Forest Rd 23S16 - Posey, CA
- Tim Mayhew
- Mar 29
- 2 min read
Forest Road 23S16 – The Road with No Name
Deep in the heart of the Southern Sierra, Forest Road 23S16 (Portuguese Pass) stands as a strong contender for the most remote and unknown paved road in the state of California.
Spanning the crest between the Kern River Valley and the Central Valley, this route is so obscure it barely registers on most maps.
This ride is a study in isolation. It starts from Posey (north of Glennville), a remote intersection of Jack Ranch Rd and Old Stage Rd at the base of the Southern Sierra, and climbs through the tiny community of Sugarloaf Mountain Park. From there, you gain elevation on single-lane pavement until you reach the Portuguese Pass summit at 7,700 feet.
While the road heading south from the summit is dirt—connecting to Highway 155 at Greenhorn Summit and Alta Sierra only six miles away—the route heading north is paved (poorly, and often sandy) all the way to the Western Divide Highway near Johnsondale. Forest Road 23S16 is where the term "goaty" originated; it demands constant attention to the pavement’s edge as it flows along the crest of the Greenhorn Mountains.
Why bother with such a remote road? The mere mention of FR23S16 evokes a list of disclaimers and warnings. But then there is the silence—the perfect nothingness. You can ride the entire 25-mile length of this road without seeing another soul. No towns, no people, and no commercial development—just expansive, broad vistas of the Kern River Canyon far below. If you look closely across the Upper Kern Canyon, you can just make out the distant ribbon of switchbacks that is Sherman Pass on the opposite side.
Roads like this aren’t for everyone (or every bike), but if you’re looking for the ultimate "escape from everything" ride, this forgotten ribbon of asphalt is the gold standard. Once you reach the Western Divide Highway, the Trail of 100 Giants Sequoia Grove is right there—don't miss it.
Not done. You transition from one of the "goatiest," most extreme backroads in the state to one of the curviest, most intense rides in California: Highway 190. Drop through the relentless, non-stop curves through Cedar Slope/Camp Nelson to Springville at the base of the Sierra Range low of gas, breathless and a grin on your face a mile wide.
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