Explore These Great California Bike Trails 

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By Michele E. Buttelman 

Signal Staff Writer 

The Santa Clarita Valley has great places to ride for bicycle enthusiasts. The city offers more than 100 miles of picturesque trails and paseos. However, if you’re ready for a little getaway and want to take your bike, the entire state of California offers great bike trails paired with incredible natural wonders and unforgettable landscapes. 

Load up your bike, or rent one at your destination. It’s also fun to join a bike tour. Bike tours offer a chance to see the sights with a local tour guide, who may show you places you wouldn’t have seen. 

Big Sur e-biking 

Info bikebigsur.com 

Various paths at various lengths and difficulties 

Using an e-bike isn’t cheating, it’s far more environmentally friendly than using a car, plus you get some exercise, as well. And those climbs along the coast are much easier when you have a 750-watt assist. 

Big Sur Adventures offers a trio of e-bike tours for all levels of riders: 17-Mile Drive, the Old Coast Road and McWay Falls. One of the best choices for intermediate riders is the Old Coast Road route, a dirt road that follows the original wagon trail into Big Sur. 

Another fun tour is the “Big Little Lies” tour where you can visit filming locations from the Emmy- 
award winning series. 

Cabrillo Boulevard Bike Path 

Difficulty Flat and easy 

Length 4.5 miles 

Info www.californiabeaches.com/attraction/cabrillo-bike-path 

The most popular bike path in Santa Barbara, Cabrillo Bike Path runs from Leadbetter Beach to Butterfly Beach. Cabrillo Bike Path is paved and flat and a great option for families and easygoing rides. Make your way up to Shoreline Park, which overlooks the lovely seaside. And feel free to savor the view with a picnic. 

Walk off your picnic feast with a short hike down Thousand Steps that leads to Leadbetter Beach, where you’ll find locals surfing the perfect beach break just about every day of the week. 

Fort Ord National Monument 

Difficulty All skill levels 

Length 86 miles of trails 

Info www.trailforks.com/region/fort-ord-national-monument 

The former Fort Ord military base offers 86 miles of trails on its 7,200 acres. There are several trails available ranging from basic to expert. Check out these possibilities with more offered on the website. 

Marvin Braude Bike Trail 

Difficulty Moderate 

Length  22 miles one way 

Info beaches.lacounty.gov/la-county-beach-bike-path 

Also known as The Strand, this trail is a paved path that runs along the Pacific Ocean and connects some of the best beaches in Los Angeles County. 

The trail winds past Santa Monica and Venice, then heads inland at Marina Del Rey, is back on the beach at Playa del Rey and glides along the shorelines of Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo Beach, finally ending in Torrance. A popular route for cyclists, joggers, rollerbladers and beach-lovers, taking The Strand is a quintessential Southern Californian route. 

Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf 

Difficulty Beginner 

Length 18 miles 

Info www.seemonterey.com/things-to-do/attractions/bike-rides/ 

Soak in the best sights of Monterey’s coastline with a simple ride along the bike path that runs from Fisherman’s Wharf out to Lovers Point. The bike path, officially known as the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, extends from Castroville in the north to Pacific Grove in the south, but the stretch between Fisherman’s Wharf and Lovers Point is hands-down the most popular section. 

Ojai Valley Bike Trail 

Difficulty All skill levels 

Length 30 miles roundtrip from Ventura to Ojai 

Info www.traillink.com/trail/ojai-valley-trail 

Biking in Ventura can introduce visitors to a multitude of destinations all in one ride. It’s easy to follow the 3.5-mile Rincon Bike Trail, adjacent to Highway 101 and leading north to Carpinteria’s Rincon Point. 

Visitors can also rent bikes at Wheel Fun at the foot of Ventura Pier or at Open-Air Bicycles Ventura in town. Cycle along Ventura’s beachfront on the Omer Rains Trail for views of Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands. 

Journey beyond Ventura to Ojai via the Ojai Valley Bike Trail is an easy, tree-lined ride. Cyclists will arrive in Libbey Park, where they can park in the bike-friendly town and enjoy the local shops and restaurants before heading back. 

San Francisco Bay Area 

Matt Davis Loop 

Difficulty Very strenuous 

Length 13.60 miles roundtrip 

Info parksconservancy.org/trails/matt-davis-trail 

In a half-day, Mount Tamalpais is easily tackled from mountains to the sea, its slopes and winding paths are a highlight reel of beauty. 

The trailhead starts at Stinson Beach, right off Highway 1 in Marin County. Here, the Dipsea Trail guides hikers along a coastal trail with panoramic views of the Pacific. One mile in marks the Steep Ravine split, where Webb Creek cascades adjacent to the trail and hikers trek up a eucalyptus-studded incline. 

Golden Gate Park Loop 

Difficulty All skill levels 

Length 6.3 miles  

The Loop is one way to enjoy the famous park and the best way to appreciate the grandeur and diverse greenery of the 1,017-acre park is by bicycle. 

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