trail ratings explained

What makes one trail more difficult than another?
Why is one trail rated a 4 and not a 3?

Read on for the breakdown of how we rate the trails.
(Trails will vary in types of terrian so please read the more specific UPDATED trail descriptions for more information)

1/1+ Rated Trails

These are the easiest dirt roads, often denoted by a green square on forest service maps. These trails should not give you any difficulty in a stock Jeep.

Example Trails:
Every flat dirt road

Minimum Recommended Vehicle Equipment:
Stock


2/2+ Rated Trails

These are your typical sandy washes or mildly rutted dirt roads. You may come across some small differential-sized rocks but nothing you can't drive straight over.

Example Trails:
Pine Valley OHV Area
Lower Coyote Canyon to Collins Valley (2+)
Anza Borrego Desert Washes
Most Blue Forest Service Trails

Minimum Recommended Vehicle Equipment:
Stock, Aired Down Tires (Recommendeed But Not Required)


3/3+ Rated Trails

These trails often require you to know your vehicle and what it is capable of going over. Your Jeep should have better than stock ground clearance and tires that can handle sand, mud and rocks (Mud Terrain (M/T) tires recommended but not required). For 3+ you can expect mild rock crawling over rocks and heavily rutted dirt roads requiring your vehicle to articulate in off-camber angles. Front sway bar disconnects recommended.

Example Trails:
Pancake Rock (3+)
Superstition Mountain: Rock Canyons/Ridges (Black Cat, Wishbone)
Big Bear: Gold Mountain
Black Diamond Forest Service Roads

Minimum Recommended Vehicle Equipment:
33"+ Tires, 1"-2" Body Lift or 2-3" Short Arm Suspension Lift, Non All-Terrain (A/T) Tires, Front Sway Bar Disconnects


4/4+ Rated Trails

These are your rock crawler enthusiast trails and should only be traversed by the experienced off-roader. You should know how to walk a trail and where to best place your tires in order to get you over an obstacle without causing body damage or rolling your vehicle.

Example Trails:
Corral Canyon: Sidewinder, TDS, 911, Bronco Peak
Big Bear: John Bull, Houlcomb Creek, Crab Flats
Rubicon Trail (4+).

Minimum Recommended Vehicle Equipment:
35"+ Tires, 1"-2" Body Lift and/or 3-4" Short/Long Arm Suspension Lift, Front Axle Lockers, Mud-Terrain (M/T) Tires, Winch, Front Sway Bar Disconnects


5/5+ Rated Trails

These trails are almost guaranteed to cause body damage to your vehicle, especially in the longer and wider Wrangler JKU vehicles. Not recommended for any daily driver vehicle as you are most likely to break something and require trailering your vehicle home.

Example Trails:
Corral Canyon: Bronco Peak Connector
Superstition Mountain: Trail 13

Minimum Recommended Vehicle Equipment:
35"+ Tires, 1"-2" Body Lift and/or 3-4" Long Arm Suspension Lift, Front & Rear Axle Lockers, Mud-Terrain (M/T) Tires, Winch, Front Sway Bar Disconnects