Mount Pinos Ranger District

Date: January 18, 2025

Know Before You Go!

The Mt. Pinos Ranger District's Visitor Center is open Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm. Closed on weekeds and Federal holidays.

Phone: (661) 245-3731 ext. 0 or call (661) 777-2141

Road Conditions

• I-5 through the Grapevine - Open. Check Caltrans website.

• Hwy 33 is open. Check the Caltrans website for updates.

• There is access to Ballinger Canyon off of Hwy 33 from Hwy 166.

• Lockwood Valley Road is Closed from Chico Larsen Rd and Hwy 33 due to storm damage to the road.

• Cuddy Valley Rd/Mt. Pinos Rd is open to the top of Mt. Pinos and the Nordic Base Parking Lot

• Grade Valley Rd is Open

• Santa Barbara Canyon Rd to Cox Flat is open

Alamo Mountain and Goldhill Area Road Access Information

Hungry Valley has good news to share! Their gates open to the public from 6am – 6pm for day use only. What does this mean for forest visitors?

If you are passing through the park to access Goldhill/Alamo Mountain, your vehicle will not be counted in the 100-vehicle limited entry rule. Please tell the kiosk attendant if you are only accessing National Forest Land.
Goldhill gate, will be open from 6am-6pm. Unless you are spending the night out at Goldhill/Alamo, you will not be able to pass through that gate outside of those hours.

Mt. Pinos Winter Recreation Information

Snow play and cross-country skiing information including parking and passes, winter weather and road conditions and closures ** updated daily

Adventure Pass Information

An Adventure Pass is needed for parking at snow play areas during winter months, approximately December 1 through April 30. 

There are several small primitive campgrounds on the Mt. Pinos Ranger District that require the Adventure Pass. Valle Vista Campground and Aliso Campground are open year-round. The other Adventure Pass Campgrounds on the Mt. Pinos Ranger District are open approx. May 1 - November 30.

• Dutchman
• Gold Hill Camping Area
• Halfmoon
• Kings
• Pine Springs

Here is a list of businesses that sell the Adventure Pass in the communities located around the Mt. Pinos Ranger District. (Lebec, Frazier Park, Lake of the Woods, Pine Mountain Club, New Cuyama and the sold by the Nordic Ski Patrol at the Nordic Base* - winter only)

Forest Orders and Restrictions

Dry Canyon Area, Roads and Trails, and Wilderness Closure Order

Effective: March 1, 2023, through February 28, 2025

• Forest Closure Order 05-07-57-23-03

• Closure Map

• Exhibit A

Firearms Prohibition Forest Order

Effective February 15, 2023 through December 31, 2024

• ​Forest Order 05-07-00-23-04

Occupancy and Use Forest Order 5-07-00-24-02: Effective February 6, 2024 through February 5, 2026

• Forest Order 5-07-00-24-02

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.S0(a), and to provide for public safety and protect natural resources, the following act is prohibited within the Los Padres National Forest. This Order is effective from February 6, 2024, through February 5, 2026.

1. Camping:

a. in a developed campground, for a period longer than 14 consecutive days or for more than 28 days during a calendar year; or

b. anywhere other than a developed campground, for a period longer than seven consecutive days or for more than 21 days during a calendar year.

36 C.F.R. § 261.58(a).

Road Closures – Including OHV/ATV/Motorcyle Trails (# Shown are on the MPRD OHV Map)

• Dry Canyon Trails: 22W10, 22W11, and 22W13 due to access into the canyon being closed due to UXO, these cannot be accessed over closed 8N40 Dry Cyn Rd or 22W11Dry Cyn Trail.  
• Cerro Noroeste Road (Mt Abel) 9N25 (closed for the winter season)
• 7N08 Hardluck Road - Closed permanently
• Rancho Nuevo Road 7N04A
• Tinta Road 7N04
• Tinta Trail 24W02 (OHV #101)
• The western end of 20W07 Piru Creek OHV #128 Trail (between Sunset Campground and the junction with Halfmoon Trail
• 22W01 Toad Springs OHV #105
• West Dry Canyon Road 8N19
• ** East Dry Canyon including access road, OHV routes and dispersed Dome Springs Camping Area is closed by Forest Order 5-07-57-23-03.

