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These are rides that had to be cut from the book because of space considerations, or that I have ridden after turning in the manuscript.
Location: On Aptos Creek Road, near Aptos, off of State Highway 1, a few miles southeast of Santa Cruz.
Distance: 3.9 mile loop.
Time: 1 hour.
Elevation gain: About 600 feet. Lowest elevation = 300 feet; highest elevation = 375 feet.
Tread: Hard-packed singletrack.
Maximum aerobic level: Moderate.
Total effort: Easy.
Technical difficulty: 3.
Highlights: Spend an hour exploring a redwood forest along a picturesque creek, complete with a small grove of old-growth redwoods. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails
Land status: The Forest Of Nisene Marks State Park.
Maps: USGS Soquel.
Access: Take the State Park Road exit from State Highway 1, a few miles southeast of Santa Cruz. Turn towards Aptos. Turn right at the stoplight onto Soquel Drive and travel for 0.5 miles. Turn left onto and travel 0.8 miles down Aptos Creek Road to the entrance station for The Forest Of Nisene Marks State Park. Park in the parking lot adjacent to it. An outhouse and picnic tables, but no water are available.
Notes on the trail: Even though the total effort is "easy", this is not an appropriate ride for beginning mountain bikers. The trails are fairly technical, and are easily eroded by lack of good technique. If you find that you cannot ride down some of the sections without sliding your rear wheel, please walk your bike through these sections. I have tried to tie together a complex array of short singletracks into a loop passing up one side of the creek and down the other. The ride will take you through some beautiful examples of redwood forests, complete with a small grove of old-growth redwoods. Ferns and redwood sorrel cover the ground in most places. Poison oak and ticks are present. These trails receive a lot of use -- especially on weekends. With so many users on the trail, you will need to be extra cautious that you do not surprise others. Yield right-of-way when you meet them. Please avoid riding these trails when they are wet. Waiting until summer is probably a good idea.
The ride:
0.0 To maximize the amount of singletrack, ride back the way you drove in on the paved road for 0.1 miles.
0.1 Look carefully for a singletrack heading down steeply and sharply to the right. Once your front wheel is over the root, let go of the brakes, keep your weight back, and relax.
0.3 A sign and arrow alerts you that you are on the trail.
0.3+ Ignore the singletrack that comes down from the picnic area beside the parking area and bear left.
0.4 Bear right at this trail junction. You will be following signs for George's Picnic Area for awhile.
0.5 Bear right at this trail junction. Ignore any trails coming down from the road on your right until you get to George's Picnic Area. You will be paralleling the road and the creek.
0.8 Continue straight at this trail junction.
1.0 Another sign and arrow reminds you that you are on a trail. Pass by the Tillman Memorial Grove of redwoods. Actually, you will be biking through a redwood forest the entire time.
1.1 Another arrow advises you to bear left. You are entering a section of trail that is very narrow and that is built on the side of a cliff high above the stream. If your bike begins to slide toward the cliff, move your body toward the cliff and the bike will move away from the cliff. (This takes some faith, but it works!)
1.3 Get off your bike and carry it down the sudden drop-off, unless you are an expert rider!
1.4 Don't ride this steep downhill portion through loose dirt unless you can ride it without sliding. At the bottom is a trail junction. We are going to come back to this spot, but I suggest you turn right and continue toward George's Picnic Area.
1.6 If you continued along the creek for as far as you could ride, you are now at the dirt road extending into the State Park. George's Picnic Area is to your right. The Steel Bridge is to your left. Turn around and enjoy the downhill to the previous trail junction while keeping your butt back and using your front brake heavily except when turning.
1.4 You are back at the previous trail junction. Bear right and cross the creek on "Terrace Trail To Aptos Creek Road". (I chose to carry my bike while crossing on the slippery rocks.) Push your bike up the other side until it levels out enough so that you can ride.
1.9 Ride across the flattened log.
2.0 This is a major intersection. Go straight through on the "Terrace Trail To Aptos Creek Road". Pass through an incredibly ferny place!
2.2 Ignore the trail coming up from the left.
2.3 The trail meanders around some downed trees and crosses over a lovely wooden bridge. It is so green in this area that it looks like a temperate rain forest!
2.4 Turn right at the unmarked junction.
2.6 Take the larger trail down -- to the left.
2.6+ Turn right at the little sign-post.
2.7 Bear left and head down at the junction.
2.7+ Bear left and head down at the junction. Get your butt back to prevent resource damage!
2.8 After a steep descent, you arrive on the Oak Ridge Trail. Bear right.
2.8+ Ignore the small trail heading down. Bear right.
2.9 Arrive at a major trail junction. A sign will say "Old Growth Loop To Entrance Station". Turn right.
3.0 Ignore the small trail coming down from the right.
3.0+ Turn left at the unsigned trail junction. Notice the large, orange tiger lilies growing in the wet area.
3.1 Notice the mature coast redwood on your right. Now look left at the burned stump into which someone has carved out a jack-o-lantern face with a chain saw!
3.2 Signpost: "Advocate Tree, 250'". Walk down to see this enormous mature coast redwood! When you get back to this point, be prepared to walk your bike down the steep decline, across the cut log, across the bridge, down the stairs, around the cliff, and down some more steps.
3.3 Turn right and cross the bridge over the creek. Carry and push your bike up the steep sections.
3.4 Go straight through the four-way junction "To Entrance Station". Push up the steep section.
3.5 Turn right at junction "To Entrance Station".
3.6 You may end here at the picnic area, or you may retrace your steps by turning right to maximize the singletrack.
3.8 I chose to continue on the singletrack and have now hit the pavement. Turn left onto the paved road.
3.9 Back at the parking lot. I advise you to wash off any poison oak oils and check for ticks as soon as possible.
Location: Point Reyes National Seashore, 1 hour north of San Francisco.
Distance: 11.2 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1800 feet. Lowest elevation = 200 feet; Highest elevation = 700 feet.
Tread: Mostly hard-packed, wide singletrack. Some sand, narrow singletrack, and water-bars.
Maximum aerobic level: Moderate.
Total effort: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 2-3 (mostly 3).
Highlights: In Marin County, a legal singletrack is a highlight in itself. Although the trail stays close to the highway, it feels quite wild and isolated while traveling through forests and grasslands. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails.
Land status: Point Reyes National Seashore.
Maps: USGS Inverness, Double Point, Bolinas.
Access: From U.S. Highway 101 in San Rafael, take Sir Francis Drake Blvd to State Highway 1 in Olema. From Olema, drive 3.6 miles south on State Highway 1 to the Five Brooks Trailhead parking. Outhouses but no drinking water are available at the trailhead.
Notes on the trail: This trail is always changing. Prior to the El Nino storms during the winter of 98/99, it was mostly a narrow singletrack. Where the trail passed through grasslands, a machine was used to cut the grasses on either side of the trail in early summer, but it was still a singletrack. In the winters some portions of the trail became very muddy; In the summer some portions of the trail became very dusty or sandy. Unfortunately the trail was seriously degraded and even washed-out in places during the El Nino winter. Heavy equipment was brought in repair the trail. As a result, much of the trail was widened considerably. Hopefully by the time you ride it, the trail will have reverted back to being a singletrack. Fortunately, two sections of narrow singletrack are still intact. Horses frequently use the trail from the nearby Five Brooks Stable -- especially on weekends. Please ride in such a manner that there is no chance that you will surprise them. When you meet other trail users, please yield right-of-way to them. This trail is easily erodable. Please do not ride it when it is wet. Please do not allow your rear tire to slide when descending or turning. Walk your bike through sections that you cannot ride without sliding. Ride or walk your bike over water bars, not around them.
The ride:
0.0 Head out on the dirt road.
0.1 Ignore the trail taking off to the right.
0.2 Follow the sign for Dogtown by turning left.
0.3 Turn right onto the Olema Valley Trail (toward Dogtown) and enjoy the shady forest of Douglas firs, ferns, and stinging nettles.
0.6 Pass through a forest of alders.
0.9 Pass over the bridge and gear down, as a steep climb is awaiting you.
1.1 The trail levels off a bit and becomes narrow.
1.5 Trail junction: Bear left to continue on the Olema Valley Trail toward Dogtown.
1.8 Sandy spots in summer. Much of this section has been rebuilt and widened.
2.8 Junction with Randall Spur Trail: Bear right to continue on the Olema Valley Trail toward Dogtown. You will now be riding on mowed singletrack for awhile.
4.2 This is the end of the mowed section. The trail becomes a narrow, pristine singletrack, passing though a dense bay forest and lined with ferns and poison oak. Look carefully and you will see some bright orange tiger lilies catching beams of sunlight. You encounter some water-bars and ruts, and then descend to a creek.
4.9 Cross the creek. I suggest that you wash the poison oak oils off your arms and legs. If you look carefully you can see the trail heading up the other bank, through a grassy area, and then across a narrow bridge.
5.2 Bear left to ignore the Texeira Trail and to continue on the mowed Olema Valley Trail toward Dogtown.
5.3 Cross the creek again.
5.6 Encounter State Highway 1. I bet you thought that you would be ending up at a town... If you enjoyed the singletrack and are looking forward to the downhill at the end, you may head back now.
Options:
1)If you are tired of riding on dirt, you may turn left onto State Highway 1 and carefully ride back to Five Brooks parking.
2)If you have lots of energy and time, you may choose to ride up McCurdy Trail (a steep dirt road), turn left onto Bolinas Ridge Trail (a gentle dirt road passing through redwoods), turn left onto Randall Trail (a moderately steep downhill dirt road), cross State Highway 1 and take the Randall Spur Trail, and turn right onto the Olema Valley Trail. This definitely changes the ride from a moderate one to a strenuous one, and adds at least an hour to the ride.
Location: Point Reyes National Seashore, 1 hour north of San Francisco.
Distance: 9.0 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1200 feet. Lowest elevation = 200 feet; highest elevation = 400 feet.
Tread: Smooth, wide singletrack, followed by rutted dirt road/wide singletrack, followed by rough cow paths.
Maximum aerobic level: Moderate.
Total effort: Easy.
Technical difficulty: 2-3 (mostly 3).
Highlights: Wildflowers in spring, views of the Pacific Ocean and sandy beaches, shorebirds, sharks and rays swimming in the estero below the cliff! No motorized vehicles are allowed on these trails.
Land status: Point Reyes National Seashore.
Maps: USGS Point Reyes National Seashore and Vicinity. Free maps are available at the visitor center.
Access: From State Highway 1 at Olema, head west on Sir Francis Drake Highway and follow the signs for Inverness and Lighthouse. After passing through Inverness, continue to follow signs for Lighthouse. After passing a sign for Mt. Vision Road, drive for another mile and watch for a sign for Estero Trail. Turn left onto the small paved road at this sign. Drive slowly across the cattle guards and watch for cows! After 1 mile you will encounter a parking lot for the Estero Trail. There is a bathroom but no water. The trail starts at the far end of the parking lot.
