BRIDGEPORT, CALIFORNIA OHV RIDING

Bridgeport is a well-known destination for fishing situated in the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is also one of the most scenic spots to ride in the whole state. Some riding can be found to the west of town, but the majority of it is east and stretches all the way across the Nevada border with miles of spectacular views. Here’s what we found when we went to Bridgeport, California for some OHV Riding.

We accessed the eastern half of the trail system directly out of the Bridgeport Reservoir Marina & RV Park. Along with direct access to world-class fishing and epic scenery, the park has everything for your stay. Most of the over-30 camp spots are right on the shore of the reservoir. Bathrooms are available for tent and dry campers, and full hookup sites are available as well; however, the best part of the park is that right across the street is a huge BLM trail system.

If you research the local trails with Yamaha’s Adventure Pro GPS or with the Ride Command App, you can easily see there are plenty of destination rides. We set out in search of gold mines and found several along a beautiful 120-mile loop. We actually skirted the famous Bodie Ghost Town by coming up a gnarly King of the Hammers-style trail that brought us to the park’s gate where you can walk in. Part of our trail went along the East Walker River and up to the active Aurora mine site.

Other day rides can take you south to the towns of Mammoth or Bishop, east to Hawthorn, Nevada, up to Smith Valley or near Fallon, Nevada, where you can ride portions of the Pony Express OHV Trail or the BITD Vegas 2 Reno off-road racecourse. Other than the rough section we took into Bodie, most of the trails in this area are good for any sized SxS at any skill level. We should note that the trails reach pretty high elevations—from 6000–9000 feet. These days, with EFI, it really only means you will get slightly better fuel economy and you might encounter cold temperatures, even in summer.

STAY AND PLAY

The hosts at the Bridgeport Reservoir Marina & RV Park are very welcoming to OHV riders and fisherman alike, and if you do both, they have plenty of tips for you, along with boat rentals so you can catch dinner. To get to Bridgeport, California for some OHV Riding,  you either have to drive up Hwy 395 from the Los Angeles area (six hours north), or, from the Central Valley in the summer (riding season), you can take Tioga Pass (Hwy 120) through Yosemite National Park, then head north on 395. When you get to Bridgeport, turn right near the airport on Hwy 182. Look for the lake, and the park is 2 miles up on your left.

The Bridgeport Reservoir Marina & RV Park is closed in the winter. The riding is best during summer and fall when all the snow has been cleared from the high-elevation trails. Reservations can be made at (760) 932-7001.

 

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