Routes in California

[A Thousand Ss]

Does anyone know of any mtb touring routes in northern
california? CT is out, but I will be in cali in June. Thanks,

Daniel

[MattySF]

Henry Coe in the north bay has the most out back type of experience that I know of.

http://www.coepark.org/biking.html

The Mainheadlands has a number of free campsites available via fire roads.

http://www.nps.gov/goga/marin-headlands.htm

[AZTtripper]

No single track but some amazing scenery, The Dusy Ershim Jeep Trail. East of Fresno I was up there rock climbing and just did a little bit of riding. Great place to take a fishing pole.

[murphyo]

Check out the Tahoe Rim Trail (questionable for June) or the Downieville area. Each one is amazing, enjoy!

-Owen

[dave54]

Not too many long stretches of single track.  Most of the extensive trail systems are locked up in wilderness.  If you are willing to ride partly on dirt forest roads an infinite number of routes exist.

The Modoc Line Rails-to-Trail from Alturas to Susanville is still under development (85 miles).  It eventually will connect to the Bizz Johnson Trail (25 miles) (which will eventually connect to the still being built Collins Pine Trail - 18 miles).  Just across the state line in Oregon is the ONC trail (120 miles) from Klamath Falls to Bly.  When completed, all these interconnected trails will total over 300 miles of bike trail, with bike-in campgrounds a day's ride apart.  Thank God for mtn bike riding county planners with big dreams.

[AmyL]

Daniel wrote "Does anyone know of any mtb touring routes in northern california?"

Are you looking for an overnight?  A week?  A couple weeks or more?
Do you want to limit yourself to single track, or are you open to dirt road touring routes?
There are many options for great dirt road riding of various lengths (as Dave54 mentioned), so if dirt road touring for a week or two is interesting to you, I can make a suggestion or two.

For a quick overnight without cars in the San Francisco Bay Area:
Henry Coe State Park
Mt Diablo State Park
Arroyo Seco - Indians Road in Los Padres National Forest

Amy

[outlierrn]

No single track but some amazing scenery, The Dusy Ershim Jeep Trail. East of Fresno I was up there rock climbing and just did a little bit of riding. Great place to take a fishing pole.

I've done some of this, may try to finally run the whole thing this year.  Be aware that it's pretty remote and rugged, I don't see getting through it with less than a full suss bike, or a lot of hike-a-bike. 

[dave54]

After further reflection...

An unofficial route circumnavigating Lassen Volcanic NP ~130 miles depending on which variation you ride.  Mostly forest road with some single track and a few unavoidable paved miles.  Follows the outside perimeter of the Park and adjacent Caribou Wilderness.

Just north of the Downieville Divide is an area of Plumas National Forest called Lakes Basin.  It has a trail system that connects to Downieville.  Lots of lakes. 

South of Paynes Creek/Highway 36 and north of the Ishi Wilderness is a system of 4wd roads on National Forest and state Fish and Game land.  Gets very little use outside of hunting season.  Even though it is labeled an OHV area you will have little to no motorized company on the 'roads' (some are as technical and rough as any black diamond singletrack).  Incredible wildflowers, wildlife, and bizarre rock formations.  Spring time best.  Hotter then Hades during summer and heavy hunting pressure in the Fall.

[Arctos]

Cycling the California Outback with Bodfish has some good N. Cal. route suggestions. http://www.bodfishbicycles.com/home.html  530-258-2338

 Also Krebs Bike touring maps of N. Cal.  http://www.krebscycleproducts.com

[dave54]

Cycling the California Outback with Bodfish has some good N. Cal. route suggestions. http://www.bodfishbicycles.com/home.html  530-258-2338...

Chuck's shop is on Main Street, in Chester.  Along the Lassen Peak route mentioned above.  Some of the high country will still be snowbound in June.  It was a good snow year for California mountains.

[adamonnrope]

Hi everyone, on that same note can anyone give me some beta on the mtb scene in and around Ojai area. Might be moving out to the area, looks like some fantastic terrain.
Peace.

[mtntraveler]

Hi regarding Ojai.  I have ridden in the area a few times and there is some good riding and single track, but a lot of the adjacent forest is wilderness area.  If you include a 20 to 40 mile  radice from Ojai there is potential for great riding.  It can be a bit warm in summer.  mtntraveler

[mtntraveler]

No single track but some amazing scenery, The Dusy Ershim Jeep Trail. East of Fresno I was up there rock climbing and just did a little bit of riding. Great place to take a fishing pole.


