Enough riding around Santa Cruz to keep you entertained for a week?

[dfinn]

Thinking about making a trip out to SC. I've never been there. Looking on trailforks there's some riding there but I get the impression that a lot of the trails aren't on TF? Think there is enough riding around there to keep you busy for a week of afternoon rides?

[davjr96]

Absolutely, I will happily argue Santa Cruz has some of the best mtbing in the country any day of the year.
Soquel Demonstration forest, Wilder Ranch, Nisene Marks are the legit/legal stuff. Could easily spend 5 days between the 3 of them. The real fun stuff is not legit, but feel free to PM me if you want pointers
If you do get bored, head up the coast to Pacifica/Montara or down to Monterey.

What type of riding are you looking for? How long/distance/vert? I can give some legal ride ideas to fit those stats.

[dfinn]

Definitely prefer the rowdier stuff. I like steep and natural but also love some good flow and jumps too. I'd be working during the day but done with that around 3 or 4pm, looking to ride as much as daylight allowed. I'm not opposed to long pedals or lots of vert.

[davjr96]

Rowdy Stuff:
Braille in Demo Forest, about 13 miles/2k vert. 2 hours if you go hard. This cuts it close for an after work ride tbh, but is a great ride. Flow and Sawpit are also worth checking out, but doing two out of 3 is a big day.

Crack and Mile up in Pacifica, I have never ridden them but they are gnarly

The rest of the gnarly stuff does not exist.

Other fun rides:
https://www.trailforks.com/routepopular/9830426/

[dfinn]

Awesome, thanks for the info. I may hit you up about some of the non existent stuff if I pull the trigger on heading out there.

[evdog]

Is all that stuff open right now given the fires? I may be able to pass through around year-end, but figured a lot might be closed.

[TahoeJ]

Yes, SC riding is awesome. Definitely check out flow and braille... and there's a whole bunch of other stuff near the UC and elsewhere you won't find listed. I'd suggest having someone local show you around - most are pretty generous that way.

However, the air quality could turn to shit very quickly if the winds shift south, so it's a roll of the dice.

[davjr96]

Is all that stuff open right now given the fires? I may be able to pass through around year-end, but figured a lot might be closed.

Pretty much everything is back open now. A few trails around empire grade burned completely and one popular one was bulldozed to make the firebreak for the city. Of course that could all change tomorrow.

[Dantheman]

There are some DJs in Capitola that are totally rad. Super legit jumps built on the sea cliff overlooking the bay. You can kinda see them in the satellite view: https://www.google.com/maps/place/36....9413112?hl=en



The line continues into the trees quite a ways. We found them right before dark on our last day there.

[Benneke10]

I have ridden and lived throughout the western US and Santa Cruz has the best MTB riding anywhere as far as I am concerned. As others have said, the best trails are not on Trailforks as they are all illegal. If you know any locals I would suggest going for a ride with them around upper UCSC campus and they can show you the best trails there. My favorites are Sweetness, Magic Carpet, and Lock'em'up. Chupacabra and Dead Camper are fun if you like steeps. The area between the Chinquapin Fire Road and Hwy 9 is like Alta's High Traverse for MTB - tons of incredible riding condensed into a small area.

The legal trails in Wilder and Soquel Demo Forest are also incredible. There is also a ton of incredible riding in Nisene Marks State Park just south of the Demo forest. Most of the mapped hiking trails offer great (but illegal) riding, and there are some great trails east of the fire road that are made by riders-Bacon, Canadian Bacon, Pig, Donut to name a few. The only places I know of where rangers will write tickets are at the bottom of Red Mailboxes near UCSC (great trail btw) and all along the lower stretch of Nisene Marks which is to be avoided on weekends if you're riding illegally.

That's all I'm gonna say here, but if you want more info the best place to look would be Strava Heatmaps, all the trails are there. The Heatmaps are only available if you're a premium subscriber, but they have a nice free trial.

[jackstraw]

Mailboxes is illegal and you can get a ticket? I had no idea. That would have a been a wtf reaction from me if I had some ranger give me a ticket. The campus trails are fun for sure. Wilder is more a easy 'road' ride imo. Nice workout and views.

[Benneke10]

Mailboxes is illegal and you can get a ticket? I had no idea. That would have a been a wtf reaction from me if I had some ranger give me a ticket. The campus trails are fun for sure. Wilder is more a easy 'road' ride imo. Nice workout and views.

It goes thru Wilder and UCSC land, both of which prohibit riding off of "designated trails/roads," but I think the real reason they patrol that area is because you ride thru some private property near the top and I imagine sometimes the property owners complain to the sheriff.

[Andeh]

I've never heard of ticketing at the bottom of Mailboxes, just at the 2 main exits onto HWY (Poop Chute & the water trough). Not saying it doesn't happen, just that it probably is super uncommon.

[TahoeJ]

^^ It's been documented a few different times on MTBR forums. Pretty rare, but every once in a while there's a heads up posted.

[Dantheman]

It goes thru Wilder and UCSC land, both of which prohibit riding off of "designated trails/roads," but I think the real reason they patrol that area is because you ride thru some private property near the top and I imagine sometimes the property owners complain to the sheriff.

We had a former local showing us around last April. Rode Dead Camper and then went to do Mailboxes but the top had a big fence across it and multiple angry signs so we rode something else down to Hwy 9 again. No idea what the status is now.

[jackstraw]

We had a former local showing us around last April. Rode Dead Camper and then went to do Mailboxes but the top had a big fence across it and multiple angry signs so we rode something else down to Hwy 9 again. No idea what the status is now.

Well that's a bummer.