Open Roads

• Alamo Mountain – Goldhill Road 8N01- if you are passing through the park to access Goldhill/Alamo Mountain, your vehicle will not be counted in the 100-vehicle limited entry rule. Please tell the kiosk attendant if you are only accessing National Forest Land.Goldhill gate, will be open from 6am-6pm. Unless you are spending the night out at Goldhill/Alamo, you will not be able to pass through that gate outside of those hours.
• 8N06 Apache Canyon Rd.*
• 9N10 Canyon Road*
• Brush Mtn – San Emigdio 9N27
• Cherry Crk Trail 20W14 (OHV #113)
• Cottonwood Trail 20W09 (OHV #125)
• East Frazier Road 8N24
• Edison Road 9N01
• Frazier Mountain Road 8N04 (Frazier Mountain access)
• Grade Valley Road 7N03
•  20W07 Halfmoon OHV #132 Trail

• Kings CG Road 8N01A - if you are passing through the park to access Goldhill/Alamo Mountain, your vehicle will not be counted in the 100-vehicle limited entry rule. Please tell the kiosk attendant if you are only accessing National Forest Land.Goldhill gate, will be open from 6am-6pm. Unless you are spending the night out at Goldhill/Alamo, you will not be able to pass through that gate outside of those hours.

• Lockwood Creek Road 8N12
• Lockwood Creek Trail 20W06 (OHV #127)
• Miller Jeep Trail 20W06 (OHV #129)
• Mt. Pinos/Cuddy Valley Rd 
• Piano Box Loop Road 7N03C
• Pines Springs Road 7N03A
• Pleito Crk Trail 21W01 (OHV #111)
• 9N09 Quatal Canyon Rd.*
• Salt Crk Trail 20W01 (OHV #112)
• San Emigdio Road 9N34
• San Emigdio Mtn Trail 21W06 (OHV #108)
• San Emigdio Trail 22W12 (OHV #107)
• Santa Barbara Canyon Road 9N11
• Scott Russell Road 9N21
• Sewart Mtn Road 6N10
• Tecuya Ace OHV Road 9N22
• Thorn Meadows Road 7N03B
• West Frazier Mine Road 20W02 (OHV #118)
• West Frazier Road 8N42
• West Frazier Tie Road 20W03 (OHV #119)
• West Tecuya Road 19W19
• Yellowjacket Trail 20W24 (OHV #126) – East end of trail
• *Not part of MVUM closure, open year-round (weather dependent) 

Open OHV Roads and Trails

•  Apache Canyon Corridor (103)*
• 24W06 Apache Canyon Spur*
• 24W05 Apache Canyon Wash Tr.*
• Arrastra Trail 20W05 (OHV #121)
• Ballinger OHV Riding Area*
• Cold Springs Trail 20W04 (OHV #116) width limiter only (gate closed year-round)
• Cuyama River Corridor (102)*
• East Frazier Trail 19W06 (OHV # 120)
• East Tecuya Ridge OHV Trail 20W17 (OHV #117)
• Goldhill Trail 19W17 (OHV #124)
• 20W07 Halfmoon OHV #132 Trail
• Long Dave Valley Trail 20W36 (OHV #123)
• 23W11 Quatal Wash*
• 9N09A Quatal Canyon Spur*
• Quatal Canyon Corridor (106)*
• 22W01 Road Springs OHV Route
• Snowy Trail 19W04 (OHV #130)
• 23W29 Sulphur Springs Tr.*
• Sulphur Spring Canyon (100)*
• Tejon Trail 19W03 (OHV #122)
• Wagon Road Springs (110)*
• 22W13 West Fork Tr
• West Tecuya Trail 20W17 (OHV #114)
• Whata Trail 20W25 (OHV #131)
• Yellowjacket Trail 20W24 (OHV #126) – West end of trail
• *Not part of MVUM closure, open year-round (weather dependent)

Trail numbers are from the Mt Pinos Ranger District "Motor Vehicle Opportunity Guide" available online or at the Ranger Station in Frazier Park.

Closed Campgrounds

• Chuchupate (closed for the winter season)
• Dome Springs
• Campo Alto Group Campground (closed for the winter season)
• McGill Campground (closed for the winter season)
• McGill Group Campground (closed for the winter season)
• Mt. Pinos Campground (closed for the winter season)

Open Campgrounds

• Aliso Campground*
• Ballinger Canyon*
• ​Caballo
• Campo Alto
• Cherry Creek (no restroom) 
• Chula Vista walk-in campground*
• Cottonwood (no restroom)
• Dutchman
• Gold Hill Camping Area
• Halfmoon
• Kings Campground
• Marian (no restroom)
• Nettle Springs (no restroom)*
• Pine Springs
• Pleito Creek (no restroom)
• Rancho Nuevo (the road is washed out and will add an additional hiking mileage to the campground) (no restroom)
• Reyes Creek*
• Salt Creek (no restroom)
• Sunset (no restroom)
• Thorn Meadow - Thorn Meadows Road has been repaired and is now open for public access to Thorn Meadows CG (no restroom)
• Toad Springs* (no restroom)
• Valle Vista*

*Campgrounds open year-round (weather dependent)