Blog Archives

Big Bear Area

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XEN MTB provides guided mountain biking tours in the Big Bear, California. Whether you’re looking for a casual family cruise around the lake or some serious cross country climbs and awesome single track descents, there’s a little something for everyone here. Big Bear can pretty much be ridden year round and it’s especially nice during the spring when all the flowers are blooming!

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Big Bear: Fawnskin to Hanna Flats + Gray’s Peak

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Fawnskin to Hanna Flats to Grays Peak to Grout Bay Elevation Profile

 

Ride Stats

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Big Bear: Skyline to Pine Knot

Skyline to Pine Knot Elevation Profile

 

Ride Stats

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Chantry to Mt Zion Loop

The Chantry Flats / Mt. Zion / Gabrielino trail loop is not for people who are afraid of heights nor those who don’t enjoy hiking. Continue reading


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Chilao / Charlton Area

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The Chilao / Charlton area ride consists of easy fire road climbs and single track descents down mostly smooth terrain. It can be done all year round so long as long as there is no snow. Even in the hottest days of summer, the temperatures here are typically 10 degrees cooler than anywhere else.

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Chilao / Charlton Area

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The Chilao / Charlton area ride consists of easy fire road climbs and single track descents down mostly smooth terrain. It can be done all year round so long as long as there is no snow. Even in the hottest days of summer, the temperatures here are typically 10 degrees cooler than anywhere else.

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Chilao Area to Arcadia

This ride requires a drop off near the Angelus Christian Camp deep within the Angelus National Forest. It is a 26 mile all-day adventure with about 3,300′ of varied terrain including single tracks, fire roads and some pavement sections. It is truly an EPIC ride by any standards,

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Chiquito Trail via Blue Jay Campground

The Chiquito Trail may seem like a short route down from Blue Jay campground, but don’t let the mileage fool you. And don’t think that just because this a shuttle ride that it’s going to be an easy downhill ride. It’s not! This trail has some of the most advanced technical features of the entire area. XEN MTB provides guided mountain biking tours down the Chiquito trail for advanced and expert level riders. Continue reading


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Chiquito Trail via the Upper San Juan Loop

This route combines the upper section of the San Juan trail with the Viejo Tie and Chiquito trails. Although only 14 miles, it will feel like double that. This route for Advanced and Expert riders only. Count on 3-4+ hours of riding on 100% single track trails with plenty of rocks and some cliff exposure. Continue reading


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Eaton Saddle > Mt Lowe > Sunset Trail

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This is a downhill ride requiring a shuttle service to get you to the Eaton Saddle near the top of Mt Wilson. It’s a nice alternative to the Mt Lowe Loop that cuts out most of the climbing of that ride that you would otherwise.

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Ken Burton Loop

A relatively easy climb with a dangerous cliff-edge descent. Continue reading


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La Tuna Loop

If you’re looking for a quick ride with descent views of the Los Angeles area, this may be the one for you. It’s a great loop for beginners, but even Advanced riders will enjoy some of the technical bonus features along the trail. The loop begins with a 3.5 mile climb up a fire road.

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Laguna Coast Wilderness

Book a Tour Now! Laguna Coast Wilderness Park is part of the Orange County coastal region, seated between Aliso and Wood Canyons to the east, Crystal Cove State Park to the west and Bommer Canyon areas to the north. Per square mile of territory, it features a greater variety of single track trails compared to its neighbors,

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Laguna Meadows to Noble Canyon

This ride begins with a flowy singletrack through meadows and pine trees, includes an EPIC level singletrack through oak trees and sycamores and ends with a desert like terrain with jagged rocks, cactus plants and cliff edges over the canyon floor. Continue reading


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Monroe Truck Trail Downhill

Although this ride can be done as an up and down, it’s a lot more fun as a downhill run!  Of course, you’ll need to coordinate shuttles but with a drive time up of about 20 minutes, this makes for a perfect place to session a few runs to increase the fun. 

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Mount Laguna > Laguna Meadows > Noble Canyon

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The best possible variation of both Noble Canyon and Laguna Meadows, this ride begins with a drop off at the Red-Tailed Roost Visitor Center. From there a mostly single track route drops into the Laguna Meadows where you can either just go straight across the meadows to begin the rest of the ride or do some loops around the lakes on somewhat flat terrain.

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Mt Lowe Loop

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If you like climbing up steep fire roads and descending on sweet technical single tracks, this is the loop for you. XEN MTB loves this ride! You pay for the fun first with a 2,500′ climb up a fire road. From there nearly all of the rest of the way down is single track.

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Noble Canyon

Book Trip Now!If you’re going all the way to Pine Valley, California you may as well get the most you can out of one day of riding. And that’s why XEN MTB suggests starting Noble Canyon with a gentle ride through the Laguna Meadows. You’ll dodge cow pies on the trail and absorb the beautiful high country views and air.

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Noble Canyon via Pine Creek Road

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If you prefer to earn your downhills, this loop is the way to go for Noble Canyon. It starts with a somewhat steep paved road for five miles with 1,665′ of climbing, followed by five miles of pure bliss down the best parts of Noble Canyon single tracks.