Notes on the trail: This is an unusual ride! It first passes through a dense forest of Monterey pines on a smooth wide singletrack, then crosses the upper end of an estero on a wooden bridge, then follows a rutted dirt road which is being reclaimed by native vegetation, then climbs up onto a ridge following cow paths and blue arrows on fences, then follows a ridge out to an overlook -- Drakes Head -- with views of the Pacific Ocean, miles of sandy beaches, and sharks and rays swimming in the water below! Wildflowers are abundant in the spring. Fog is abundant in the summer. It can be very muddy in the winter! Keep a good sense of direction -- and a good sense of humor -- as this is an easy place in which to get lost. The first part of this ride is heavily frequented by a variety of trail users. Please ride in such a way that they do not perceive you as a threat, and always yield right-of-way to them.
The ride:
0.0 Start off on a wide singletrack following an old road.
0.6 Enter a dense grove of Monterey pines.
1.0 Cross the wooden bridge across the estero. Once on the other side, climb steeply up a narrow singletrack surrounded by thistles and blackberries.
1.6 Mud slides continue to change the trail in this region.
1.9 At the pond, cross the small stream on a couple of boards.
2.0 Pass through the fence. Please close the gate behind you.
2.1 A eucalyptus tree marks an old home site. In September hundreds of naturalized pink lilies are in bloom. There is a pond below. Floats in the estero mark oyster beds.
2.6 Trail junction. A sign points left for "Estero Trail" and right for "Sunset Beach Trail"
Option: You may ride out to Sunset Beach and back if you wish. It is 1.5 miles out and 1.5 miles back.
2.7 You encounter the first blue arrow. For the next few miles you will be following blue arrows. Tails may or may not be evident.
2.8 You encounter an old concrete water tank, a fence running north-south, and another blue arrow. Located sideways is a sign for "Estero Trail". Cross through the gate and continue to ride east.
3.0 You encounter two fences and another blue arrow pointing toward a small pond. Go through the gate and head left around the pond and follow the east-west fence toward the east.
3.5 When you encounter another fence running north-south, cross through the fence and turn right. A sign will direct you to "Drakes Head". Follow or parallel an old eroded road south. Head straight for the eucalyptus and cypress trees in the distance.
4.3 At the large wooden post head up a cow path to the top of the ridge. Follow the ridge south to its terminus.
4.5 A survey marker for Drakes Head is found. You are looking at Limantour Estero on your left and Drakes Estero on your right. Look down at the sharks and rays swimming below, but don't get too close to the edge! This is a great place for a picnic. I hope you brought something good to eat... And since the trail is not always clear, I will lead you back. Head north along the ridge until you reach the saddle.
4.7 Head down to the east toward the eucalyptus and cypress trees. Once you reach the large wooden post, head north, trying to keep track of the old dirt road. You are paralleling Limantour Estero on your right.
5.1 Trails seem to go off in every direction. Get onto the east side of the old dirt road and continue north. A fence will appear on your left and will parallel the old dirt road.
5.5 You are back to the junction of the north-south fence that you have been paralleling and an east-west fence. A sign for "Estero Trail" will lead you through the gate and toward the west. Follow the fence west to the small pond.
6.0 Pass through the gate and head west for the next fence-crossing at the old concrete tank. Don't ride on the old dirt road. As you approach the old concrete tank and fence you will see a blue arrow. Head for the blue arrow even if you can't see a trail.
6.2 After reaching the blue arrow and passing through the gate, look for a hint of a trail that bisects both fences. Within 100 yards you should see a white arrow. If not, go back to the concrete tank and start over!
6.3 Another blue arrow directs you to continue west.
6.4 You are now back to the Estero Trail/Sunset Beach Trail intersection. Turn right to continue back to the car.
9.0 Back at the car. It is a very good idea to wash off any poison oak oils that you may have picked up as soon as possible. While doing so, also check for ticks.
Location: About 40 miles south of Eureka on U.S. Highway 101.
Distance: 16.8 mile loop.
Time: 3 1/2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 3100 feet. Lowest elevation = 400 feet; highest elevation = 2500 feet.
Tread: Paved road, graveled road, dirt roads, doubletracks and singletracks.
Maximum aerobic level: Strenuous.
Total effort: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 1-2 (mostly 2).
Highlights: Old-growth redwood and Douglas fir forests, grassy hillsides, wildflowers in spring, fern-covered ridges, pure stands of madrone trees, lush meadow. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails.
Land status: Humboldt Redwoods State Park.
Maps: USGS Weott, Bull Creek. A beautifully drawn topographic map is available at the visitor center.
Access: From the visitor center near Weott, drive northwest along the Avenue Of The Giants for about 4 miles and turn onto Mattole Road, toward the Rockefeller Forest. Park beside Harper Creek, about 3 miles from the beginning of Mattole Road. No water or bathrooms are available at the trailhead.
Notes on the trail: We arrived at the visitor center on a busy summer weekend and asked for the best trails for mountain biking. We were told that no mountain biking was allowed on singletrack trails, but that a beautiful ride was possible on old dirt roads. Apprehensively we started up Look Prairie Road, only to find that it not only passed through a pristine old-growth redwood forest, but that it also degenerated quickly into a wide singletrack. Peavine Road, passing along the top of a ridge for several miles, likewise was a singletrack in many places. We had to ride a short distance on a dirt logging road, but then plunged into more singletrack again before descending on a gravel road and paved road back to the car. We met no one and the trails showed little use. Flowers were abundant in late June.
The ride:
0.0 Ride around the gate and up Look Prairie Road. The first 1/4 mile is through a grove of redwoods. The road then emerges onto a grassy slope with occasional black oaks and Douglas firs.
1.0 On a hot day enjoy the shade from this huge big leaf maple on a south-facing grassy slope. The road is very steep in this region and turns into a doubletrack. Not much use is evident.
1.4 You are back in a shady redwood/Douglas fir forest. The road is less step, making it very rideable for intermediate riders.
2.0 There are no signs of logging in this grove. The trees are impressively large -- one has a diameter of at least 12 feet! The doubletrack has become a leaf-covered, wide singletrack.
3.0 The forest is thinning out with fewer redwoods and more tanbark oaks, salal shrubs with small shiny leaves, and madrone trees.
3.5 A burned-out dead redwood looks like a sculpture. The road is leveling off.
3.6 Intersection: A sign guiding horses and hikers to the left is also a indication for you to turn left on the unsigned Peavine Road.
4.0 This is the high point in the ride! You now drop down through old growth Douglas firs on a hard-packed dirt road that sometimes becomes a singletrack. There is a surprising amount of greenery along the way -- especially bracken ferns. I suspect that this area stays moist from summer fog that comes up the canyon from the north.
5.5 A dip, followed by a sign indicating that horses and hikers should turn left is also an indication for you to turn left. Redwood sorrel with three leaflets and light purple flowers is an abundant ground cover. Look for clintonia up here -- a bright red lily! The road continues to resemble a singletrack and "roller- coasters" up and down as it passes along the top of the ridge.
7.2 The sign says this is an intersection for the Albee Creek Road, but the state park map calls it Thornton Road. It is very overgrown! Continue straight on the unsigned Peavine Road and get ready for several fast downhill sections.
7.9 A wide, gravel logging road comes up from your right. Go left and head downhill on this road.
9.0 A sign alerts hikers and horses to turn left to continue on Peavine Road. Again, follow the hikers and horses. The road quickly becomes doubletrack and then singletrack again.
9.9 Enter a rare pure madrone forest with strange green light filtering through the leaves, followed by a fast downhill.
11.1 Ride around the gate as you travel alongside the lush meadow filled with sword ferns, sedges, wood ferns, and horsetails.
11.3 Arrive at Pole Line Road. This is a wide dirt road covered with loose gravel. It declines steeply and is very slippery. If you enjoy having skin, please ride conservatively! If you can relax enough on the way down, notice the fields of shasta daisies. It is not unusual to see deer in the meadows as you descend off the mountain. Mountain lions, bobcats, black bears, wild boar (feral pigs), and turkeys have been seen here as well.
13.6 Arrive at the paved Mattole Road and turn left after looking out for traffic. Pass by a subspecies of Washington lily called a cascade lily with pinkish white flowers aging to purple, and through part of the Rockefeller Forest. The Rockefeller Forest is a gorgeous grove of old-growth redwoods, and is one of the largest remaining contiguous coast redwood forests. 40 of the 100 tallest trees in the world are found in this forest!
16.8 Arrive back at your car. There is a stream to wash off the dirt and poison oak oils. It would also be a good idea to check for ticks before moving on...
Location: Near Lake Almanor and Lassen Volcanic National Park, on State Highway 36, about 3 hours northeast of Sacramento, and about 2 hours north of Lake Tahoe.
Distance: 8.6 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 3 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1850 feet. Lowest elevation = 3450 feet; highest elevation = 4225 feet.
Tread: Smooth to rocky, hard-packed.
Aerobic level: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 3.
Highlights: A pristine, narrow trail through an old-growth forest to a cascading creek.
Land status: Lassen National Forest.
Maps: USGS Mineral.
Access: From the intersection of State Highway 89 and State Highway 36 on the southwest corner of Lake Almanor, drive 21.2 miles west to the junction of State Highway 36 and State Highway 172. From Chico, drive 52 miles on State Highway 32 to its junction with State Highway 36. Turn left and drive 10.6 miles to the junction of State Highway 36 and State Highway 172. From Red Bluff, drive 49.8 miles on State Highway 36 to the junction of State Highway 36 and State Highway 172. Then drive south on State Highway 172. After 3.5 miles turn left onto a dirt road at the sign for Hole In Ground Campground. Drive down this dirt road for 6.1 miles to its terminus. (Do not turn left to enter the Hole In Ground Campground!) No bathrooms or water are available at the trailhead.
Notes on the trail: This is a lightly used trail that leads one down to Mill Creek. It is suggested for riders with good technical skills who are willing to ride slowly to avoid damaging the trail and surprising hikes or equestrians, who are willing to carry their bikes over muddy sections of trail, and who truly enjoy riding on a pristine trail through an old growth forest. This is a naturalist's paradise, passing through a State Game Refuge, beside many mature trees that were saved from chain saws, and down to a rushing stream with a deep swimming hole. This trail stays wet late into the summer. Please do not ride it before August 1 to avoid damage to the trail. The creek is also dangerous to swim in prior to that date. Since there are so many dogwoods along the way, October would be a perfect time to ride, when the leaves have turned. The trail actually goes for 12 miles down to Black Rock. I only rode down 4.3 miles to an access with Mill Creek and back. You are welcome to explore the remainder of the trail, but remember that you will need to climb back up to the trailhead. With a car shuttle, you could arrange a one-way ride down the canyon.
Special Note: This trail passes through a proposed wilderness area. Mountain bikes may be excluded by the time you decide to ride this. Please do not ride this trail if and when it becomes closed to mountain bikes.
