California is a recreational playground that stretches approximately 900 miles from its southern Mexican border along the Pacific to the Oregon border, giving outdoor enthusiasts a diverse choice of mountain bike paths. From gorgeous shoreline trails to spectacular routes that cross California’s steep mountains and lush valleys, the state’s trail system has something for everyone. We’ve picked six of California’s must-ride mountain bike routes to help you make the most of your California mountain bike adventure.

#1 Mt. Wilson Trail – Pasadena

The Mount Wilson Trail in Los Angeles is well-known for its downhill mountain riding opportunities. Mt. Wilson is the greatest course in Southern California for enduro mountain biking, with a 5,000-foot vertical down in less than eight miles. To start your adventure, ride the shuttle up to the top of this route. The higher and middle parts are quite small in places and have insane switchbacks that will put your mountain biking abilities to the test. This course will take you through several singletrack trails with spectacular vistas and hard terrain and will take you around 1.5 – 2.5 hours in total. This is a challenging route for experienced riders with excellent handling skills.

#2 Westridge Singletrack Loop – Santa Monica

The Westridge Singletrack Loop, one of Santa Monica’s most famous mountain bike rides, is a terrific local route that’s not too challenging and acts as a solid exercise with Instagram-worthy views. The 11.6-mile circle travels among shade sycamore trees and across rushing water as you begin your mountain biking adventure with a brief rise up Sullivan Canyon. The main trail is doubletrack, although there are singletrack paths that cross it. Bikers make their way through the loose rocks of Sullivan Fire Road and Mulholland Drive Fire Road to the beautiful vistas at the Nike Missile Base Site.

#3 Los Peñasquitos Canyon – San Diego

Los Penasquitos Canyon in San Diego is one of the largest urban parks in the United States, encompassing more than 4,000 acres of the Penasquitos and Lopez valleys. Within the famed state park is a vast network of trails with just the right balance of tech and singletrack riding. The Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve’s East-West track connects to the remainder of the Preserve’s trails. Bikers will come across a waterfall, a duck pond, and a variety of fauna. Riders may also visit “Tunnels,” a fully encased route system covered in native California Manzanita trees.

#4 The Elings Loop – Santa Barbara

Elings Loop is a 10-plus mile downhill trail loop with a handful of significant hills. The loop is only one of several cutting-edge attractions in Elings Park, America’s largest privately sponsored park. Elings Park, located only a few miles outside of downtown Santa Barbara and overlooking the Pacific Ocean, is ideal for both novice and expert mountain cyclists seeking for a short exercise. Our colleagues at Cal Coast Adventures provide bike rentals and guided excursions of the mountain biking track.

#5 Hi’r Line and Dia Loop – San Clemente

The Hi’r Line and Dia loop, located near the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base in San Clemente, is a multi-loop network of trails that begin on Hi’r Line. This curvy, single-track path incorporates berms and jumps for a thrilling ride. After crossing the stream, the loop becomes a simple cross-country path that is ideal for a warm-up or cool-down ride before tackling the Dia jump course. Dia is a lot of fun since it has so many different lines.