WELCOME TO RIVER DAVES PLACE

Calico & Owl Canyon. Worth the visit? Any takes on the trails?

TPC

Wrenching Dad
Joined
Sep 20, 2007
Messages
30,438
Reaction score
22,533
Anyone RV camp and run the trails at Calico?
Worth the trip?
Any good trail with points of interest to roll to?
Owl Canyon Campground OK?
 

stokerwhore

aka bordsmnj
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
4,191
Reaction score
4,328
I don't know why anyone would camp there since the only "riding" that's legal right there is basically graded fire road. and it's 10+ miles from calico. I think there better camping/riding in the next canyon(north/south running) or two east of calico.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TPC

Times Like These

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
174
Reaction score
466
Calico has some of the toughest rock crawling trails around. Makes John Bull look like a walk in the park. Love to go wheeling there. Odessa Canyon and Doran can break your stuff in a heartbeat and we run some heavy built cars.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Last edited:

Times Like These

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2017
Messages
174
Reaction score
466
This weekend at John Bull

IMG_0475.jpg
IMG_0476.jpg
IMG_0477.jpg



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 

77charger

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
5,819
Reaction score
6,778
Great for rock crawlers but also fine for trail cruising too some trails can be pretty torn up but mines to explore and stuff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TPC

yz450mm

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Messages
3,415
Reaction score
6,693
Just got back from a long weekend camping at the Calico campground, everyone had a great time. The "O" section is off road friendly, has full hookups, has nice bathroom and shower facilities, and you can ride in and out of camp to the trails. You can ride right up to the town on the toys, and there's plenty of shops for the kids and women to explore while the guys visit the Saloon.

As said above, some of the trails are extreme and will break anything on wheels. There's a LOT of exploring to do, but it's best to go with someone that knows the trails. Once you make some tracks of the main routes on your GPS, it's easier to take side trails and explore other routes.

Lots of groups head out in the morning and trail ride all day, then return and head up to town for beers and dinner in the late afternoon. The old water park is accessible on the toys, and there are hundreds of mines to explore within a 30 min radius.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 

grumpy88

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2013
Messages
6,189
Reaction score
8,153
I agree with all of this ^^^^^^^
 
  • Like
Reactions: TPC

lbhsbz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2010
Messages
11,668
Reaction score
28,520
My first off road trip was up Odessa and down Duran canyon...in a bone stock 86 Toyota truck on 31” tires back in 2006 or so. It was great. I asked for a strap to get up the waterfall but could have done without it. We skipped the gatekeeper on the way down. Fun trail and fun area.

Getting my new-to-me TJ sorted out and hopefully we’ll give it a shakedown at Cleghorn or Gold Mtn/John Bull here in next few weeks...then back to Calico.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TPC

Meaney77

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
7,552
Reaction score
8,056
Have never been but have had friends who have camped at the campground and enjoyed it. I was under the impression that you could get into the same trail system that gets you to the Mojave Trail from Calico Campground?
 

LHC30

Old Guy
Joined
Dec 20, 2007
Messages
3,309
Reaction score
2,754
Calico has a full range of trails, all the mines and other cool views can be had via tame trails or the tougher ones.
 

Meaney77

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2009
Messages
7,552
Reaction score
8,056
Bumping this thread,....

I know its a crap shoot but we are looking to try something new for Thanksgiving instead of Dove or Spangler. What's the verdict on Calico and any recommendations on where to stay? Looks like their is Calico ghost town campground and a KOA? I have heard mixed reviews of both and never stayed at either place.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TPC

yz450mm

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Messages
3,415
Reaction score
6,693
Bumping this thread,....

I know its a crap shoot but we are looking to try something new for Thanksgiving instead of Dove or Spangler. What's the verdict on Calico and any recommendations on where to stay? Looks like their is Calico ghost town campground and a KOA? I have heard mixed reviews of both and never stayed at either place.

You can't ride in or out of the KOA since it's down on the freeway frontage road at the Ghost Town Road off-ramp. Section 0 of the Calico Campground is off road friendly, and you can ride in and out of Camp to the trail system. Even if it's all booked up, you can still usually get a spot if you just show up.

There's also plenty of open area you can camp in, and still be able to ride the toys over to the ghost town for the afternoon. There are lots of cool trails and places to explore, but it's better if you go with somebody that knows the area and trails.

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk
 

Groper

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
2,218
Reaction score
1,867
Bumping this thread,....