The ride:
0.0 The sign at the trailhead reads: "Mill Creek Trail, Black Rock 12". The first part of this trail use to be a dirt road, and is rocky in places, but is gradual.
0.2 Enjoy one of the finest examples of a mature Douglas fir that you will ever see!
1.0 Pass through the fence and leave the gate as you found it. In front of you is a good example of a mature sugar pine, leaning slightly to the left.
1.4 Keep your wheels rolling through the rock garden.
1.5 Another rock garden.
1.7 A creek/dry creek crossing.
1.8 The trail is now virgin singletrack leading through a dense forest. It is just steep enough that you have to concentrate on keeping your weight back so that your rear wheel does not slide and tear up the trail.
2.2 This section is very cliffy on the left; use extra caution or walk your bike through this section to avoid damage to yourself and to the trail. Walk your bike through the wet sections.
2.4 Rocky creek crossing.
2.6 Rocky creek crossing.
2.7 The trail has been attacked by dozens of large sugar pine cones.
2.8 Either ride through this rocky section or carry your bike through it, but don't ride around it!
3.0 A cliffy spot leading to a dogwood-filled canyon and a creek crossing.
3.2 Huge, magnificent ponderosa pines line the trail. Walk your bike through the wet sections. The dogwood forest becomes very dense.
3.4 Another creek crossing.
3.7 Carry your bike over the muddy area.
3.8 Catch a glimpse of Mill Creek below you.
4.0 Get ready for a very narrow and very cliffy section. If you have any reservation about your ability to ride his section, please walk or carry your bike through it.
4.2 Cross a stream on very slippery rocks.
4.3 At the base of a long descent, look for a small pile of rocks on your left. (This pile is not easy to spot! If you find yourself arriving at a large spring-fed puddle across the trail, you have gone too far. Ride 0.5 miles back.) At this point you can just make out a small trail leading from the pile of rocks down to the creek. This is a great place for a picnic, a nap, or a swim (if the current is low enough). After enjoying this area for as long as you can, head back toward civilization.
8.6 Back at the trailhead.
Location: Downtown Downieville on State Highway 49, about 2 hours either northwest of Lake Tahoe or northeast of Sacramento.
Distance: 17.2 miles out-and-back.
Time: 3 hours.
Elevation gain: About 500 feet. Lowest elevation = 2900 feet; highest elevation = 4250 feet.
Tread: Paved road, dirt road, and singletrack.
Maximum aerobic level: Moderate.
Total effort: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 1-3.
Highlights: Just a really nice and seldom used singletrack in the middle of everywhere...
Land status: Tahoe National Forest
Maps: USGS Downieville, Mt. Villmore. The best map is "Downieville, California, published by TerraPro GPS Surveys Limited," and available locally.
Access: Arrive in Downieville via State Highway 49 from Lake Tahoe or from Nevada City. Parking is limited in "downtown" Downieville. (The entire downtown area is only two blocks long!) It is best to park at Cannon Point, 1/4 mile west of town. A clean bathroom is available at the community center. Water is available at the small park next to the pizzeria.
Notes on the trail: This involves a short and little-traveled singletrack. The nice thing about this ride is that it can be ridden from town. The bad thing about this ride is that you must ride 5 miles of dirt road -- uphill -- before reaching the singletrack. The nice thing about this dirt road is that it is surrounded by bleeding hearts in the early summer. No one ever rides this singletrack! There are even flowers blooming in the middle of it-- and yet it is a high quality singletrack! It climbs about 1500 feet in about 4 miles along a rushing creek, over three bridges, and through three creeks until reaching the end of the maintained trail. I have only described the first 2.5 of the singletrack, until it reaches the first ford through Rattlesnake Creek. Past this point the trail becomes steep and rocky and difficult to ride in either direction. This singletrack, like most around Downieville, was built by miners, and leads past several mining claims. Modern miners travel these trails by motorcycle.
Even after pumping up several miles to the beginning of this trail, riding the Downie River Trail is well worth it -- sometimes fast, sometimes exposed, sometimes technical, but always scenic and fun!
The ride:
0.0 Ride from the center of town by heading east on Main Street. Turn left onto Golf Bluff Road.
1.0 Turn left at the junction of Sailor Ravine Road and climb steeply up the narrow dirt road.
2.3 Creek crossing.
2.6 Go left at the fork and climb.
3.7 Creek crossing.
4.0 Mining claim with lots of dirt roads taking off. Just go straight, paralleling the river.
4.3 Creek crossing.
4.9 Creek crossing.
6.0 Head for the singletrack at the end of the parking area. The singletrack is perched above the creek and gently rolls through a dense forest at this point.
6.1 Footbridge over Downie River.
6.5 Footbridge over Downie River. The trail gets steep in this section.
7.1 Footbridge over Downie River.
7.6 Creek crossing (Nekkid Lady Creek).
8.0 Nice trail passing through a green, dense forest.
8.6 Meet Rattlesnake Creek! The trail is presently washed out on the other side of the river. To go farther, cross the river -- when the water is low enough to do so safely -- and carry your bike up the opposite bank to the trail above. The singletrack becomes steep and rocky past this point. I prefer to hang out at the river for awhile before heading back down the challenging and exhilarating singletrack.
12.5 Everything has been downhill to this point! Take the road to the right at the junction (uphill).
16.2 Hit the pavement at the corner of Sailor Ravine and Gold Bluff Roads.
17.2 Back in downtown Downieville feeling proud that you rode all the way up there!
Location: Off of State Highway 20, near Nevada City, about 1 1/2 hours northwest of Lake Tahoe and about 1 1/2 hours northeast of Sacramento.
Distance: 4.6 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 1 hour.
Elevation gain: About 1100 feet. Lowest elevation = 1900 feet; highest elevation = 2900 feet.
Tread: Smooth and hard-packed and narrow singletrack.
Maximum aerobic level: Strenuous.
Total effort: Easy.
Technical difficulty: 3.
Highlights: Wild roses, bleeding hearts, chain ferns, wallflowers; views of the South Fork of the Yuba River; a great swimming hole when you get there! No motorcycles may use this trail.
Land status: South Yuba River Recreation Lands, Bureau Of Land Management.
Maps: USGS Nevada City.
Access: From the corner of State Highway 20 and State Highway 49 in Nevada City, reset your odometer and drive north on State Highway 49 toward Downieville. At mile 0.3, turn right onto North Bloomfield Road. At mile 0.8, turn left onto Lake Vera Road at the sign for Purdon Crossing, then bear right onto Lake Vera/Purdon Road. At mile 1.2 turn right onto Rock Creek Road. At mile 2.4 turn right onto Rector Road. (The roads will be dirt from now on.) At mile 4.1 turn left onto Hudson Way at the sign for South Yuba River Recreation Lands. At mile 5.0 bear right onto Trailhead Road. At mile 5.3 park on either side of the road and begin riding. (You may drive to the beginning of the singletrack, but the road is very narrow and is often muddy and rutted and rough. The only facilities at the trailhead are trees...
Notes on the trail: This is a beautiful little singletrack that switchbacks down the mountain to the South Fork of the Yuba River below. If you cannot ride the turns without sliding, please stop, kick your bike around, and start up again. Sliding around turns quickly erodes the trail. It is a nasty climb back up again, but it is fairly short. This trail is known for its wildflowers and its poison oak. There is no way to avoid hitting the poison oak because it grows over the trail. If you are susceptible, wear long pants and long-sleeved shirt, and wash yourself at the river and again when you return to the top. Keep your fingers away from your face and genitals until you have thoroughly washed. Don't forget that your shoes and bike are probably full of poison oak oils too! A large swimming hole awaits you at the bottom, but avoid swimming until the spring run-off has calmed down...
The ride:
0.0 Bear right to continue on Trailhead Road.
0.3 Head down the singletrack, but don't let your rear tire slide!
1.0 Yellow/orange wallflowers adorn the trail.
1.2 The sweet smell is coming from mountain misery, a ground cover that contains a fragrant but sticky oil. The river can been seen far below you.
1.4 Notice the huge chain ferns in the moist area. Just past this point look for pink bleeding hearts blooming in late spring and early summer.
2.0 Turn right onto the South Yuba National Trail.
2.1 A primitive trail leads down to the river. You may hide your bike near here or carry it down.
2.3 A campsite overlooks the river. Walk on down and enjoy the sand, water, and slabs of bedrock. Well, its only 2.3 miles back up, but it will be a good work-out.
4.6 I told you it would be a good work-out!
Location: Off of State Highway 20, near Nevada City, about 1 1/2 hours northwest of Lake Tahoe and about 1 1/2 hours northeast of Sacramento.
Distance: 5.9 mile loop.
Time: 2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1160 feet. Lowest elevation = 2600 feet; highest elevation =3250 feet.
Tread: Smooth to rocky, hard-packed, and narrow singletrack.
Maximum aerobic level: Strenuous.
Total effort: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 3.
Highlights: A great singletrack built by mountain bikers for mountain bikers.
Land status: South Yuba River Recreation Lands, Bureau Of Land Management.
Maps: USGS Nevada City.
Access: From the corner of State Highway 20 and State Highway 49 in Nevada City, reset your odometer and drive north on State Highway 49 toward Downieville. At mile 0.3, turn right onto North Bloomfield Road. At mile 0.8, turn left onto Lake Vera Road at the sign for Purdon Crossing, then bear right onto Lake Vera/Purdon Road. Continue on Lake Vera/Purdon Road until Rector Road is reached at mile 3.2. Park here. (One may also ride out from Nevada City...) No facilities exist at the trailhead -- not even a sign!
Notes on the trail: This trail is known for its poison oak. There is no way to avoid hitting the poison oak because it grows over the trail in places. If you are susceptible, wear long pants and long-sleeved shirt. Keep your fingers away from your face and genitals until you have thoroughly washed. Don't forget that your shoes and bike are probably full of poison oak oils too!
This ride will resemble a "Q". First we will ride up the tail, then clockwise around the circle, and then back down the tail. The trail is also used by hikers and equestrians. Please watch carefully for them so that you do not catch them by surprise. Please do not widen this trail by riding around rocks and roots. If you cannot ride over obstacles, please walk your bike over them.
This trail might be covered in snow in the winter -- or it might be clear and dry. Please avoid riding on it when it is wet and muddy... It can be quite hot here in the summer: Avoid riding in the afternoon during hot weather.
