04 a few miles down the corridor you eventually will hit the first trail for the Upper Lake area trail #37! This is a fun little Green/Blue rated trail. However at the bottom of this trail before you ascend back up the canyon you just descended you must cross a river and BE CAREFUL! this river looks way shallower then it actually is! lol no joke it will only look like a couple of inches then before you know it your front tire is half submerged.
Once you are up and over and into the tree's you then begin to see access to the rest of the Upper Lake/Penny Pines/Middle Creek Riding Areas.
I highly recommend considering a few things before you make this ride:
1) your fuel capacity. Will you have enough fuel to make it there and back a few wrong turns could leave you sleeping far away from either Stony Ford or Penny Pines depending on where you started. 2) What is the weather like? If you are riding into Upper Lake beware of puddles galore! Not only that the creek crossing might be too intense and some trails could be close due to rain thus ruining your entire trip and experience. 3) People grow pot in this area. Some own the property and some don't. NEITHER like trespassers and stray trail blazers. 4) PLAN and MAP out your trip before you go. Once you have the general access points figured out it shouldn't be too difficult to navigate around. Until you understand how to access both Stony Ford and Upper Lake from both directions either RESEARCH or go there in a jeep/truck to map it out yourself.
IF YOU DO TAKE A TRUCK OR JEEP be very careful of moto riders and stay on 4x4 designated trails ONLY! If you are on a multi OHV use trail make sure you have a spotter help direct you around blind, "wide open" looking turns to help direct traffic that could potentially cater themselves on your front end. NO BUENO!
Thanks! brap.
Heres a great video coming from Upper Lake heading down towards the creek you cross to go up to Stony Ford
at the end of the video you see a creek crossing with a trail directly on the other side. If you were to follow that trail (trail #37) you will head up to 17N16. When you hit the road turn right and you'll be in Stonyford OHV in less than 10 minutes!
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