California · Trail 14E42

Mossy Pond OHV Trail

Mossy Pond OHV Trail is a 1.4-mile trail in Tahoe National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV, 4WD over 50 inches and e-bikes.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Tahoe 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 end39.3751° N, 120.4546° W · Directions ↗
Other end39.3749° N, 120.4738° 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

Length1.4 miles, all of it evaluated accessible
Trail class3, developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade8-10 percent
Typical tread widthover 120 inches
Motor vehiclesOpen to at least one motorized use
AccessibilityAt least one segment meets Forest Service accessibility guidelines
Trail numbers14E42
ForestTahoe National Forest (unit 0517)
StatesCalifornia
Detail publishedmanagement 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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Mossy Pond OHV Trail30°40°50°60°70°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 34.5°F averageFebruary: 36.0°F averageMarch: 38.9°F averageApril: 43.2°F averageMay: 50.5°F averageJune: 58.8°F averageJuly: 65.2°F averageAugust: 64.3°F averageSeptember: 60.1°F averageOctober: 50.8°F averageNovember: 40.4°F averageDecember: 34.0°F averageTemp °F
The line is the average temperature at Lake Spaulding, 10 miles from the trail midpoint at 5,156 feet, station USC00044713 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. The station sits about 1,900 feet lower than the trail midpoint, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed
Mountain bikingAllowed year-round
MotorcycleAllowed 04/01 to 12/31 (month/day)
ATVAllowed 04/01 to 12/31 (month/day)
4WD over 50 inchesAllowed 04/01 to 12/31 (month/day)
E-bikesAllowed 04/01 to 12/31 (month/day)

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.

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

  • Prescribed
    Madrone Springs Underburn Rx

    25 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    North Quincy Rx

    49 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

Guidebooks for California

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Walkabout Northern California
    Tom Courtney, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Backpacking California
    Wilderness Press, 2019
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Coastal trails of Southern California
    Linda B. Mullally, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking northern California
    Bubba Suess, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Southern California
    Shawnte Salabert, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Mossy Pond OHV Trail?

The Forest Service records 1.4 miles under this name in Tahoe National Forest, the sum of 1 segment. All of it is evaluated as accessible.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Mossy Pond OHV Trail?

Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking, motorcycle, ATV, 4WD over 50 inches and e-bikes are allowed. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Where does the Mossy Pond OHV Trail start?

The line begins at 39.3751° N, 120.4546° W and ends at 39.3749° N, 120.4738° 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 Mossy Pond OHV Trail in a wilderness area?

No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Where can I camp near the Mossy Pond OHV Trail?

Sterling Lake Campground (1.8 mi), Meadow Lake Campground (2.7 mi) and Meadow Knolls Group Camp (3 mi) are within five miles of the trail. The camping section lists all 6 with site counts and booking links.

Source: Tahoe National Forest official page

How developed is the Mossy Pond OHV Trail?

Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as 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 Mossy Pond OHV Trail?

The typical grade is 8-10 percent. The typical tread is over 120 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Mossy Pond OHV Trail accessible?

The Forest Service has evaluated 1.4 miles of this trail as meeting its accessibility guidelines. The surface is native material.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Mossy Pond OHV Trail?

Tahoe National Forest, Forest Service unit 0517. The trail is in California.

Source: Tahoe National Forest official page

Is there a fire near the Mossy Pond OHV Trail?

The interagency feed shows 2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Madrone Springs Underburn Rx at 25 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 1 segment named Mossy Pond OHV Trail in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0517. 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.