Ochoco National Forest, Easy 4x4 trail in Prineville, OR
    Easy
    Overlanding
    4.3

    Ochoco National Forest

    Prineville, ORNorthwest

    Ochoco National Forest is a easy 100+ miles off-road trail near Prineville, OR. It requires a stock high-clearance 4WD with all-terrain tires and is best run May - October. Stock Jeep Wranglers, 4Runners, and Tacomas can complete it without modifications.

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    Ochoco National Forest is central Oregon's best-kept secret, a quiet expanse of ponderosa pine parkland, wildflower meadows, and gentle mountain terrain that sees a fraction of the traffic headed to the nearby Cascade destinations. The forest's low, rolling terrain makes for comfortable, easy overlanding through landscapes that look more like Montana than the typically dense forests of Oregon. Rockhounding for thunder eggs and agate is a popular activity, and the forest's numerous small lakes provide fishing and swimming.

    Fun Facts

    #1

    Ochoco means 'willows' in the Northern Paiute language.

    #2

    The forest contains one of the largest concentrations of thunder eggs (Oregon's state rock) in the world.

    #3

    Central Oregon's sunny climate gives the Ochoco over 300 days of sunshine per year.

    Length
    100+ miles
    Elevation
    4,000 - 7,000 ft
    Best Season
    May - October
    Permit
    Not Required
    Ponderosa pineWildflowersUncrowdedEasy roadsCentral Oregon

    🛞 Tires

    recommended
    All-terrain tires

    🔧 Suspension

    optional
    Stock

    ⚙️ Drivetrain

    recommended
    4WD capability

    🪢 Recovery

    recommended
    Tow strap
    1
    Prineville Ranger Station
    44.2987, -120.7345
    2
    Walton Lake
    44.3876, -120.5234

    Closest campgrounds to Ochoco National Forest:

    Where to Camp

    GPS Coordinates

    44.3456, -120.4567

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