California
ModerateMojave Road South — Afton Canyon to Ludlow via Broadwell Dry Lake and Lavic Lake Playa
Playa crossings and lava fields in the open Mojave.
Trail Type: High Clearance
California
ModerateMojave Road North — Afton Canyon to Kelso Depot via Mojave Desert Back Road
Old Government Road through the Mojave's volcanic core.
California
ModerateMojave Road West — Afton Canyon to Rock Springs via Mojave Desert Historic Trail
Old Army road across the Mojave's raw heart.
Texas
ModerateLonesome Highway — Davis Mountains Loop to Marfa via the Highland Desert Rim
Texas sky island solitude — Davis to Marfa the hard way.
Oregon
DifficultSawmill Road to Sunflower Flat — Owyhee Canyonlands Desert Rim via Battle Creek
Owyhee canyon rims — isolation by the mile.
Idaho
ModerateLonesome Highway — Centennial Range Divide to Macks Inn via Targhee Plateau Back Road
The only east-west range in the lower 48 — mostly ignored.
California
ModerateOnion Valley Road to Whitney Portal Backdoor — Owens Valley Eastern Sierra High Approach
6,200 feet of Eastern Sierra granite in 13 miles.
Colorado
ModerateLime Creek Road — San Juan Mountains Descent from Coal Bank Pass to Durango
San Juan shelf road without the Alpine Loop crowds.
New Mexico
ModeratePecos River Canyon Road — Santa Rosa to Puerto de Luna via the Canadian Escarpment
Spanish canyon gateway carved by the Pecos River.
Texas
ModerateCallahan Divide Road — San Angelo to Big Spring via the Edwards Plateau Rim
West Texas caliche spine above the Permian Basin.