The Ride:
0.0 Begin by riding up Rector Road (dirt).
0.1 Take the steep singletrack taking off to your left. Don't feel bad if you have to walk the first section!
0.2 Bear right at the junction to avoid riding on private property.
0.3 The trail levels out as you ride along an old irrigation ditch.
0.6 The trail leaves the ditch, makes a left turn around a majestic madrone tree, and begins to climb again.
0.7 Another steep section....
1.0 Keep your momentum up and you will make it!
1.3 Don't miss this indistinct junction! Turn sharply left onto the less-traveled trail. It is overgrown in places and is in dire need of being used. This is where we begin to ride around the "Q" in a clockwise direction. (Elevation = 2960 feet)
1.7 Arrive at Hudson Way (dirt road). Cross the road to the awaiting singletrack on the other side. This next section contains the most poison oak of any section on this ride. If you are feeling apprehensive, turn right onto Hudson Way. (The dirt road parallels the singletrack.)
1.9 To your left is an old rusted-out car...
2.1 Arrive at another dirt road (Trailhead Road). Cross the road to the awaiting singletrack on the other side. The first 50 feet is steep and loose, but then the trail becomes ridable again. (If you wish a longer ride, turn left onto the dirt road, ride to the parking area for the Round Mountain Trail, and turn right onto the singletrack -- or ride down and back up the Round Mountain Trail, and then turn right onto the singletrack.)
2.1+ Turn right at the junction. (The left fork is coming from the parking area for the Round Mountain Trail.
2.3 Notice the dark green poison oak growing through the yellow-green mountain misery.
2.6 Cross over a doubletrack.
2.7 Most people will have to get off and walk up the rocky and steep switchbacks.
2.8 Another steep climb.
2.9 Another steep climb.
3.0 This is the high point of the ride (3250 feet). A trail is coming down from a parking area at the end of a dirt road from the left. (I went up there once to try to get a better view, but it wasn't.) Bear right and ride down to a volcanic outcropping. This is a great place to enjoy the view -- and maybe even a sunset. On a clear day you can see the Sierra Buttes in the Central Valley, and the coast ranges beyond. Except for a short climb, it is all downhill from now on.
3.4 The left fork heads to a parking area. Take the right fork. Notice the thick ground cover of mountain misery! Now get your butt back, be careful that you do not allow your rear tire to slide, watch for other trail users, and enjoy the steep, leaf-covered trail.
4.0 Cross Hudson Way again and keep heading downhill.
4.6 You have just completed the circle of the "Q". Now head down the trail. (I think you will find the downhill direction MUCH more enjoyable!)
5.9 The last section looks scary, but if you panic and grab the brakes you will probably end up tumbling down the hillside to the dirt road below. Instead, relax and ride through it. Now that you are back to your car, drive somewhere fast to wash off the poison oak oils!
Location: Off of State Highway 20, near Nevada City, about 1 1/2 hours northwest of Lake Tahoe and about 1 1/2 hours northeast of Sacramento.
Distance: 12.7 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 1 1/2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1000 feet. Lowest elevation = 3700 feet; highest elevation = 4300 feet.
Tread: Mostly wide singletrack, mostly smooth and hard-packed.
Maximum aerobic level: Easy.
Total effort: Easy.
Technical difficulty: 2-3 (mostly 2).
Highlights: An easy singletrack, technically, aerobically, and in terms of total effort. A good ride for beginning singletrackers!
Land status: Tahoe National Forest.
Maps: USGS North Bloomfield.
Access: Drive on State Highway 20, 4.5 miles east of the junction of State Highway 20 and State Highway 49 in Nevada City, and turn left into the parking area for Harmony Store. Please park in the most distant parking spaces, and purchase something from the store either before or after the ride in exchange for the parking space. The trailhead is located between the store and the highway. An outhouse is located near the trailhead. No free water is available, but the store sells bottled water.
Notes on the trail: The first part of this ride is along an old dirt road that is recovering to singletrack. The second part is mostly new singletrack. I rated the second part at class 2/3, meaning that it alternates between class 2 and class 3. Although this ride is close to the highway, it passes through some lovely forest, and is quite gentle. This trail was built by the Gold Country Trails Council, which is composed mostly of equestrians. Please be extra considerate of equestrians, as they are allowing us to ride on their trail! (Being considerate consists of pulling off the trail and yielding right-of-way when you meet them; letting them know that you are approaching from behind, slowing considerably, and awaiting their instructions before passing them; and thanking them for letting you ride on their trail.)
The ride:
0.0 Start off on a wide singletrack.
0.1 The singletrack turns into an old dirt road.
0.2 Ride through the dirt road intersection and continue to parallel the highway.
0.4 The old dirt road begins to take on the character of a singletrack.
0.6 Pass over a well-used dirt road.
0.9 Pass over a well-used dirt road.
1.4 The singletrack narrows down and beings to wind between the trees.
1.8 Bear right at the fork and ride through a dense forest of incense cedars and Douglas firs.
2.2 Ride through the parking area alongside the highway.
2.3 A big sign for Pioneer Trail will guide you.
2.5 Climb noticeably.
2.6 Cross the paved road and take the right fork (straight ahead).
3.0 The trail gets a little more technical.
4.4 Cross Missouri Bar Road.
4.9 The trail becomes wider and drifts gently downhill.
5.4 Wander through the parking area and take the dirt road that parallels the highway.
5.5 The singletrack starts up again.
6.3 The trail ends at a map display. The trip back is mostly downhill! (If you need water and/or a bathroom, ride east along the highway for 100 yards to the White Cloud Picnic Area.)
12.7 Don't you love it when the return trip is downhill?
Location: On State Highway 89, north of Truckee. Truckee is located on U.S. Highway 80, about 2 hours east of Sacramento and 1 hour west of Reno.
Distance: 6.4 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 1 hour.
Elevation gain: About 400 feet. Lowest elevation = 5850 feet; highest elevation = 6250 feet.
Tread: Narrow singletrack, wide singletrack.
Maximum aerobic level: Easy.
Total effort: Easy.
Technical difficulty: 2.
Highlights: A short and easy ride through a ponderosa pine forest and along a stream lined with alders, aspens, lodgepole pines, meadows, and beaver dams, wildflowers in the summer months, golden meadows and aspens in the fall. No motorized vehicles are allowed!
Land status: Tahoe National Forest.
Maps: USGS Truckee (Not all trails are shown).
Access: From Truckee, drive north 2.8 miles on State Highway 89 and turn left into a dirt parking area opposite the turnoff for the Donner Camp picnic area. The trailhead begins on the other side of the fence. No water is available. A bathroom is located at the Donner Camp picnic area.
Notes on the trail: This is a good trail for beginning singletrackers. It is easy aerobically, is not highly technical, and is mostly wide. The first 0.7 miles is a newly built and wonderfully narrow singletrack passing through a ponderosa pine forest. The remainder of the trail is an emerging singletrack that used to be a dirt road. Its recovery has been accelerated by plowing up one side of it. It travels beside a stream through alders, aspens, lodgepole pines, and wildflowers.
The ride:
0.0 The newly built, delightfully narrow singletrack meanders through a ponderosa pine forest.
0.1 Cross the dirt road and continue on the other side.
0.7 Carefully cross the paved road (Alder Creek Road) and continue on the other side. Turn right to head upstream.
1.5 Pass over a small stream. The trail is very flat and smooth at this point.
1.8 Carefully pass over the paved road.
1.9 Pass through a stream. This could be a difficult crossing during high water!
2.5 Another stream crossing!
2.9 An old road sign: "Highway 89..."
3.0 Notice the beaver dam just upstream from this creek crossing.
3.2 The trail ends in a lodgepole pine forest at the junction with Alder Creek Road. A map of the entire Emigrant Commemorative Trail is displayed. Turn around here and enjoy the scenery and peacefulness on you way back to the car,
6.4 Back where you started from...
Location: About 10 miles south of Truckee on State Highway 89. Truckee is located on U.S. Highway 80, about 2 hours east of Sacramento and about 1 hour west of Reno.
Distance: 6.6 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 1 1/2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1400 feet. Lowest elevation = 6000 feet; highest elevation = 6600 feet.
Tread: All singletrack, hard-packed and smooth, loose and smooth, loose and rough, rocky.
Maximum aerobic level: Moderate.
Total effort: Easy.
Technical difficulty: 2-3 (mostly 3).
Highlights: Newly built singletrack, dense fir forests, wildflowers throughout the summer, views of the snow covered peaks above Squaw Valley. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trail.
Land status: Tahoe National Forest.
Maps: USGS Tahoe City (trail not shown).
Access: From Truckee, drive south for 8.5 miles on State Highway 89 until the turnoff to Squaw Valley is reached. Continue for another 0.8 mile until Midway Bridge over the Truckee River is reached. Cross the bridge and park on the other side (south). Jump on your bike, ride to the north side of the bridge on the left side of the road, and turn left onto the singletrack that switchbacks up the hillside. No water is available at the trailhead, but bottled water may be purchased at the convenience store at the turnoff to Squaw Valley.
Notes on the trail: Most of this trail is a newly built singletrack where no trail existed before. Some of it includes old logging roads, but these have recovered nicely to a singletrack. The hardest part of this ride is staying on the correct trail. It is not well signed and is not on present maps. In general, you will be working your way up and to the northwest along a slope that will eventually turn west and parallel the road into Squaw Valley. If after 2 miles you are above and looking down into Squaw Valley, you are probably on the right trail. Occasionally there will be small signs attached to trees that simply say "Trail". Sometimes there will be small white diamonds attached to trees. Follow these! My description will get you to the end of the singletrack, but you must get back on your own. That means that you must look back at every trail junction and memorize what it looks like so that you will be able to make the correct decision on the way back. If, on the way back, you find yourself climbing to the top of the ridge above you or descending into Squaw Valley, then you probably took a wrong turn! This ride is just long enough and has just enough climbing to give you a workout without making you tired. It also has just enough technical sections to hone your technical skills, no matter how much or how little technical experience you have. Other trail users will be encountered -- especially equestrians. Stop and move off the trail when you encounter them. When riding steeply downhill, keep your weight back so that your rear wheel does not slide.
The ride:
0.0 The trail climbs steeply at first.
0.2 Trail junction: go straight ahead, following the tire marks rather than the horse prints. A few feet ahead will be another trail junction. Bear left to follow the tire marks.
0.3 Trail junction: Bear left to follow the tire marks.
A few feet ahead will be another trail junction. Bear right to follow the tire marks.
0.4 If you find yourself climbing a lot on a loose and dusty trail with switchbacks, then you are probably on the right trail! There are lots of snowplants (waxy red plants) and pinedrops (reddish-purple stems and yellow flowers) in this region.
0.7 Major intersection. This is obviously an old logging road. Head right, toward Squaw Valley. (When you return, be sure to look for the trail heading down from this point. Look back now and notice a small sign that says "Trail" that directs you back to the trailhead.)
1.0 Fork with a trail heading up and a trail heading down. A sign on the trail heading up states: "This trail crosses private land. Please respect the property owners by staying on trail." There is also a white diamond just beyond the sign. Take this trail up. (The downhill trail goes to Squaw Valley Road.)
1.1 Enjoy the nice singletrack carved out of the side of the mountain and the views into Squaw Valley and the peaks beyond.
