Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park offers riding opportunities from beginner through advanced routes on a combination of easy fire road climbs and great single track descents. Continue reading
Blog Archives
Aliso and Wood Canyons
Tags: aliso viejo, beginner, fall, fire roads, flowy, half day, intermediate, laguna beach, laguna hills, laguna niguel, loop, ocean views, OCPARKS, orange county, quarter day, rocky, scenic, single tracks, smooth, spring, strong beginner, summer, winter, xc
Anaheim Hills / Weir Canyon Loop
This loops winds through the local trails and connects with Weir Canyon. Continue reading
Tags: cross country, fall, fire roads, intermediate, loop, orange county, quarter day, scenic, single tracks, smooth, spring, strong beginner, summer, winter, xc
Arroyo / Trabuco / Tijeras Loop
The Arroyo / Trabuco / Tijeras Loop runs through O’Neill Regional Park and the surrounding communities of Trabuco Canyon, Rancho Santa Margarita and Ladera Ranch Continue reading
Big Bear Area
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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Cahuilla Hills Figure 8 Loop
If you don’t have all day to ride the Palm Canyon EPIC and are looking for something a little easier than the Art Smith Trail, then this figure eight loop may be just what you need. Intermediate level riders should be able to finish this ride in about four hours.
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Tags: advanced, half day, intermediate, loop, palm springs, rocky, scenic, single tracks, strong intermediate, technical, winter, xc
Cannell Trail
The Cannell Trail is a truly EPIC all day ride covering about 26 miles of high elevation terrain ending with about a 6 mile single track final descent back down to the Lake Isabella area. It requires a shuttle service to the top.
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Catalina Island Mountain Biking
Catalina Island is located about 22 miles off the coast of Southern California. Most people only visit the small town of Avalon, which is tiny compared to the rest of the island, especially at 1,500′ above it!
Catalina Island offers 75 square miles of open terrain where you’ll be lucky to spot many others on bikes.
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Tags: all day, avalon, beginner, catalina island, cross country, fall, fire roads, intermediate, ocean views, remote, scenic, smooth, spring, strong beginner, strong intermediate, summer, winter, xc
Chilao / Charlton Area
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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Chino Hills State Park
XEN MTB provides mountain biking tours throughout Chino Hills State Park for riders at all experience and fitness levels. Whether you’re interested in a quick and easy ride up Telegraph Canyon to Four Corners, or a grand tour of the entire park, there’s a ride for you.
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Chino Hills: East Side Loop
XEN MTB provides mountain biking tours throughout Chino Hills State Park for riders at all experience and fitness levels. Whether you’re interested in a quick and easy ride up Telegraph Canyon to Four Corners, or a grand tour of the entire park, there’s a ride for you.
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Chino Hills: Green River to Rolling M Ranch via Lower Aliso Canyon
XEN MTB provides mountain biking tours throughout Chino Hills State Park for riders at all experience and fitness levels. Whether you’re interested in a quick and easy ride up Telegraph Canyon to Four Corners, or a grand tour of the entire park, there’s a ride for you.
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Chino Hills: North Ridge and South Ridge
XEN MTB provides mountain biking tours throughout Chino Hills State Park for riders at all experience and fitness levels. Whether you’re interested in a quick and easy ride up Telegraph Canyon to Four Corners, or a grand tour of the entire park, there’s a ride for you. In Chino Hills you’ll find classic California terrain: beautiful rolling hills,
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Chino Hills: Rimcrest Loop
XEN MTB provides mountain biking tours throughout Chino Hills State Park for riders at all experience and fitness levels. Whether you’re interested in a quick and easy ride up Telegraph Canyon to Four Corners, or a grand tour of the entire park, there’s a ride for you.
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Chino Hills: Telegraph Canyon to Four Corners
XEN MTB provides mountain biking tours throughout Chino Hills State Park for riders at all experience and fitness levels. Whether you’re interested in a quick and easy ride up Telegraph Canyon to Four Corners, or a grand tour of the entire park, there’s a ride for you.
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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.
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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.
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El Moro: No Name – Deer – Rattlesnake – Moro Ridge – Fenceline
Tags: fall, flowy, intermediate, irvine, laguna beach, newport beach, ocean views, orange county, quarter day, rocky, scenic, single tracks, spring, strong beginner, summer, winter, xc
Fullerton Loop
The Fullerton Loop is an easy ride, good for beginners, in an urban setting Continue reading
Tags: beginner, cross country, fall, fire roads, loop, orange county, quarter day, single tracks, spring, strong beginner, summer, winter, xc
Irvine Regional Park
Irvine Regional Park is a Beginner-friendly area for mountain biking and also a good starting point for longer rides, such as the adjacent Santiago Oaks Regional Park. If you are parking within the park, bring $5.00 for parking. Free parking is available outside the park as shown in the map below.
