Public land authorities, regional communities, corporate guide service, and individual clubs or associations have their own rating system to depict the difficulty of a trail. Please make note that what you may be familiar with in a trail rating may not be the same rating used here.
"All-Access" gives you better insight.
Many subjective and personable variables can make a trail more or less difficult from one person to the next. Our trail guides, with an All-Access membership, are meant to depict the trail more clearly through the use of a 1-10 scale technical rating, obstacle photography, and specific concerns notated by the writer of the guide. Go All-Access now to see if a trail is in your comfort zone.
Our Rating System Explained
First Number: 3
The hardest part of the trail that you cannot bypass - you have to drive it.
Second Number: 6
The hardest part of the trail that is purely optional - you can bypass it.
Warning: All rating is subjective. Never go on a trail alone and never be afraid to turn around if it gets too difficult. Trail ratings can change as a result of a simple rain storm, heavy winter, or a previous vehicle churning up the trail. Conditions change daily. Trails Offroad, LLC or its writers are not responsible for the accuracy of the ratings listed and they should be considered as only subjective approximations loosely framed from the below reference guide based on dry ground conditions.
- EASYDirt and/or rocky road. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 5" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 5" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 6" inches. Good tire placement likely. Can be steep, but with good traction.
- EASYDirt and/or rocky road. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 8" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 9" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 12" inches. Good tire placement likely. Can be steep but with good traction.
- MODERATETypically, more rock or undulated road surface. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 12" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 12" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 24" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep.
- MODERATETypically, more rock or undulated road surface. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 18" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 18" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 36" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep and off-camber.
- DIFFICULTRocky or undulated road surface. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 24" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 24" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 54" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep and off-camber.
- DIFFICULTRocky or undulated road surface. Potential rocks less than 36" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 36" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 84" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep and off-camber.
- SEVERERocky or undulated road surface. Rocks and less than 54" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 54" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 10' foot. Tire placement not good. Can be steep and off-camber.
- SEVERERocky or undulated road surface. Rocks less than 84" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 72" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 14' foot. Tire placement not good. Can be steep and off-camber.
- EXTREMERocky or undulated road surface. Rocks less than 10' tall. Vertical ledges less than 8' tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 18' foot. Tire placement not good. Extreme steep and off-camber.
- EXTREMERocky or undulated road surface. Rocks more than 10' tall. Vertical ledges more than 8' tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls more than 18' foot. Poor tire placement. Extreme steepness and/or off-camber.
