Spring is one of the best seasons to get out and explore in your truck. The trails are fresh, the air is crisp, and the weather is just right — not too hot, not too cold. For offroaders, it’s the sweet spot before the summer crowds hit and while the terrain still holds a bit of winter’s leftover challenge. If you’ve been itching to get your lifted truck back out there, here are five West Coast trails worth checking out this spring.
🌄 1. Cleghorn Ridge – Southern California
Location: Near Cajon Pass, off I-15
Skill Level: Moderate
Highlights:
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Killer ridge views and off-camber excitement
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Plenty of bypasses for all experience levels
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Great trail for lifted trucks and spring ride testing
If you're in SoCal and looking for a fun mix of technical lines, panoramic views, and easy-to-access trailheads, Cleghorn Ridge is a solid pick. Located right off the I-15 near Cajon Pass, this trail runs along a high ridge with frequent cutaways and optional side routes to test your truck’s suspension and flex. While many people see it as a moderate trail, it’s got enough challenge to make it interesting — especially after a rainy spring.
Cleghorn is known for giving you the best of both worlds. You can take it easy on the main fire road or branch off into rockier, off-camber sections if you want to push your setup. A lot of offroaders treat it as a warm-up trail for the season, making it perfect for dialing in your lift kit, checking clearances, or shaking down any new mods.
Fun fact: Cleghorn’s ridgeline puts you right between the desert and the mountains — on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Mojave in one direction and Big Bear in the other
Pro Tip: Snow melt can leave ruts, so it’s a good time to test your suspension flex and articulation.
🏜 2. Sedona Backroads – Arizona
Location: Sedona, AZ
Skill Level: Easy to Intermediate
Highlights:
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Iconic red rock landscapes
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Trails like Broken Arrow are perfect for scenic flex shots
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Family-friendly and well-marked
Sedona might be better known for vortexes and red rock tourism, but don’t let that fool you — it’s also home to some of the most scenic offroad trails in the Southwest. Trails like Broken Arrow, Schnebly Hill, and Outlaw Trail are ideal for springtime wheeling. You’ll get dry weather, unreal views, and a mix of technical terrain that works well with mid-size lifts.
Broken Arrow is especially popular with Jeep tours, but lifted trucks can handle it too. Expect narrow ledges, slickrock slabs, and plenty of spots to stop and take photos of your rig against the backdrop of glowing red cliffs.
Fun fact: Sedona’s elevation sits at around 4,300 feet, which means it stays cooler than Phoenix but still gets plenty of sunshine. In spring, the wildflowers bloom right up against the rocks, making for some unforgettable views. So bring a camera — your lifted rig will look unreal against those red cliffs!
🌲 3. Bald Mountain – Sierra National Forest, CA
Location: Near Shaver Lake
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Highlights:
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Steep climbs, granite slabs, and spring mud
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Gorgeous pine forest scenery
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Perfect warm-up for harder summer trails
If you're looking for a bit more challenge and don’t mind heading into the forest, Bald Mountain Trail near Shaver Lake in Central California is a great pick. The trail offers a solid mix of granite rock crawling, wooded paths, and some optional hard lines if you’re looking to flex your setup. It’s best suited for intermediate drivers running decent clearance and good articulation — but it's also wide enough for groups and day trips.
Spring here means melting snow, soft soil, and scattered mud patches, so traction will test your tires and your throttle control. Be sure to bring recovery gear just in case. It’s remote, quiet, and a bit underrated, which makes it a great destination if you’re looking to avoid crowds.
Fun fact: Shaver Lake sits at 5,500 feet and was originally built to support hydroelectric energy. The trails around it were first used by loggers in the early 1900s and have slowly been adopted by offroaders and overlanders. This one’s a fan favorite for trucks running moderate lifts — just make sure you’re aired down and ready for some flex.
🏞 4. Moab (Easter Jeep Safari Trails)
Location: Moab, Utah
Skill Level: All levels (varies by trail)
Highlights:
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Spring = prime time before summer crowds
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Legendary trails like Hell’s Revenge, Fins & Things, and Poison Spider
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Ideal for offroaders with solid lifts and a sense of adventure
No West Coast trail list is complete without mentioning Moab. And while it's technically more Southwest than West Coast, the drive is worth it — especially in April, when the Easter Jeep Safari rolls into town. Even if you’re not attending the event, the energy, community, and access to legendary trails like Hell’s Revenge, Fins & Things, and Poison Spider are second to none.
Moab in spring is pure offroad magic. The temps are perfect, the rocks are grippy, and the scenery is jaw-dropping at every turn. If your truck is properly lifted, armored, and ready for technical climbs, this is the place to put it to the test. Even milder trails like Chicken Corners or Gemini Bridges give you a taste of what Moab has to offer without breaking your rig.
Fun fact: Moab’s landscape was shaped by millions of years of erosion. The famous slickrock is actually Navajo Sandstone — remnants of an ancient desert from the Jurassic period. Even if you don’t join the official Safari, Moab in April is where the offroad world comes alive!
🌼 5. Hollister Hills SVRA – Northern California
Location: Hollister, CA
Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Highlights:
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Designated offroad park with everything from hill climbs to obstacle courses
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Great for testing new setups or first-timers with a lift
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On-site camping available
If you’re up north and want something more structured, Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) offers everything from mud pits to hill climbs, obstacle courses, and ridge trails — all in one offroad park. This is a great place to bring a recently lifted truck and see what it can do in a controlled setting.
The park is beginner-friendly but has enough options to keep experienced wheelers entertained. It’s also an awesome place to camp out for the weekend, meet other truck owners, and practice trail recovery, flexing, and hill descent control. In spring, the terrain is softer, greener, and less dusty than in the hot summer months.
Fun fact: Hollister Hills is California’s very first SVRA and is split into multiple zones — 4x4, dirt bikes, ATVs — with clearly marked trails and terrain challenges designed for each. It’s like a gym for your truck. And in spring, it’s not too hot or dusty yet.
Ready to Ride?
Spring is the perfect season to break in your lift kit and hit the trail. Whether you're flexing on granite slabs, cruising ridgelines, or splashing through some fresh spring mud, these trails offer a little something for everyone. At Reaper Offroad Lifts, we build gear that’s ready for real terrain — not just mall parking lots. So gear up, get out there, and tag us in your trail photos. We love seeing how you ride.
Need to upgrade before your next run? Check out our lift kits built for strength, flex, and daily driveability — all available online, shipped straight to your door!
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