1.6 The trail levels off, with ceanothus/deer brush reaching out with its spiny branches to scratch your mosquito bites.
1.7 Join with an old dirt road regenerating to singletrack.
1.8 Another dirt road! Look ahead to spot a sign with "trail" heading off to the right and make two steep, downhill, sharp switchbacks. Don't let those rear wheels gouge out the trail.
1.9 A trail comes in from the left. Go straight toward the white diamond.
2.1 Cross a ski slope covered with shasta daisies.
2.2 A couple more sharp switchbacks...
2.4 You are spit out onto a gravel road. Turn downhill, ride about 100 feet, and pick up the singletrack again on the left. Shortly after, a horse trail comes down from the left. Ignore it and bear right toward the ski lift. This is a very nice singletrack wandering through a red fir forest.
2.7 A very well used horse trail comes down from the left. Continue straight. You are now on a singletrack used by hourly horse tours. It tends to be rocky and dusty and a bit smelly...
3.1 The forest opens for a grand view of the higher peaks and Squaw Valley. The trail now zigzags downhill through stands of purple-flowered fireweed.
3.3 This is the end of the singletrack, but 3.3 miles of singletrack remains on your return trip, and it is more fun on the way back than it was on the way here!
On the way back, be sure you take the correct turns. Follow signs saying "Trail" and white diamonds when they are available. If you take a "creative" way back, the worse things that can happen are that you will either end up on Squaw Valley Road a short distance to the north of your car, or on Alpine Meadows Road a short distance to the south of your car.
6.6 Back at the trailhead all too quickly...
Location: On State Highway 89, about 10 miles south of Truckee. Truckee is on U.S. Highway 80, about 2 hours east of Sacramento and about 1 hour west of Reno.
Distance: 12.9 mile loop.
Time: 2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1300 feet. Lowest elevation = 6000 feet; highest elevation = 7100 feet.
Tread: Paved road, dirt road, wide singletrack, narrow singletrack. Mostly smooth and hard-packed, sometimes loose and rocky.
Maximum aerobic level: Moderate.
Total effort: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 1-3.
Highlights: Pristine red fir forests, gentle climbs, long, narrow singletrack descent, sometimes technical. No motor vehicles are allowed on the narrow singletrack. No evidence of motor vehicles was seen on the wide singletrack.
Land status: National Forest, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.
Maps: USGS Tahoe City (not all trails not shown).
Access: There are several places were one could park and begin the loop. I chose to begin at the junction of Alpine Meadows Road and State Highway 89, 9.9 miles south of Truckee and about 3 miles north of Tahoe City. This allowed me to finish the ride by riding alongside the Truckee River on the paved bike path back to my car -- a very peaceful way to end a ride.
Notes on the trail: One needs to spend only a few minutes riding on busy Alpine Meadows Road before turning onto Snow Crest Road, a paved, but sleepy, aspen-lined street with numerous streams coming down from the slope above. Once the gated dirt road is reached, the housing development is quickly left behind as the dirt road regenerates into a wide singletrack. This wide singletrack continues for miles through pristine and peaceful red fir forests before reaching the top of the narrow singletrack. The narrow singletrack meanders among the trees and skirts the edges of flowery meadows and a creek before arriving back in civilization. Portions of the narrow singletrack are loose and rocky, requiring care, both for the sake of the trail, and for the sake of your body. Keep your weight back on descents to prevent your rear wheel from sliding. Please walk your bike down sections that you cannot ride without sliding. Watch carefully for other trail users and yield right-of-way to them by stopping and moving off the trail.
The ride:
0.0 Ride west on (paved) Alpine Meadows Road. Watch for cars!
0.8 Turn left onto (paved) Snow Crest Road and pass by aspens, streams, and small meadows.
1.2 Ride around the closed access gate and ride up on the unsigned dirt road through a white fir forest.
1.6 Intersection! Take the wide singletrack to the left (east). It used to be a dirt road, but is recovering nicely. Ignore the singletrack coming up from the stables... The forest remains moist, lush, and dense.
2.0 The trail levels off a bit.
2.3 Views of the peaks in back of Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows.
2.5 Ignore the small singletrack heading down to your left.
2.8 Ignore the little used trail heading up to your right.
3.1 Enter a shady red fir forest with views of Lake Tahoe in the background.
3.3 Ignore the closed singletrack to your left.
3.3+ Bear left onto the signed Trail 48A and head downhill.
4.7 Junction! A big dirt road heads off to the right. A lovely singletrack heads off to the left. A sign 100 feet down the singletrack states "No Motor Vehicles". Take the singletrack! It is a hard-packed, narrow, banked, and smooth trail that meanders and undulates gently through the forest! To prevent damage to the trail, prevent your rear wheel from sliding by keeping your weight back.
5.4 The trail forks, with the right fork going across a meadow. Take the left fork.
6.4 Take the left fork again.
6.5 There is a meadow to your right filled with wildflowers and mosquitoes during early summer.
6.6 Ignore the small singletrack coming down the hill from your left and continue straight.
6.6+ The trail forks, with the right fork going across a meadow. Take the left fork.
6.7 The trail becomes rocky and descends steeply. If you can't ride down this without your rear wheel sliding, then please get off your bike and walk down.
7.1 The trail turns into a rocky chute that will probably need to be walked by all but advanced riders.
7.3 The trail returns to hard-packed dirt.
7.4 Ignore the trail coming in from the right and go straight.
7.5 A climbing wall marks the beginning of a ROPES course and a PAR course. Please ride carefully, as the trail may be congested with other trail users.
7.9 The trail intersects a paved road -- Granlibakken Road -- and a dirt road. Take the paved road not the dirt road.
8.5 Turn left onto the paved bike path at the intersection of Granlibakken Road and State Highway 89.
8.7 Take the left fork in the paved bike path.
9.1 Cross over the Truckee River on the bridge and take the left fork in the paved bike path on the other side of the bridge. You are now biking downstream, along State Highway 89. All of this bike path is paved and is a gentle and scenic downhill ride back to the car.
12.9 Back at the car.
(NOTE: This trail was open to bikes, then was closed to bikes, and, as far as I know, is open to bikes on some days of the week and closed on others. PLEASE call the Toiyabe National Forest Service office to find out the present status before riding it!)
Location: North shore of Lake Tahoe, about 1 hour from Reno and 1/2 hour from Truckee.
Distance: 16.2 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 3 hours.
Elevation gain: About 2100 feet. Lowest elevation = 7900 feet; highest elevation = 8800 feet.
Tread: All singletrack, mostly narrow and smooth and hard-packed, mostly sand with some granite rocks and water bars.
Aerobic level: Intermediate.
Technical difficulty: 3.
Highlights: Well-built, moderately technical singletrack passing through a subalpine environment on the top of a ridge with fantastic and frequent views of Carson Valley and the Lake Tahoe Basin. No motorized vehicles are allowed on this trail.
Land status: Toiyabe National Forest.
Maps: USGS Mt Rose, Marlette Lake (Trail is not shown).
Access: From Reno and Carson City, take State Highway 431 over Mt Rose Summit, past Tahoe Meadows, and for another 0.4 miles to the top of the ridge. From the junction of State Highway 28 and State Highway 431 at Lake Tahoe, take State Highway 431 for 6.6 miles to the top of the ridge overlooking Tahoe Meadows. Parking is available in the gravel turnout.
Notes on the trail: This is a newly and beautifully built trail! After climbing to the top, this trail passes back and forth over the ridge, providing many wonderful views of the Carson Valley and the Lake Tahoe Basin. The ridge slowly descends to Tunnel Creek Road, at which point you may pedal back up the way you came, or venture on to Marlette Lake via the Flume Trail and return.
It is difficult to find trails that are this nice! Please do not allow your rear wheel to slide, do not let your bike run off the edge of the trail, and do not ride around water bars. The first mile is frequented by hikers. The remainder of the trail contains mostly equestrians and mountain bikers. Remember to be extra thoughtful to hikers and equestrians, as they planned and built this wonderful trail!
No services are available at the trailhead, but a bathroom is available at Tahoe Meadows.
With a shuttle you can turn this into a point-to-point ride to State Highway 28 via Tunnel Creek Road, or to the entrance to Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park at the junction of State Highway 28 and U.S. Highway 50.
The ride:
0.0 One sign reads "Tahoe Rim Trail"; another sign reads "Ophir Creek Trail". Cross over the large trail/dirt road to the singletrack and start riding!
0.4 Even though the sign currently reads "Tahoe Rim Trail <---", go right, as the sign is wrong! (Perhaps it will be corrected by the time you ride this trail.) Enjoy the well-built trail passing through a white bark pine forest -- a true subalpine environment -- and get ready to climb steeply to the top of a ridge.
1.1 Major trail junction. Cross over the ATV trail and head for the singletrack with the "No Motor Vehicles" sign. A good view of the Lake Tahoe Basin is off to the right. The trail now drops gently.
1.9 The trail begins to climb again. Ride over several rock water bars and take in the views of Lake Tahoe and the high peaks behind the lake. Large western white pines with rectangular plates of bark and large granite boulders line the hard-packed sandy trail.
2.7 Roller coaster.
3.7 Follow the trail over the ridge and down the other side with views of Carson Valley to the east.
3.9 Fantastic view of Washoe Lake!
4.3 The trail crosses back to the western side of the ridge with another fantastic view of Lake Tahoe.
4.9 Ride along the top of the ridge with an even a more expansive view of both Carson Valley and Lake Tahoe. You are now beside a ski lift.
5.9 Descend through a dwarf forest of Jeffrey pines. The trail is becoming more narrow and technical with many granite water bars.
7.0 Continue the long descent.
7.5 The trail is still dropping and is becoming very narrow. chinquapin shrubs line the trail and grab at your legs.
8.1 At the end of the descent, climb up to Tunnel Creek Road (dirt), stretch a bit, and head back. Please be extra careful not to surprise other trail users on the last descent.
16.2 Back at the trailhead.
Option 1: If you have the time and energy, you may turn left onto Tunnel Creek Road and turn right onto the Flume Trail. Travel another 4 miles to Marlette Lake and back before returning to your car. The Flume Trail is very popular, extremely scenic, and quite gradual, but it is also quite sandy in places and has not been well maintained.
Option 2: If you have arranged a shuttle you may turn right onto Tunnel Creek Road and ride down to its junction with State Highway 28.
Option 3: If you have arranged a shuttle you may take the Flume Trail to Marlette Lake, and the dirt road down to Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park at the junction of State Highway 28 and U.S. Highway 50.
Location: About 45 minutes east of Stockton, along the north shore of New Hogan Lake (reservoir), near the town of Valley Springs.
Distance: 4.8 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 3/4 hours.
Elevation gain: About 300 feet. Lowest elevation = 650 feet; highest elevation = 700 feet.
Tread: Medium to wide, smooth, hard-packed singletrack.
Maximum aerobic level: Easy.
Total effort: Easy.