Regarding the Dusy Ershim Jeep trail
I rode this trail about 15 years ago as a three day loop.  When we went in to get camping permits the lady ranger said you can't ride a bike on that jeep trail.  Well we did and walked only a few very steep sections, we may have been the first Mtn bikers to bikepack the complete Dusy Ershim Jeep trail.      mtntraveler

[Quentin]

What a good thread, I recommend jeep trails in Mendocino National Forest.  Good North-South routes in the mountains between the 101 and I5 corridor.  I have some of my mixed dirt and pavement thru routes written up at http://www.fftouring.com/about/quentins-routes.. always looking for more route ideas
Quentin

[AZTtripper]

No single track but some amazing scenery, The Dusy Ershim Jeep Trail. East of Fresno I was up there rock climbing and just did a little bit of riding. Great place to take a fishing pole.

Regarding the Dusy Ershim Jeep trail
I rode this trail about 15 years ago as a three day loop.  When we went in to get camping permits the lady ranger said you can't ride a bike on that jeep trail.  Well we did and walked only a few very steep sections, we may have been the first Mtn bikers to bikepack the complete Dusy Ershim Jeep trail.      mtntraveler

Sounds like a great trip. When I was there in 2000 there was a group of guys 3 moto bikes, one quad, and an older 3 wheeler with tiny flat track tires on the back. They were doing a two day trip from Courtright Reservoir north, I wasn't bike backing so no gear but I was traveling faster then they were. It was pretty hilarious me on a peddle bike waiting for the motor riders. I went back to camp and then took off after them in the morning I though sure I could catch them but once you get up in the high country and the road gets easier they were gone. I met some jeepers who said the moto group had broken one of their chains and were having to share one chain between two bikes. One guy rides ahead takes the chain off and takes it back to the second guy and so on and so on. Apparently they spent the night on that steep hill right before the first lake. The jeep folks had camped at the lake and said you could hear them bitching at each other all night long. I'll take my trusty steel hard tail over a moto any day.

[tubeSSnapper]

For a bigger trip the area from lake Tahoe to north of Downieville has a web of trails and dirt roads. You can even start in Auburn or Nevada city and go "dirt only" the whole time. IN theory you could go all the way to Lassen on dirt and connect to the routes mentioned in that area.
One loop route I've a few time is from Nevada City up to the Truckee area and back through the Grouse Ridge Area. Many of these miles are technical and really fun. plenty of water and fishing.

In Southern Cal. I've done a route through the San Bernadino Mtns to Big Bear and down to Joshua Tree. my route was all dirt road but great never the less.

And then there is always the "Preferred Cycling Trail".... 

[xckeefe12]

Thanks for all this info

I'm planning a lengthy bikepacking trip of the US, and am just about to start mapping the California portion. Here's what I'm looking at:

-Come in from Arizona on Rt 62
-Cut into San Bernardino National Forest by Big Bear Lake
-Hop on the Sierra Cascades route by Adventure Cycling Acc. up to Lake Taho
-Cut over to San Franciso
-Ride up the Pacific Coast to the Redwood forest

This thread has opened my eyes to the possibilities of getting off-road more though, especially considering I'm riding a mountain bike. I've mixed in a few forest roads but was hoping to get your opinions on route alterations.

Mostly I'm concerned about seeing Lake Taho, Yosemite, and the Redwoods. I'm looking to stay away from loops, making progress toward Oregon and over to Crater Lake.

I was originally planning on just riding Rt 1 up the coast, but might check out the Krebs Bike touring map on N. Cali.

Thanks

[Marshal]

Thanks for all this info

I'm planning a lengthy bikepacking trip of the US, and am just about to start mapping the California portion. Here's what I'm looking at:

-Come in from Arizona on Rt 62
-Cut into San Bernardino National Forest by Big Bear Lake
-Hop on the Sierra Cascades route by Adventure Cycling Acc. up to Lake Taho
-Cut over to San Franciso
-Ride up the Pacific Coast to the Redwood forest

This thread has opened my eyes to the possibilities of getting off-road more though, especially considering I'm riding a mountain bike. I've mixed in a few forest roads but was hoping to get your opinions on route alterations.

Mostly I'm concerned about seeing Lake Taho, Yosemite, and the Redwoods. I'm looking to stay away from loops, making progress toward Oregon and over to Crater Lake.

I was originally planning on just riding Rt 1 up the coast, but might check out the Krebs Bike touring map on N. Cali.

Thanks

The 'go anywhere plan' for N CA (or anywhere else)

1) A mountain bike type set up (with light to medium load)

2) A GPS to pre-record a mix of paved/dirt/trail GPS-tracks (TopoFusion and goggle earth can help a lot with this) http://www.topofusion.com/index.php

3) Time

enjoy and post up your trip!

[Von Petrol]

This trip near the central coast looks good:

http://salsacycles.com/culture/california_coastal_tour_-_the_experience/

[r.stephens]

FWIW, when riding along the California coast, it's much preferable to right north to south because of the prevailing winds.