Ultimate 4wd Off-Road Destination: Bitter Springs Trail

(All the pics are authorized by Aldrin Dumlao. So much thanks to @sago_t4r for sharing such great off-roading experience with us! )

Before reading the blog, let's enjoy the fantastic video of Bitter Springs Trail recorded by Aldrin for us!

Welcome back! Off-road Enthusiasts! This month we have Aldrin Dumlao(@sago_t4r) as our guest trailhead, a registered nurse in Las Vegas, Nevada. Living in Las Vegas, every weekend is a great time for Aldrin and his wife to go off-road! They learn off-road, modify their vehicles, and enjoy off-roading! Fortunately, they also met a group of like-minded, non-judgmental, and non-judgmental trail people who went on a cross-country journey together!
No one can know the ultimate goal of cross-country, but the process of cross-country always makes people feel spiritually rich! The only real experience is to participate in it! Now let's welcome Aldrin Dumlao and enjoy the beautiful vibes in Bitter Springs Trail!😍😍😍

{First Meeting Aldrin}

AUXITO: Hi Aldrin! Nice to meet you! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Aldrin: Nice to meet you as well!! My name is Aldrin, who was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to the United States when I was 21 y/o. Married the love of my life in 2015, and recently expanded the family with our beautiful little princess. I am currently working as a Registered Nurse in Las Vegas, Nevada.

AUXITO: How do you manage to find time for off-roading with a busy nursing schedule?

Aldrin: When I and the wife were living in New York, We had friends and family that owned a 4runner and I immediately fell in love with the looks, capability and reliability of the vehicle. After moving to Las Vegas, I bought a 4runner, learned about offroading, and started modifying it and met some like-minded, judgment-free, and drama-free group of guys that I now call brothers. We go offroading on the weekends or whenever we have spare time.

{Trail Profile}

The Bitter Springs Trail is a 28-mile point-to-point trail located near Overton, Nevada, and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for scenic driving and is accessible year-round. if you are worrying about the next off-road route, Bitter Springs Trail is undoubtedly the first off-road route that is most suitable for spring outings!

AUXITO: There's nothing like hitting the trails after a long week, right Aldrin? Tell us about one of your favorite off-road trails in Las Vegas.

Aldrin: Definitely Bitter Springs Trail. It is located near Overton, Nevada just around 45mins north of Las Vegas. It’s rated as 5/10 but all kinds of 4x4 vehicles can definitely have fun. It’s a scenic drive with rock formations and wildlife such as burros, horses, and rabbits. The trail has a little bit of everything that you want on a trail: washboards, hill climbs, water crossing, and rock crawling with bypasses. It ends near Valley of Fire State Park and Lake Mead which both are scenic drives if you haven’t had enough already.

AUXITO: Would you recommend taking passengers on the Bitter Springs Trail?

Aldrin: It’s definitely a family-friendly trail! Everything about the trail is special. It’s not just the driver that going to have fun but also the passengers because of the scenery and the big possibility of seeing wild animals. In the middle of the path, there was a picture of an owl painted on a wall. Don’t ask me how it got there but it’s awesome!

{Prepare Your 4x4}

The Toyota 4Runner is a popular choice among off-roaders. After careful modification, you will get an off-road beast with upgraded performance and strong reliability! Let's see what modifications Aldrin recommends for the Bitter Springs Trail.

AUXITO: What was your most memorable experience on the Bitter Springs Trail?

Aldrin: My first run on this trail was unforgettable! I was definitely a newbie during that time but some of the guys I was with, tackle the rock crawling part was thrilling to see. They were going over rocks, dodging big dips in between, scraping their rock sliders, bumpers, skid plates even their wheels, showing the capabilities of each and every vehicle that they built was a teachable moment for me. It was definitely inspiring! Hopefully, every time we try again, I'll be able to overcome the obstacles myself.

AUXITO: That sounds really cool! Whenever you can successfully complete a cross-country and be able to overcome the difficulties in it, it will always be a joy! Do you think the Bitter Springs Trail is a good choice for beginners?

Aldrin: 100% would recommend it to beginners! Difficulty depends on the route the driver wants to take. The main trail is easy as long you have good offroad tires. The obstacles along the way are optional for drivers who want to take it to the next level, in which you would definitely need a high clearance lift and armor like rock sliders and skid plates just in case you hit some rocks.

AUXITO: Awesome! Aside from rock sliders and skid plates, are there any mods or accessories that everyone must have when off-roading?

Aldrin: I would say my top 2 mods for anyone starting out are suspension (either a lift kit or just to replace the stock for comfort) and tires (all-terrain or mud). Plus recover gear like traction boards, tow straps, and a way to air up and down your tires. Others are secondary and would depend on what you wanna do in the future.