Technical difficulty: 2.
Highlights: An easy, wide singletrack meandering through chaparral just above the high water mark of New Hogan Lake, with continuous views of the reservoir. No horses or motorcycles are allowed on the trail!
Land status: US Army Corps Of Engineers.
Maps: USGS (Trails are not shown.)
Access: From the north on State Highway 99, take the State Highway 12 East exit in Lodi. From the south on State Highway 99, take the State Highway 26 East exit in Stockton. In both cases, follow signs for San Andreas until you reach the community of Valley Springs. Again, head for San Andreas as you leave Valley Springs. Just outside the city limits of Valley Springs, turn right onto Lime Creek Road/St. Petersburg Road. After 0.8 miles, turn right onto South St. Petersburg Road. Follow the signs to Acorn East Campground and park in the day-use parking lot. Water and a bathroom are available. (You may also park in Oak Knoll Campground during the recreation season, May through September.)
Notes on the trail: This is an easy ride, both aerobically and technically, on a medium to wide singletrack. It is a good choice for beginning singletrackers. It is also a good way to stretch out after riding the Hogan Trail. But since the trail is smooth and wide, it is easy to pick up speed on the downhills. Please be aware that many riders and hikers use this trail, and slow down as you approach blind spots or other trail users. It is very hot here during the summer, and the lake is filled with boats. If you must ride during the summer, you had best avoid the afternoons. But the crowds leave in October and don't return until May. Therefore I suggest riding in late fall, winter, and early spring. Expect ticks to be abundant in spring. Please allow the trail to dry out for at least one week after a major winter storm. Note: Both this trail and the Hogan Trail are a part of the Coyote Point Mountain Bike Trail system.
The ride:
0.0 The trailhead is at the north end of the day-use parking lot and is marked with a picture of a bike. It begins as a gravel road.
0.1 As the gravel road enters the campground, look for a singletrack taking off to the right just after the first campsite. When the singletrack hits pavement, continue to follow the bike signs through the campground.
0.4 Arrive at the gravel road and head for the Coyote Point Group Camp.
0.7 A small sign with a bike on it will direct you to turn left onto the medium-width singletrack. A number of narrow singletracks will take off to the left along this trail. In every case, bear right to remain on the wider and smoother singletrack.
0.8 Pass over a small wooden bridge.
2.4 This is presently the end of the Rim Trail, although it appears that this trail is being lengthened. Now head back, watching carefully for other trail users.
4.1 Back at the gravel road.
4.4 Back at the paved road.
4.8 Back at the car.
Location: About 1 1/2 hours northeast of Fresno, and about 1/2 hour south of Yosemite, off of State Highway 41.
Distance: 6.6 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 1 1/2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1400 feet. Lowest elevation = 3750 feet; highest elevation = 5100 feet.
Tread: Mostly hard-packed sand, often eroded, sometimes loose and rocky.
Maximum aerobic level: Strenuous.
Total effort: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 3.
Highlights: Jumps (actually large water bars). Some sections of narrow singletrack. Rideable when high trails are snowed in.
Land status: Sierra National Forest Recreation Area.
Maps: USGS Bass Lake.
Access: From the junction of State Highway 41 and U.S. Highway 99 in Fresno, set your odometer to zero and drive northeast toward Yosemite National Park. At 28 miles from Fresno, turn right at the sign for O'Neals/Northfork onto County Road 200. Keep following the signs for Northfork and Bass Lake. At 42 miles from Fresno, ignore the big turnoff. At 45 miles from Fresno: "Welcome To Northfork, Exact Center Of California". At 46 miles from Fresno, just after leaving the town of Northfork, turn left onto County Road 274. At 51 miles from Fresno, at the sign for Central Camp Road, turn left into the parking area, grab your bike, carefully cross the street, pedal up Central Camp Road for a couple of hundred feet, and take the singletrack just before the gate. No water nor bathrooms are available at the trailhead.
Notes on the trail: This is not a high quality singletrack, but it is a lot of fun. It is a motorized multi-use trail that receives a lot of use from motorcyclists and mountain bikers. I have even seen large groups of mountain bikers being shuttled the short distance to the top of the first section. But the climb is not so long nor so hard that a shuttle is required to the top of the first or the second section. I do not recommend riding the third section as the trail is very steep and the soil is very deep and loamy, resulting in severe environmental damage. It would be a rare rider that could ride down that section without contributing to the damage. The singletrack looks like it use to be a dirt road or water flume. It was not built to be a singletrack. Not enough water bars and switchbacks were incorporated. This has resulted in obvious erosion is several places. There are some sweet sections of narrow singletrack, as well as some technical sections with loose rocks. Although a rider with intermediate technical skills and intermediate strength might be walking the bike uphill at times, this same rider will probably be able to ride all of it back down. Watch carefully for riders coming down who may be lacking in the technical skills necessary to come to a stop before reaching you or to avoid hitting you. When you are heading down, remember that uphill riders and all other trail users have right-of-way. This trail is shown on the forest service map as trail #6S42G. The bottom of this trail is located right at the snow line. Expect it to be covered in snow following cold winter storms, but it should be melted out by April in most years. Although I don't recommend riding on wet trails, the sandy nature of the trail will allow it to dry out very quickly (within hours) after storms.
The ride:
0.0 The trail starts off fairly eroded, on a west facing slope (hot!), in a manzanita grove.
1.1 Ponderosa pines (shade!) are appearing, with bright green mountain misery shrubs below them. (Sheep herders did not like the shrubs because the sweet smelling, but sticky, oil would rub off onto their sheep, ruining their wool.)
2.1 Cross the dirt road (Central Camp Road) and continue on the narrow (yes!) singletrack on the other side.
2.5 It is pretty steep and wide in this section.
2.7 A small trail takes off on the left. Bear to the right.
3.2 The trail becomes a sweet little singletrack passing through a grove of young incense cedars.
3.3 Arrive at the dirt road again. I do not recommend continuing past this point (see my comments in "Notes On The Trail"). If you do wish to continue, the trail does not continue on the other side of the road at this point. The "trail" that you see across the road is where some motorcyclists rode cross-country, tearing up the forest floor in the process. The real trail is up the dirt road about 100 yards, on the left. As you head back down remember that other mountain bikers and other trail-users might be coming up. You can have a lot of fun while riding in control!
San Luis Obispo is located on the central coast, between Santa Barbara to the south and Monterey to the north.
The climate is mediated by the fact that this area is on or near the coast. As is typical of other parts of California, Pacific storms affect the area only during late fall, winter, and early spring. It can be quite mild between storms -- even in the middle of winter! Late spring and early fall tend to be warm and clear and perfect for riding. Summers are variable, from hot and dry one day, to cold and foggy the next. I have ridden with no shirt in late December, only to freeze to death during August while riding in a cold and wet fog.
This region is characterized by chaparral, grasslands, and live oak forests. Redwoods do not occur this far south, although they once did many thousands of years ago. Poison oak is everywhere -- wash your arms and legs regularly. Ticks are abundant in the spring through early summer. Check your body for ticks after every ride. Watch carefully in the grasslands and you might get to see a bobcat!
You will be riding mostly on sea floor sediments that have been uplifted. This surface is easily eroded, making it imperative that you prevent your tires from sliding. Intrusions of volcanic rock appear in several places, in the form of ridges and plugs. (Morro Rock is a volcanic plug!)
Fully stocked bike shops are available in San Luis Obispo and in Atascadero and in Los Osos. Hotels are abundant, but become less expensive the farther one gets from Morro Bay. Paso Robles is a good compromise between price and distance. Rates are much cheaper in the winter than in other seasons! Campgrounds are located in Montana de Oro State Park (my favorite!), Morro Bay State Park, Morro Strand State Beach, and on State Highway 41 at Cerro Alto (National Forest Service). Supermarkets are available in Los Osos and Morro Bay, as well as in San Luis Obispo, Atascadero, and Paso Robles. Even though the San Luis Obispo region has all the facilities that you desire, the population of the county is small -- indicated by the fact that the entire county is included in the phone book! The lack of any large cities adds to the quality of the region.
You may wish to visit Los Osos Oaks State Reserve to view the forest of dwarfed live oaks from a self-guided trail, the Morro Bay State Park Museum or the Montana de Oro Ranch to become more familiar with the natural history of the area, or the Morro Bay State Park Marina to rent a canoe or kayak in order to explore the estuary. According to the Morro Bay State Park brochure, "Generally considered to be the largest, least disturbed saltwater marsh on the California coastline, this magnificent natural area (Morro Bay Estuary) provides a haven for an extraordinary range of birdlife."
A good topographic map of the region entitled "Mountain Biking San Luis Obispo & Coastal Areas" is published by SLO Adventures (www.fix.net/sloadventures).
Location: About 20 miles northwest of San Luis Obispo, off of State Highway 1, in Montana de Oro State Park.
Distance: 7.7 mile loop.
Time: 2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1700 feet. Lowest elevation = 100 feet; highest elevation = 1200 feet.
Tread: Mostly singletrack, some smooth and hard-packed, some loose and rocky, and some sandy.
Maximum aerobic level: Strenuous.
Total effort: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 1-3 (mostly 3).
Highlights: Narrow singletrack, technical sections, views of the canyons and beaches and the Pacific Ocean below, abundant wildlife, wildflowers in spring. No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails.
Land status: Montana de Oro State Park.
Maps: USGS Morro Bay South. A free topographic trail map showing the trails in the State Park is available at the visitor center. An updated topographic map of the region entitled "Mountain Biking San Luis Obispo & Coastal Areas" is published by SLO Adventures (www.fix.net/sloadventures).
Access: From the north, take State Highway 41 west off of U.S. Highway 101 in Atascadero, turn south onto State Highway 1, drive for a couple of miles and take the Los Osos/Baywood exit, and follow the signs for Montana de Oro State Park. From the south, take State Highway 1 north off of U.S. Highway 101 in San Luis Obispo, drive for about 12 miles and take the Los Osos/Baywood exit, and follow the signs for Montana de Oro State Park. Drive to the visitor center in the southern part of the park. Park in a small, grassy lot (the Dune Trail parking lot) 0.1 miles before (north of) the visitor center. The trailhead is a gated dirt road across the road from the grassy parking lot.
Notes on the trail: The first 3 miles is a gentle and smooth dirt road. Cottontail rabbits, flickers, quail, jackrabbits, bush poppies, monkey flowers, and morning glories are seen. The hillsides are quite green for chaparral. North-facing hillsides contain some oak trees decorated with hanging lichens. The remainder of the ride is on singletrack. The East Boundary Trail is narrow and hard-packed in most places, with a few notable exceptions, and climbs steeply in these notable exceptions. The Ridge Trail climbs steeply along a ridge to the top of Hazard Peak. Views are nothing less than spectacular! It then descends to the paved road through hard-packed narrow sections; loose rocky sections; loose sand; and water bars. Have fun, but remember that these trails are easily erodable. Please do not allow your rear tire to slide on downhill sections. If you cannot ride a section without sliding, get off and walk your bike. Likewise, ride or walk your bike over water bars rather than around them. Avoid riding on the trails when they are wet. Please be alert for other trail users so that you do not catch them by surprise, and please yield right-of-way when you meet them.
