Mosquito Ridge Rd, Foresthill, CA
Mosquito Ridge Rd is the kind of route riders spend years searching for—and once they find it, they never forget it. Located just east of Foresthill, CA, this legendary ribbon of pavement sings a siren song of 600 curves packed into just 36 miles, twisting through some of the most spectacular, remote mountain scenery in California.
Originally engineered to haul massive heavy equipment for the construction of the French Meadows Reservoir and the Middle Fork Hydroelectric Project, the road is surprisingly wide for such a rugged, remote mountain region typically defined by narrow, single-lane goat trails. The resulting design left behind broad lanes, smooth sweepers, and seemingly endless, rhythmic S-curve transitions as the pavement plunges deep down to the iconic Circle Bridge before climbing right back up onto the spine of Mosquito Ridge.
The scenery is every bit as memorable as the tarmac. Granite canyons plunge thousands of feet into the river gorges below, dense pine forests canopy the ridge lines, and the profound silence reminds you just how far you've ventured from civilization. There are absolutely no towns and no services out here—so top off your tank in Foresthill—and traffic is practically non-existent. It’s just you, your motorcycle, and mile after mile of perfectly flowing pavement.
And if you're still hungry for adventure when you reach the end, you can continue past French Meadows Reservoir onto Eleven Pines Rd to discover an even more remote Sierra challenge. Follow it as it drops into the rugged Rubicon River Canyon to connect with Wentworth Springs Road, which leads you right over to the freshly repaved bliss of Ice House Rd.
Some roads are just great rides. Mosquito Ridge Road is an entirely immersive experience in California Sport-Touring.
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