Cal Cycling frequents a number of road and mountain routes throughout the Bay Area. Here are some favorites!
(click on a route name to view the map)
Road Routes
[table “1” not found /]Mountain Routes
| Name | Difficulty | Length | Elevation | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Bay Mega Dirt Ride | Hard | 42 mi | 5300 ft | This is a long and hilly adventure ride throughout the east bay hills. Expect a long day in the saddle, so come prepared with plenty of food and water. Look out for the great views all over the east bay! | Strava |
| Joaquin Miller Park | Medium | 23 mi | 2650 ft | The classic Saturday mtb team ride loop, featuring the best technical terrain of the East Bay. Usually the main trails are ridden from easist to hardest: Big Trees, Cinderella, and Chaparral. Feel free to throw in a lap of Castle Park if you're feeling adventurous. | Strava |
| Redwood XC Loop | Medium | 23 mi | 2900 ft | This route begins by descending the east ridge trail in Redwood Regional Park, and takes a steep turn down the Canyon trail before returning with a steep climb up the west ridge. You can also choose to include some trails in Joaquin Miller on your way home. | Strava |
| Smackdown | Medium | 15 mi | 2600 ft | Affectionately known as "Smackdown", this is a classic Cal Cycling route that certainly packs a punch. A great mix of fun trails and steep climbs makes this a great training ride. This is also one of the best weekday rides - easy to get to, and the sunset views from the aptly names Seaview trail are phenomenal. | Strava |
| Tamarancho | Medium | 10 mi | 1680 ft | Tamarancho trails are some of the more challenging in the Bay Area, and tons of fun. Starting in downtown Fairfax, this route climbs to the start of the classic 6-mile loop which includes many technical climbs, a newly-constructed flow trail and many fun descents. This area is owned by the Boy Scouts, so be sure to pay the trail fee ($5, payable online) before you go. | Strava |
| Mill Valley XC | Medium | 22 mi | 2800 ft | Full of excellent ocean views and exciting trails, this is a great loop through Marin. Watch out for hikers though - they are not always the most friendly towards bikes here, so make sure to be extra courteous. | Strava |
| Tilden North | Easy | 17 mi | 2000 ft | This route explores some trails in the northern section of Tilden regional park, including a descent down the Conlon trail which has sweeping views of the bay. Watch out for the cows! | Strava |
| Soquel Demo Forest | Medium / Hard | 23 mi | 5000 ft | Soquel Demo Forest features some of the best trails out there, including the famous flow trail. Demo can get muddy after rain, so wait for a few sunny days before going. But Demo is a must do. Note that there are 3 main trails down: Flow, Braille, and Sawpit. Some people just do 2 laps, but this route includes 3, because, well, why do 2 when you could do 3? | Strava |