|
Ride |
Closest City |
Distance fm Orinda |
Description
(from singletracks.com) |
Difficulty &
Category |
Length |
Cost |
|
Briones Regional Park
|
Lafayette |
6 mi to
Bear Creek Rd & Briones Rd. |
Take Acalanes Rd exit and follow signs to Upper Happy Valley Rd, right onto El Nido Ranch Rd, left onto Upper Happy Valley Rd, left onto Happy Valley Rd, right onto Bear Creek Rd, right into Briones pickenic area. Maps at trail head. Basic East Bay rolling hills read some STEEP. Grass lands between forested areas. |
Intermediate
Tough Climbs, Technical Challenge, Sweet Singletrack, Good After-Work Ride |
25 mi w/several trails of varied length. |
$3 to park |
|
Camp Tamarancho
|
Fairfax |
32 mi to
Sunshine Bike Shop, 737 Center Blvd. for Day Pass (Park across the street) |
Start out with a nice warm up climb up a paved road, followed by nice singletrack climb through some narrow switch-backs and some rock gardens. Levels out for some rolling singletrack. From here on, it is climb a little, enjoy some nice down hill. There are only 2 areas that I would call 'really technical' (THE switchback, and the boulder) but the rest of the trail will keep you on your toes, while still allowing your helmet to whistle in the wind. Since this is private property, you will either have to buy a day pass or a season pass at Don't try to poach, there are rangers out there most of the time. |
Intermediate
Sweet Singletrack, Great Scenery, Built for Beginners |
10 mi |
Day pass $5, Annual pass $40, Family pass $55 (2 adults & up to 3 children), Plus TOLL |
|
China Camp State Park
|
San Rafael |
32.5 mi to
Peacock Park at end of Peacock Dr. |
This is a good one to take your friends who are new to mountain biking on, or to get in a quick after-work ride. Even though this is a good beginner trail, there is still some fun to be had for the hardcore riders. Not much to else to say, except this is about the only legal (public) singletrack in Marin. |
Beginner
Sweet Singletrack, Good After-Work Ride, Built for Beginners, Nothing Special |
12 mi |
None Plus TOLL |
|
Joaquin Miller Park
|
Oakland |
12 mi to
Skyline Blvd just S of Chabot |
This trail is great if you can do shuttle runs. Real tight twisty singletrack with a few small jumps. Lots of tree roots to manage, a few rock gardens, some off camber sections and then there is a pretty good sized hip to hit in the middle. There is only one real small climb in the middle (takes about a minute if u hammer up it) then you get to an open space where there is a big open lookout area with a view of the whole S.F. Bay. Going down from this spot is real fun, switchback section with pretty big berms that u can really rail through. Check your speed as there is some blind corners and this is a shared trail with hikers. The hiker hippies here get feisty sometimes. |
Intermediate
Sweet Singletrack |
10 mi |
None |
|
Mitchell Canyon
|
Clayton |
17 mi to
End of Mitchell Canyon Rd. |
At the end of Mitchell Canyon Rd in Clayton (east of Walnut Creek), west side, start up the Mitchell Canyon Fire road. The first section for about a mile is relatively flat. Then you hit some wicked switchbacks that take up very fast to Deer Flat. At Deer flat take a right and follow the trail up to Juniper Camp. This section just prior to Juniper Camp is as hard as it gets. After you ride through Juniper Camp take the paved road up the mountain for about 1 mile. BEFORE you get to the summit you will see an unmarked single track trailhead on the right side of the road, this is North Peak trail. Follow this single track over the rocks and through the hairpin turn (Careful here) and down to a 4 way trail intersection. At this intersection take a left onto prospectors gap trail. It is loose and rocky coming down (my one and only mtn. biking fall happened here in 1994). Follow prospectors gap trail down...Its a scream...stay to the left at the next 2 trail intersections and follow meridian trail back to the Mitchell Canyon Fire road trail. The Mitchell Canyon Fire road trail back to the trailhead. My best time for this ride is 1 hour 51 minutes. One more thing...Do not ride this in the mid day heat of summer. You will cook. |
Intermediate
Tough Climb |
11 mi |
$2 to park |
|
Redwood Regional Park
|
Moraga |
11 mi to
Pinehurst Gate Staging Area |
Follow Ridge trail to West ridge trail Right on Stream Trail then left onto Canyon. There are maps at trail head most days. Your Basic East Bay steep rolling loop. Ride Lake Chabot lower to Redwood is a change up also. |
Beginner
Good After-Work Ride, Built for Beginners |
8.5 mi loop |
No fee to ride but $5 day use fee at Canyon Meadow Staging Area Easter thru Oct. |
