Indian Potrero
Indian Potrero Trail is a 4.5-mile trail in Cleveland National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 4, highly developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters San Mateo Canyon Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Cleveland National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 33.5506° N, 117.4818° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 33.4897° N, 117.4740° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.
The trail
| Length | 4.5 miles |
| Trail class | 4, highly developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 10-12 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 6W08 |
| Forest | Cleveland National Forest (unit 0502) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- San Mateo Canyon WildernessFS · the whole line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedGreater El Cariso Rx
9 mi from the trail midpoint
- WildfireGreen
47 mi from the trail midpoint · 55 acres
- PrescribedAnf/Rx Burn
50 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Explore
Historic places nearby
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Indian Potrero Trail?
The Forest Service records 4.5 miles under this name in Cleveland National Forest, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Indian Potrero Trail?
Hiking and horse and pack stock are allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Indian Potrero Trail start?
The line begins at 33.5506° N, 117.4818° W and ends at 33.4897° N, 117.4740° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Indian Potrero Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters San Mateo Canyon Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: San Mateo Canyon Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Indian Potrero Trail?
Upper San Juan Campground (4.8 mi) is within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists it with the season each forest publishes.
How developed is the Indian Potrero Trail?
Trail class 4, which the Forest Service describes as highly developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Indian Potrero Trail?
The typical grade is 10-12 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Indian Potrero Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Indian Potrero Trail?
Cleveland National Forest, Forest Service unit 0502. The trail is in California.
Is there a fire near the Indian Potrero Trail?
The interagency feed shows 3 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Greater El Cariso Rx at 9 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named Indian Potrero in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0502. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.