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Noble Canyon via Sunrise Highway

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Noble Canyon via Sunrise Highway Elevation Profile

 

Ride Stats

Distance
(Miles)
Min. Time
(Hours)
Max. Time
(Hours)
Ride
Level

 

% Singletrack
% Doubletrack
% Rideable
% Unpaved

 

Total Ascent
(Feet)
Starting Elevation
(Feet)
Max. Elevation
(Feet)
Best Season
To Ride

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Palm Canyon (Pine View) to Dunn Road

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Another variation of the Palm Canyon EPIC ride, this option starts off with a more aggressive single track. On this map, you also see the bailout option down Dunn Road.

Palm Canyon (Pine View) to Dunn Road Elevation Profile

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Palm Canyon (Pinyon Flats) to Dunn Road

Book Trip Now!This is a variation of the traditional Palm Canyon EPIC route. It starts as a less technical option at the beginning than the Pine View Drive option. If you’re out of water when you reach the top of the sand wash at around mile 18,

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Palm Canyon + Art Smith Trail

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Another variation of the Palm Canyon EPIC ride, this option is even harder, covering more miles of single track trails. But along with it, you’ll also pay for the extra fun with some big climbs on the way down the Art Smith Trail.

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Palm Canyon EPIC

WE ARE NO LONGER OFFERING THE PALM CANYON  ROUTE.  THERE IS A LOT OF DEBATE RECENTLY ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF THIS TRAIL GOING THROUGH A SECTION OF TRIBAL LAND.  THIS TRAIL GUIDE DOES NOT MAKE ANY CLAIMS REGARDING THE LEGAL STATUS OF THE RIDE ROUTE.  AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO APPARENT ALTERNATE ROUTE ONCE YOU REACH THE BOTTOM OF THE FIRST DESCENT INTO PALM ANYON,

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Redbox to JPL via Gabrielino

Photos of Redbox to JPL

http://photos.3fbc.com/Angeles_Forest/20181006_Redbox_to_JPL/
http://photos.3fbc.com/Angeles_Forest/20090718_Red_Box_to_JPL/

 

Ride Stats

Distance
(Miles)
Min. Time
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Max. Time
(Hours)
Ride
Level

 

% Singletrack
% Doubletrack
% Rideable
% Unpaved

 

Total Ascent
(Feet)
Starting Elevation
(Feet)
Max.

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San Clemente Singletracks


The San Clemente Single tracks, also known as “The Weed Patch” are official part of the San Onofre State Park system. So many people visit San Onofre for camping and surfing year round that the wait list for camp spots opens up in February for late summer camping and is sold out within an hour.

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San Juan Trail

Whether you ride up San Juan trail or down as a shuttle option, there’s plenty of steady technical riding to be had here. This trail surface is smooth in most parts and extremely fast. The dirt grips amazingly well to your tires, even in wet weather, but doesn’t drag you down. Continue reading


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San Juan Trail Shuttle via Blue Jay Campground

A great downhill option for riding the San Juan which starts at Blue Jay campground. Continue reading


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San Juan Trail: Up, Around and Down

Ride up to ā€œcocktail rockā€, then around the upper loop in either direction (each way has its advantages and disadvantages), and then come right back down the way you came. Continue reading


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San Juan Upper Loop via Blue Jay Campground

Please note: This is NOT a shuttle-assisted ride. You start at the top, drop down, climb a hill, go down again and then back up what you started at the end. This cuts about half the climbing of starting from the bottom of the San Juan trail and effectively doubles the climbing of the shuttle-assisted option.

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Santa Ana River Trail

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This ride will give you a great workout even on the way down and features spectacular views of the San Bernardino Forest. With XEN MTB as your mountain biking tour guide, you’ll know when to push hard up those climbs, when take it easy, and when to let go of the brakes and fly!

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Santiago Oaks

Santiago Oaks trails are mostly smooth with great bank turns making them very interesting and fun rides on the way down and totally climbable on the way up. Optionally, more experienced riders can try the more chunky lines. You’ll also get some nice panoramic views of Orange County as well at the top. Continue reading


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Santiago Truck Trail and O’Neill Park Loop

A beautiful ride with great views and the most Oak Trees you’ll likely see in one area of Orange County.   

Photos of this route:

http://photos.3fbc.com/Santa_Ana_Mountains/20131129_STT_to_Luge_Plus_ONeill/

Ride Stats

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Strawberry Peak Loop

A very strenuous and steep climb combined with technical sections and steep cliff edges makes this a rewarding, but very dangerous half-day loop recommended only for those in excellent shape and without a fear of heights. Continue reading


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Thomas Mountain

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Trabuco to Holy Jim

The Trabuco trail is a narrow, steep and rocky climb with cliff edges in some parts that is challenging even to the most fit riders.

There’s an optional hike-a-bike short cut (West Horsethief) but XEN MTB recommends doing the whole route. Once at the Main Divide,

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Valley Forge to Chantry

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XEN MTB provides guided mountain biking tours on the “dark side” trails of Mount Wilson. This ride requires a shuttle service to drop us off near the top of Mt Wilson at Eaton Saddle. It begins with a great single track followed by a gentle fire road climb and then an hour long roller coaster of a single track ride down to the Chantry area.

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