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Tags: beginner, cross country, fall, fire roads, loop, meadows, orange county, quarter day, single tracks, spring, summer, winter, xc
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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Tags: beginner, cross country, fall, fire roads, loop, los angeles county, quarter day, single tracks, spring, summer, switchbacks, winter, xc
Laguna Coast Wilderness
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 Loop
A fun loop near Noble Canyon that can be ridden by most strong beginners and more experienced riders with options to extend or shorten mileage and difficulty Continue reading
Malibu Bowl Loop
Situated on the ocean side of Backbone trail overlooking Pepperdine University and Malibu Beach, this loop is about half pavement and half dirt fire road with impressive views of the ocean for the entire ride. Most of the climbing part is paved (first five miles), making this a suitable ride for beginners.
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Tags: fall, fire roads, loop, los angeles county, ocean views, quarter day, scenic, smooth, spring, strong beginner, summer, winter, xc
Maple Springs
Maple Springs is the Silverado Canyon gateway to the Santa Ana Mountains. Popular destinations from this entry include the Maple Springs to Four Corners out and back ride, Santiago Peak, and for the ultra long distance riders, connections to Harding Truck Trail, Joplin, and Holy Jim.
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Mount Laguna > Laguna Meadows > Noble Canyon
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 Fire Road via Shuttle
Tags: angeles forest, beginner, cross country, downhill, fall, fire roads, los angeles county, mt wilson, quarter day, rocky, scenic, shuttle, spring, summer, winter, xc
Mt Wilson Area
XEN MTB provides guided mountain biking tours all around the Mount Wilson area. There are many mountain bike rides to enjoy in the Mt Wilson area. Some, like the Mount Lowe Loop can be climbed as up and backs and some can be done as loops.
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Tags: advanced, altadena, angeles forest, cliff exposure, cross country, downhill, expert, fire roads, flowy, half day, intermediate, limited cell service, loop, los angeles county, pasadena, poison oak, poodle dog bush, remote, rocky, roots, scenic, shuttle, sierra madre, single tracks, smooth, stream crossings, strong intermediate, tree cover, xc
Palm Canyon (Pine View) to Dunn Road
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.
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Palm Canyon (Pinyon Flats) to Dunn Road
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
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
If you only have time for one EPIC ride in Southern California, and the weather is cool, then the Palm Canyon EPIC is the only thing you need to ride. It requires a shuttle to the top which we usually coordinate ourselves.
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Peters Canyon
Peters Canyon is a very popular area for hikers, runners, dog walkers, stroller pushers and yes, even mountain bikers. It’s a great ride for beginners to hone their skills. Continue reading
Tags: beginner, cross country, fall, fire roads, loop, orange county, quarter day, scenic, single tracks, spring, strong beginner, summer, winter, xc
Point Mugu State Park
The first three miles of this route are a gentle fire road as we go into Sycamore Canyon. The next couple miles we climb up a single track, somewhat steep at times. At about 5.5 miles, the trail turns into an easy paved road climb for about 1 mile.
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Redbox to JPL via Gabrielino
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,
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San Juan Trail: Up, Around and Down
For most people, this is the traditional San Juan Trail route. You ride up to “cocktail rock”, 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. Getting to the rock is the easy part to navigate.
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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
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 Regional Park and adjacent Irvine Regional Park are a couple areas within a broader region of open spaces on the border of residential areas. Passing through both parks is the Santiago Creek which is fed from the nearby Santa Ana mountain range which is typically dry most of the year.
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Tags: anaheim, beginner, creek crossings, cross country, fall, flowy, half day, loop, meadows, OCPARKS, orange, orange county, quarter day, scenic, single tracks, spring, strong beginner, summer, switchbacks, tustin, winter, xc
Santiago Truck Trail
Santiago Truck Trail to the Luge is a Beginner level ride just outside Foothill Ranch that begins with a moderate single/double track climb, and ends with a very narrow, twisty and fun single track to reward your efforts. It is one of the few places that can also be ridden at night.
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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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Tags: advanced, cleveland national forest, cliff exposure, creek crossings, cross country, fall, flowy, half day, limited cell service, loop, orange county, out and back, poison oak, rancho santa margarita, remote, rocky, scenic, single tracks, spring, stream crossings, switchbacks, technical, trabuco canyon, winter, xc
Turnbull Canyon
Turnbull Canyon is a popular spot both for mountain bikers and hikers between Whittier and Hacienda Heights. Continue reading
Tags: cross country, fall, fire roads, flowy, half day, intermediate, loop, los angeles county, meadows, scenic, single tracks, spring, strong beginner, winter, xc