The ride:
0.0 The sign reads "Islay Creek Trail". This is actually a smooth, graded, dirt road, and on the State Park map it is called "Islay Creek Road".
1.1 Junction with Reservoir Flats Trail. Continue straight on Islay Creek Trail/Road.
2.8 Pass by the bottom of the Barranca Trail, continue straight ahead on Islay Creek Road, and pass by the old barn.
3.1 Turn left onto East Boundary Trail. If you accidentally miss this trail you will encounter a gate across the dirt road in about 100 yards. The trail climbs steeply and steadily. It would take a strong rider to be able to ride all of it, but most people should be able to ride most of it!
4.0 Tools are provided for volunteer trail maintenance. Pitch in and do whatever needs to be done! Until now the trail has been traveling through dense and tall chaparral. Now it traverses a steep grassy slope and becomes more exposed.
4.7 Notice the oaks covered with hanging lichens and the abundance of coyote and fox feces on the trail (they mark their territories in this way...).
4.9 The Barranca Trail enters from the left. Bear to the right to continue on the East Boundary Trail.
5.1 Signed junction: Take the Ridge Trail to your left.
5.4 Climb or push up very steeply!
5.5 An unmarked trail comes in from the right. A sign signals for you to turn left and to keep climbing.
5.8 The trail becomes rocky and passes along the top of a narrow ridge with great views all the way around.
6.1 Top of Hazard Peak. Enjoy the views and the fact that it is all downhill from here!
6.2 Watch out for the loose rocky section as you go around the fence post. From now on the trail fluctuates between smooth and narrow sections, rocky sections, and eroded sections. Make sure that you are not digging into the trail with your rear tires! If you are, get your weight farther back or walk your bike. Don't be surprised if you see dozens of cottontail rabbits on the Ridge Trail. I must have seen over one hundred! They are especially abundant in the early morning, the evening, or on foggy days.
7.2 Get your butt back when riding through the sandy sections, or you will most likely be eating sand... Right before the road you will encounter lots of water bars -- ride or carry your bike over them, not around them.
7.7 Trailtail. You have arrived at the road a short distance to the north of the trailhead, and should be able to see your car. Be careful on the paved road! I suggest that you shower or wash off as soon as possible to remove any poison oak oils that you may have picked up. While doing this, also check your body for ticks.
Location: About 20 miles northwest of San Luis Obispo, off of State Highway 1, in Montana de Oro State Park.
Distance: 6.1 mile loop.
Time: 1 1/2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1200 feet. Lowest elevation = 200 feet; highest elevation = 900 feet.
Tread: Mostly singletrack, hard-packed to sandy, smooth to rocky, narrow to wide.
Maximum aerobic level: Strenuous.
Total effort: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 1-3 (mostly 3).
Highlights: Narrow singletracks, wildflowers in spring and summer, views of the canyons below and the Pacific Ocean beyond, wilderness feeling even when not far from the road. No motorized vehicles are allowed on these trails.
Land status: Montana de Oro State Park.
Maps: USGS Morro Bay South. A free topographic trail map showing the trails in the State Park is available at the visitor center. An updated topographic map of the region entitled "Mountain Biking San Luis Obispo & Coastal Areas" is published by SLO Adventures (www.fix.net/sloadventures).
Access: From the north, take State Highway 41 west off of U.S. Highway 101 in Atascadero, turn south onto State Highway 1, drive for a couple of miles and take the Los Osos/Baywood exit, and follow the signs for Montana de Oro State Park. From the south, take State Highway 1 north off of U.S. Highway 101 in San Luis Obispo, drive for about 12 miles and take the Los Osos/Baywood exit, and follow the signs for Montana de Oro State Park. Upon entering the State Park immediately look for a sign reading "Montana de Oro Horse Camps" and park in one of the sandy turn-outs provided. No water or outhouses are available at the trailhead, although they are available at the visitor center.
Notes on the trail: After riding a short distance up a dirt road, the Manzanita Trail leads steadily up to the top of a ridge, joins the narrow Ridge Trail for a short distance, crosses over the ridge while poison oak reaches out to caress you, and dives down through an eroded and sandy area to join the newly rebuilt Bloody Nose Trail. The Bloody Nose Trail leads down to the paved road that leads back to the car. These trails are easily erodable. Please do not allow your rear tire to slide on downhill sections. If you cannot ride steeply down without sliding, please walk your bike down these sections. When you encounter water bars, please ride or walk your bike over them, not around them. Do not ride on these trails when they are wet. Please ride in such a manner that you do not surprise other trail users. Always yield right-of-way to other trail users when you meet them.
The ride:
0.0 Ride up Hazard Canyon Road past the horse camp, through the closed gate and to the beginning of the Manzanita Trail.
0.9 Take Manzanita Trail to the right. This trail begins by diving down into a creekbed. To avoid damage to the creek banks, please walk your bike down to the creekbed and back up the other side. Watch out for stinging nettles! Prepare yourself mentally for a long and steady climb to the top of the ridge. It might help if you watch the wildflowers as you ride along. Yellow-orange sticky monkey flowers and white to purple morning glories are abundant throughout the spring and summer.
1.3 The trail levels off a bit and becomes very narrow. At this point the poison oak begins to get personal. The singletrack up to this point has been so nice that I won't blame you for turning around to enjoy it in the downhill direction!
1.4 Trail junction. Turn right to continue on the Manzanita Trail.
1.5 Tool bench. Bear to the right to continue on the Manzanita Trail. If the trail needs some maintenance, please feel free to use the tools to repair it. Don't even try to dodge the poison oak past this point; It just isn't possible to avoid it! Just think good thoughts and wash it off at your first opportunity. Wildflowers also become more abundant: paintbrushes, golden yarrow, California poppies, indian pinks.
1.9 This is the high spot for the ride.
2.0 A small trail takes off to a view area on the top of the ridge. After checking out the view, bear left to continue down the Manzanita Trail.
2.2 The narrow singletrack turns into a wide trail and becomes rocky.
2.3 Strange manzanita bushes are encountered -- with thick fibrous bark rather than thin peeling bark that is characteristic of other species of manzanita. This is an endemic species: Morro Bay manzanita. The surface changes from rocky to sandy. You are now riding on old sand dunes that have been compacted and uplifted several hundred feet! Unfortunately this surface is easily eroded.
2.4 You might as well enjoy the rare manzanitas as you push your bike through the loose sand.
2.5 Heading down: Remember that you want to pack the sand down, not dig it up. Don't slide your rear wheel!
2.9 Watch out for the sand pit!
2.9+ Trail junction. Turn left to join the Bloody Nose Trail. This is a newly rebuilt and relatively smooth and hard-packed trail.
3.1 Small stream crossing. After rubbing up against so much poison oak, I advise you to wash your arms and legs. The trail is wide enough from now on that you will not be rubbing up against any more of it. Next to the stream is a smelly plant about 2-3 feet tall with grayish green leaves with smooth margins. This is mugwort. It is said to prevent poison oak reactions. Crush a couple of leaves and rub it liberally on your arms and legs. But don't confuse this plant with stinging nettles, which have serrated leaves.
3.6 Sudden sand pit.
3.8 Sudden right hand turn and water bar.
4.0 Outhouse for Environmental Campsite 1. The Bloody Nose Trail ends and a sandy dirt road begins.
4.3 Ride past Camp Keep.
4.4 Look out for a locked gate that is the same color as the dirt road that it guards.
4.4 Turn right onto the paved road and ride carefully back to your car.
6.1 As soon as you can, take a shower to remove any remaining poison oak oils and look for ticks!
Location: About 14 miles northwest of San Luis Obispo.
Distance: 6.6 mile loop.
Time: 2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 1700 feet. Lowest elevation = 40 feet; highest elevation = 360 feet.
Tread: All singletrack, mostly hard-packed sand.
Maximum aerobic level: Moderate.
Total effort: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 3.
Highlights: Frequent views of the Morro Bay estuary and the sand spit beyond, abundant wildflowers from April - June, beautiful weather between Pacific storms, volcanic ridges of "dacite". No motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails.
Land status: Morro Bay State Park.
Maps: USGS Morro Bay South. A topographic trail map showing most of the trails is available at the trailhead. An updated topographic map of the region entitled "Mountain Biking San Luis Obispo & Coastal Areas" is published by SLO Adventures (www.fix.net/sloadventures).
Access: From US Highway 101 in San Luis Obispo, take California State Highway 1 north for 12 miles. From US Highway 101 in Atascadero take State Highway 41 west, and then State Highway 1 south for 2 miles. Take the exit for Morro Bay and Montana de Oro State Parks, set your trip meter to zero, and follow South Bay Boulevard. At 0.8 miles past the freeway offramp, continue straight toward Montana de Oro State Park, rather than turning right into Morro Bay State Park. At 1.1 miles watch for a Eucalyptus tree on the left side of the road. Turn left into the parking lot just prior to the tree at 1.4 miles. The trailhead is at the north end of the parking lot. The trailtail is at the south end. No water or bathrooms are available, although a garbage can and trail maps are.
Notes on the trail: A series of short singletracks intersect this old ranch and quarry site. A view of the area is afforded from the top of Portola Point. Wildflowers abound from March through June. Although most of the trails are sandy and hard-packed, some sections can become quite muddy for a couple of days following a storm. Please do not ride these trails until they have dried out to avoid damaging them. There are also several "seeps" along the trail during the spring, creating deep mud conditions. For the sake of yourself, your bike, and the trail, please walk your bike through these muddy seeps. The trails are mostly narrow and pristine. Please help to keep them that way by staying on the trail and by keeping your tires from sliding on downhill sections. (Keep your butt back!) Please also be watchful for other trail users so that you do not catch them by surprise, and yield right-of-way to them as you meet.
The Ride:
0.0 Head up the Quarry Trail. This section of trail is deceptively steep, and fairly eroded in places!
0.1 An unmapped and unsigned trail heads off to the left. I encourage you to ride out and back on this beautiful trail! You first ride through chaparral containing mostly bright green coyote brush and fragrant California sage and yellow-orange sticky monkey flowers, then pass by some introduced prickly pear cactus, then ride beside some peonies with small, but bright wine-colored flowers in early spring. Views of the estuary, the sandspit beyond, and the Pacific Ocean are constant.
0.6 Intersection with a dirt road, and the end of the delightful singletrack. As you turn around, notice the ferns and wild cucumbers and lush poison oak.