I know its a crap shoot but we are looking to try something new for Thanksgiving instead of Dove or Spangler. What's the verdict on Calico and any recommendations on where to stay? Looks like their is Calico ghost town campground and a KOA? I have heard mixed reviews of both and never stayed at either place.
We have stayed in Calico Campgrounds several times over the years solo and with 60+ in a group O35 & O41 sites are my go to when available A & F sections are cool as well it really doesn't matter the campground is a great place to stay.
My kids now teens still love this place plus as a bonus there is a Bar about every 150' in town 😁
The only trail that I haven't experienced or will not attempt would be the Gatekeeper your really need a Buggy Crawler for this section or expect the worst when it come to carnage.
Halloween is the best time to go as the whole town goes crazy over Halloween weekend with small side shows and a bunch of scary stuff for kids, one year they had a Headless Horseman cruising throughout the campgrounds it was awesome seeing the kids co crazy.
Miles and miles of trails to explore you won't be disappointed.
 

SoCalDave

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2011
Messages
12,574
Reaction score
28,119
H
Bumping this thread,....

I know its a crap shoot but we are looking to try something new for Thanksgiving instead of Dove or Spangler. What's the verdict on Calico and any recommendations on where to stay? Looks like their is Calico ghost town campground and a KOA? I have heard mixed reviews of both and never stayed at either place.
Have stayed at both Calico and the KOA many times and both are good. My wife prefers the KOA over Calico for some reason. We went to KOA the last two years for TG. Just a heads up though if planning on TG weekend they are both sold out. I tried to get a spot a couple of months ago and was told tent camping only available so were going to Palm Springs/Joshua Tree instead.
 

Groper

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
2,218
Reaction score
1,867
There are still non hook-up camp sites available if can you go a few days before dumping and refilling your water tank.
 

kimbalee

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2013
Messages
229
Reaction score
419
We just spent last weekend there - camped in the bush off Odessa Canyon. We had a blast - did Odessa, Doran, Pucker Pass, Mule Cnyn, Tin Can Alley up to Bismark Mine and all the back roads out there. Did some skeet shooting off Tin Can (picked up all our shells). It was awsm. We have a TJ with 35s locked and there were some challenging parts to be sure but we had a great spotter (other rigs with us included 4 door rubicons and a nissan pathfinder). Long & wide rigs struggle more than us little guys and like you guys have mentioned, you can very easily get into big trouble - saw at least 2 rigs on their lids during the weekend. Good times.
 

bilz

Newly Retired!😁
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
2,145
Reaction score
2,949
Any thoughts on Rainbow Basin/Owl Canyon campground?
 

TITTIES AND BEER

Honorary RDP Inmate #160 Emeritus - R.I.P. Mark 😢
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
13,705
Reaction score
13,731
Just got back from a long weekend camping at the Calico campground, everyone had a great time. The "O" section is off road friendly, has full hookups, has nice bathroom and shower facilities, and you can ride in and out of camp to the trails. You can ride right up to the town on the toys, and there's plenty of shops for the kids and women to explore while the guys visit the Saloon.

As said above, some of the trails are extreme and will break anything on wheels. There's a LOT of exploring to do, but it's best to go with someone that knows the trails. Once you make some tracks of the main routes on your GPS, it's easier to take side trails and explore other routes.

Lots of groups head out in the morning and trail ride all day, then return and head up to town for beers and dinner in the late afternoon. The old water park is accessible on the toys, and there are hundreds of mines to explore within a 30 min radius.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
I was there Sunday walking the town , lots of peeps out SxS in the desert
 

HB2Havasu

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2015
Messages
4,433
Reaction score
9,631
Just got back from a long weekend camping at the Calico campground, everyone had a great time. The "O" section is off road friendly, has full hookups, has nice bathroom and shower facilities, and you can ride in and out of camp to the trails. You can ride right up to the town on the toys, and there's plenty of shops for the kids and women to explore while the guys visit the Saloon.

As said above, some of the trails are extreme and will break anything on wheels. There's a LOT of exploring to do, but it's best to go with someone that knows the trails. Once you make some tracks of the main routes on your GPS, it's easier to take side trails and explore other routes.

Lots of groups head out in the morning and trail ride all day, then return and head up to town for beers and dinner in the late afternoon. The old water park is accessible on the toys, and there are hundreds of mines to explore within a 30 min radius.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
^^^^THIS^^^^ The trails go from Wild to Mild depending on what you wanna ride? It’s definitely worth going out there. We had a great time! Better get out there soon - the desert is starting to heat up.
 

Dana757

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2017
Messages
1,196
Reaction score
3,367
Here’s me off the line doing a little struggling up Odessa.

 
Top