Katrina, The fences that were installed after the Willow Fire are still up. They are at various places along Route 4. Thier purpose was to prevent people from driving off the designated open routes on to a number of side roads that are in the area. Old route 2 is one of these fenced side roads. At the time these fences were installed the BLM lands were closed and you could not park along the open routes in BLM territory. As far as I understand, the BLM territory in this area is now open and I beleive you could park or camp in those lands. There are no fences on route 3 to the point were I park at the Route 3 trailhead also the road condition to that same point will allow access for most two wheel vehicles unless it sits very low to the ground. You do have to be patient and take your time. It takes me about 17 minutes from the point where route 4 starts to were I park. You can also park along side the open routes in Forestry lands. There is a good way to access route 4 without passing by the Bowen Ranch. Coming south on the Bowen Ranch road, just about a couple hundred yards before the cattle crossing, near the village, there is a right hand turn you can make which will take you onto the powerline maintenance road which follows the big powerlines in a southwest direction. After leaving the Bowen Ranch road you would go aprox. two and a half miles and you will come to another dirt road which crosses the one you are traveling and goes from north to south. Turn left onto this road and go about a quarter of a mile and it will connect with route 4. At route 4 make a right and continue about another mile to route 3. The powerline road is maintained every once in a while and stays in good shape and can be traveled by any two wheel vehicle. It will take about 5 minutes more in driving time than hitting the same point on route 4 by driving next to the Bowen Ranch. The powerline road goes a bit higher than the Bowen Ranch road and has some nice veiws also.