{Lighting Configuration}

The car light configuration is very important for the return trip through the jungle and when night falls! So, what are the efficient lighting fixtures installed on Aldrin's 4runner?

AUXITO: Any suggestions for a light setup for a trail rider?

Aldrin: Swapping out the headlight and fog light halogens to LEDs is a must! Not just to see better up ahead but for safety as well. Light pods, light bars, rock lights, and chase lights are supplementary and definitely make a night trail run fun!

AUXITO: Yeah! Excellent lighting is a great helper for off-road! Do AUXITO products provide convenience for your off-road life?

Aldrin: I have AUXITO LEDs in both interior and exterior light except for the headlights because it’s built-in. I can see the trail better with the LEDs. My DRLs which are square in the bottom of my bumper are AUXITO LEDs. Aslo, my taillights and license plate lights are bright enough to be a good chase light during our night runs. And will be adding some rock lights soon!

{Research And Group Departure}

• Although the Bitter Springs Trail is a popular off-road trail, Aldrin advises, whether you're going off-road for a day or longer, you need to do detailed research on the trail and the weather forecast for the day in advance. It is strongly recommended to go to the Internet and the official website to obtain useful FAQs. And bring clothes according to the local weather conditions. If you encounter severe weather that may change suddenly, you can adjust your travel plan in time.
• In addition, it is best to know the layout, system and operation of your car well, which will help you to respond quickly when you encounter unexpected situations!
• According to Aldrin's off-road experience, for drivers unfamiliar with the road, especially for off-road novices, the safety hazards in the suburbs alone are great. During the off-road process, accidents such as car breakdowns, engine problems, tire problems, external force impacts or traffic accidents often occur that you cannot predict or are inevitable. Alone, it is likely that they can only wait for help.
• Therefore, traveling in groups is always a good idea, as well as informing someone of where you will be going. In addition, traveling with a group and learning from experienced off-road experts can effectively reduce off-road risks!

{Carry Essential And Emergency Items}

1. Since you're about to head out on the Bitter Springs Trail away from the city and service areas, there are likely no restaurants, convenience stores, hotels, etc. there. At this time, it is necessary to prepare food for a day or two in advance.
2. In the unfortunate event of an overnight stay in the wild, a flashlight, extra blankets and clothing are essential. Always plan ahead and prepare for uncertainty. Travel with warm clothing, first aid, food, water and appropriate tools to fix a problem. Especially in summer, the weather is very hot.
3. Next, pack your rescue gear. Items like D-rings or soft shackles, leashes, gloves, recovery boards, and a functional winch are definitely essential items.
4. A first aid kit with bandages, antiseptic, burn oil, ibuprofen or acetaminophen, gloves, scissors, alcohol wipes and other essentials is essential!
5. On the cross-country road traveling together, it is necessary to ensure that the radio call device can be used normally, so as to maintain unimpeded radio communication with other companions! A paper map is also a good idea, just in case, as smartphone service is pretty much non-existent once you're a few miles out of town along the back road.

{Enjoy the Moment}

Off-roading is a process of getting to know the entire city to its fullest! The scenery, cultural characteristics, and food influence on the way to Bitter Springs Trail are all intuitive travel guides. Along the way, you'll see many colorful and photo-worthy rock formations, as well as Bitter Springs, which, if you're lucky, could be a great place to spot some wildlife, Aldrin says. The more adventurous can climb up the right side of the dam and back to the wash area at the back of the dam for more hiking opportunities and a chance to spot some ancient Native American petroglyphs.
Enjoy the passion of speed, but also enjoy the exclusive flavor of the city itself.

The following is the detailed Bitter Springs Trail destination Info provided by Aldrin Dumlao. If you are interested in, please refer to it!
Name of the trail: Bitter Springs Trail
Location: Las Vegas
Length: 28-mile
Best time of year to go: whole year
Key Features: The scenery is beautiful, it meets all the needs of off-roading, and you can also encounter wild animals!
Elevation: 995.38ft
Fees: 0
Technical Rating: Moderate
Tire Pressure Advice: All dependent on the driver
Rig requirements: High Clearance 4x4
Other consideration: Las Vegas can get very hot in the summer, so be prepared for the heat and bring plenty of water before heading off on the Bitter Springs Trail.

Thanks again for Aldrin Dumlao’s wonderful Bitter Springs Trail off-road trail sharing! Interested in Aldrin Dumlao’s off-road sharing? Give him a follow on his Instagram (@sago_t4r) or Aldrin and his friend who are overland enthusiasts’ Instagram (@idolsgang) to get more info on off-road travel experience!!!

Interested in other trails for off-roading? Check out the previous off-road interviews!

Any questions about our products, please feel free to contact us or leave your comment😊! Our customer service team will be happy to help you.

Email - support @auxito.com
YouTube - AUXITO LED
Facebook - AUXITO LED
Instagram - @auxitoled