Parkfield-Coalinga Rd
- Tim Mayhew
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
Parkfield-Coalinga Rd is dirt.
Well, that’s not entirely true.
It’s hard-pack dirt on the south side of the Diablo Range, but delightful near-new pavement (repaved a few years ago) awaits once you reach the summit for the descent toward Highway 198—plus a couple of shallow water crossings in the springtime.
We are headed for Parkfield, CA —the self-proclaimed 'Earthquake Capital of the World'. Parkfield is a tiny town (population 18) built directly over the seam of the San Andreas Fault. On the north edge of town, a sign at the start of Parkfield-Coalinga Rd reads: "Impassable in Wet Weather." Noted. If there has been a recent rain, allow a few days for the road to dry out before attempting it.
The pavement ends when you reach the V6 Ranch, a 20,000-acre expanse of rugged, working cattle country that includes the unincorporated town of Parkfield. Once the asphalt disappears a short distance from Parkfield, the dirt section stretches for 4.6 miles to the 3,500-ft summit. The dirt section is manageable by almost any experienced motorcyclist, provided you take your time and pick your lines while the road climbs in elevation.
The reward for the northbound rider is at the top: fresh, smooth, single-lane pavement. Who knew?
A plaque near the summit honors the settlers who homesteaded these ridges during the 1880s and 1890s, carving out a livelihood ranching these treeless, grassy slopes. In the springtime, the view of the Diablo Range is a stunning eyeful, especially at dawn when the 'Golden Hour' rolls over the peaks, bathing the rolling hills in a yellow glow.
There is zero traffic here; it feels like a road to nowhere. This isn’t a place to go fast. Instead, go slow—maybe even shut the bike off, click it into neutral, and coast down the hillside, listening to nothing but the sound of the wind. Enjoy the two water crossings in spring. No bridges. Once you hit Highway 198, super curvy into Coalinga or head north onto Highway 25 to Hollister.
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