1.1 Turn left onto the Quarry Trail and continue to climb.
1.3 Ignore the unmapped and unsigned trail to the left and continue straight on the Quarry Trail.
1.4 The old rock quarry is on your left. It is located on the lower slope of Cerro Cabrillo, a volcanic ridge.
1.5 Do not turn right onto the Live Oak Trail, but instead continue straight on the Quarry Trail.
1.9 Since the last junction you have climbed out of the chaparral and into grassland. Ignore the overgrown Park Ridge Trail and continue straight on the Quarry Trail. In the distance is Hollister Peak, a volcanic plug, similar in origin and appearance to Morro Rock.
1.9+ A beautiful singletrack bears off to the right -- Canet Trail -- take it! This is a newly built, unmapped, narrow, and pristine trail.
2.0 Continue straight at the trail junction. Watch out for poison oak!
2.1 The trail passes the high point as it traverses the side of the knoll.
2.3 Turn left onto Park Ridge Trail.
2.4 Turn left onto the Chumash Trail.
2.5 Turn left onto the Crespi Trail. (You have been riding downhill since the high point, and have been turning left at every trail junction.)
2.7 A small trail heads off to the right. This is a "shortcut". If you wish to ride all of the Crespi Trail, take the left fork and get ready to climb!
3.0 The trail approaches a fence and then swings steeply down to the right. If you can't ride down this steeply without sliding, please walk your bike.
3.2 Ignore the "shortcut" from the right and continue straight.
3.3 Gracefully execute the short technical downhill with a mud puddle at the bottom. The trail now climbs over a ridge and descends through a grassland to a live oak forest below. The trail at this point is only a few inches wide -- a mountain biker's dream!
3.5 Ride through the grove of old live oaks hanging with lichens. Watch out for the poison oak!
4.0 Notice the rocky knoll at the top of the ridge. It is capped with chaparral, and the cap is surrounded by grassland. The trail passes along the junction between the two.
4.2 Take the Chumash Trail to the right and up.
4.5 You are back at the junction with the Crespi Trail. Look familiar? Turn left onto the Crespi Trail to head west toward the estuary.
4.7 Bear left onto the Ridge Trail.
4.9 This is tricky! After descending into a low point, climb for a few feet and look for a trail heading off to your right. If you reach the top of a ridge you have gone too far. Although this trail is on the State Park map, it is not currently signed, and looks faint at first.
5.0 Junction with the Live Oak Trail. Bear right. (You will be returning to this point later to take the other fork.) If you are tired or short on time, turn left and head back to the parking lot. But if you want a good view and an exciting downhill, bear right!
5.1 Notice the bracken ferns as high as your head and the luxuriant poison oak.
5.2 Bear left to stay on the Live Oak Trail.
5.3 Turn left onto the Portola Trail and climb.
5.5 The Portola Trail forms a loop from this point. Go either direction and return. Enjoy the views from the bench built by the Central Coast Concerned Mountain Bikers. (Thanks people!)
5.7 After completing the loop ride back down the Portola Trail. Remember to keep your weight back on steep sections so as to avoid skidding your tires, and watch for other users coming up!
5.9 Turn right onto the unsigned Live Oak Trail. If you cannot ride over the water bars, please walk your bike over them rather than riding around them to preserve the trail.
6.2 Bear right to continue on the Live Oak Trail. (This junction should look familiar!)
6.4 Ignore the trail that heads off to the left and enjoy the views of the estuary.
6.6 Arrive back at the parking lot.
Location: 8.9 miles west of Atascadero on State Highway 41; 7.2 miles east of Morro Bay on State Highway 41.
Distance: 4.7 mile loop.
Time: 1 1/2 hours.
Elevation gain: About 2200 feet. Lowest elevation = 880 feet; highest elevation = 2600 feet.
Tread: Mostly hard-packed singletrack.
Maximum aerobic level: Strenuous.
Total effort: Moderate.
Technical difficulty: 2-3 (mostly 3).
Highlights: Wildflowers in early spring! (Hummingbird plants with whorls of red flowers, fushia-flowered gooseberries with bright red flowers, deerbrush with bundles of blue flowers, hillside peas with lavender flowers, bush poppies with yellow flowers, and woodland stars and clematis with white flowers.) Views of the canyon below, which widen as one climbs higher, views of the Morro Bay region from the lookout, huge banana slugs, scores of newts during mating season (April), smooth singletrack, technical singletrack, and roller-coasters. No motorized vehicles are allowed on these trails.
Land status: Los Padres National Forest.
Maps: USGS Atascadero, Morro Bay North. A trail map is posted at the trailhead. An updated topographic map of the region entitled "Mountain Biking San Luis Obispo & Coastal Areas" is published by SLO Adventures (www.fix.net/sloadventures).
Access: From Atascadero on U.S. Highway 101, drive west on State Highway 41 for 8.9 miles. From Morro Bay on State Highway 1, drive east for 7.2 miles. Turn at the sign for Cerro Alto Campground and drive to the end of the road. Bathrooms and water are available. From the trailhead parking, ride back about 100 feet and look for a singletrack heading down to a bridge between campsites 15 and 16. This marks the beginning of the Bridge Trail.
Notes on the trail: The Bridge Trail is newly built, narrow, and smooth, and climbs gradually to the AT&T dirt road amongst wildflowers during spring and early summer. Its surface is hard-packed dirt with a layer of small chards of shale which provides for good traction. From there, the wider and more technical Cerro Alto Upper Trail climbs steeply on a rocky surface to the Lookout Road (dirt). On a clear day you may wish to climb for another .2 miles and 300 feet to the lookout. On the way back down, the Cerro Alto Upper Trail provides a technical challenge for intermediate riders, and the Canyon Trail provides a roller-coaster experience that will make the sternest of mountain bikers smile! If you don't have the time and energy for the ride as I have described it, you may ride the "Lower Loop" -- up the Bridge Trail, down the AT&T Trail, and down the Canyon Trail. These trails are extensively used by hikers -- especially on weekends. Please be aware of other trail users as you approach sections with poor visibility and yield right-of-way when you meet. The trail surface is also very erodable in places. Please prevent your rear tire from sliding by keeping your weight back on steep descents. Do not ride these trails when they are wet.
The ride:
0.0 Start by riding over the bridge and through a bay, live oak, and fern forest. The trail becomes steeper and looser as you pump or push your way up to the AT&T Trail.
0.9 Trail junction: Turn left onto the AT&T Trail and continue to ride up. A sign will read "Summit" to the left.
1.0 Trail junction: Turn right onto the currently unsigned Cerro Alto Upper Trail. Don't feel bad if you have to push your bike up some or all of this trail, as it is quite steep and rocky! (If you are not up for this climb, you may continue to ride the AT&T Trail and Canyon Trail back to the campground. This is referred to as the "Lower Loop" and is only 2.7 miles long with 800 of total climbing. Just skip ahead to mile 3.0.)
1.4 Morro Rock comes into view. A small unsigned and perhaps unnamed trail continues straight to the Lookout Road. Follow Cerro Alto Upper Trail as it makes a sharp turn to the left. Look carefully at this corner, as it may be quite a challenge on the way back down!
1.8 Reach Lookout Road. If you have the time and energy, turn left and follow this dirt road for another .2 miles and 300 feet to the lookout, and return to this point.
2.0 Enjoy the grand view and have a well-deserved snack! When you are finished, head back down to the beginning of the Cerro Alto Upper Trail.
2.2 Back at the beginning of the Cerro Alto Upper Trail. Keep your weight back to prevent your rear tire from sliding. If you cannot ride some sections without sliding, please walk your bike through these sections. Be extra careful when the rocks are wet!
2.6 If you are not a good technical rider, you may wish to walk your bike around this sharp, steep, and rocky corner.
3.0 Turn right onto the AT&T Trail. This trail starts off fairly gently, but then dives quickly downhill toward the beginning of the Canyon Trail.
3.8 Turn left onto the Canyon Trail. If you cannot ride the first section without sliding your rear tire, please walk your bike. This trail back to camp is a roller-coaster and with many blind turns. Please slow down when visibility becomes limited so that you do not startle other trail users. In early spring you might also keep your eyes open for mating newts. They have waited for this moment for an entire year. I would hate to see them squashed in the middle of their celebration!
4.7 Trailtail, back at the parking area. If you really enjoyed this ride and still feel like riding, just ride up and back down the Canyon Trail again! It is always better the second time...or ride the "Lower Loop." As soon as possible, check your body for ticks.
Location: 8.9 miles west of Atascadero on State Highway 41; 7.2 miles east of Morro Bay on State Highway 41.
Distance: 1.8 miles, out-and-back.
Time: 3/4 hour.
Elevation gain: About 800 feet. Lowest elevation = 1000 feet; highest elevation = 1800 feet.
Tread: Singletrack, hard-packed to loose and rocky.
Maximum aerobic level: Strenuous.
Total effort: Easy.
Technical difficulty: 3.
Highlights: A technical but ridable downhill return, wildflowers to enjoy while pumping or pushing your bike up. No motorized vehicles are allowed on this trail.
Land status: Los Padres National Forest.
Maps: USGS Atascadero, Morro Bay North. A trail map is posted at the campground. An updated topographic map of the region entitled "Mountain Biking San Luis Obispo & Coastal Areas" is published by SLO Adventures (www.fix.net/sloadventures).
Access: From Atascadero on U.S. Highway 101, drive west on State Highway 41 for 8.9 miles. From Morro Bay on State Highway 1, drive east on State Highway 41 for 7.2 miles. Turn at the sign for Cerro Alto Campground and park at the gate. The trail begins to the right of the gate. No water or bathrooms are available at the trailhead, although they are available at the campground.
Notes on the trail: This is a steep, loose, and rocky grunt to the top of the ridge, and a white knuckle ride back down. It is enjoyable for those that don't mind pumping or pushing their bikes steeply uphill and that enjoy steep and loose and rocky descents. Plan to rub up against poison oak on the lower portion. There is very little evidence of bikes using this trail. Avoid riding during the middle of the day during hot weather as there is no shade once you leave the creek. Please don't ride this trail unless you can ride steeply downhill without sliding your rear wheel! If you do happen to meet other trail users, please yield right-of-way to them.
The ride:
0.0 The trail immediately zooms down to the creek, crosses the creek on a concrete slab, and then passes through poison oak and blackberries under a canopy of live oak trees on a smooth and hard-packed trail.
0.3 Spring. The trail becomes steep and rocky.
0.6 The trail becomes looser and rockier.
0.9 Junction with a old dirt road. Head back down! Keep your butt back and don't be afraid to use the front brakes when you are heading straight. If you can't ride certain sections without sliding, please walk your bike through these sections to avoid damaging them. If you begin to smell your brake pads getting hot, you had better let your rims cool for a couple of minutes so that you don't melt your tubes!
1.8 Back at the creek. I advise washing your arms and legs to remove any poison oak that you may have picked up.
Minimizing Trail Conflicts On Singletrack Trails
Minimizing Trail Impact On Singletrack Trails
Hints For Beginning Singletrackers
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