Hands-Down California's 5 Best Mountain-Biking Trails, According To Reviews

The story of the first mountain bikers goes something like this: In 1971, a group of Marin County teenagers decided to race some big-tired bicycles in the woods. They named themselves the Larkspur Canyon Gang, and because actual mountain bikes didn't exist yet, they called these rugged machines "clunkers." They started racing each other down fire roads and customizing their rides to handle roots, rocks, and breakneck turns. In 1976, the first official race — Repack — was held on Pine Mountain, and riders descended so hard that their brakes started smoking.

All of these pioneering events took place in the state of California. Mountain biking is now a global, multi-billion-dollar industry, and you can find dedicated trails from New York to New Zealand. But the Golden State shall forever be known as the origin point of MTB — most agree that this eclectic hilly town outside San Francisco is where mountain biking was born — and California remains one of the most dynamic places in the world to pump over some hero dirt. This is a huge state, of course, and the cumulative length of all its established trails is thousands of miles; you could venture even farther along logging routes and multi-use hiking paths.

So, where are the best MTB trails in California? What places offer the perfect combo of thrills, challenge, and scenery? We've consulted a wide range of online reviews and roundups, and although no two riders can agree on the absolute "Top 5," these are the destinations that really stand out across the board.

Dirt tracks curve along the grassy slopes of Mission Peak, and without many trees or bushes in the way, vistas of San Francisco Bay and the surrounding hills extend for miles. Like several routes on this list, the Mission Peak trail meanders in a circle, so you get to finish where you started. Located north of San Jose, the Mission Peak Loop is pretty accessible — just a 30-minute drive from the city center — and covers a little over 6 miles of wilderness.

Mission Peak is a popular getaway for locals, and pleasant weather is likely to attract hikers, campers, horse riders, and even paragliders. The undulating terrain of Northern California is famous for its MTB routes, and an underrated 400-mile trail around San Francisco is a hiker and biker's paradise, but for experienced riders with a single day to spare, Mission Peak is a brass ring. For tent-toting visitors who want to spend some extra time up here, the Eagle Spring Backpack Camp is a year-round bargain at about $23 per night (including reservation fee).

"The main attraction of the ride are the views that you get along the way and at the peak, and the enjoyment of those is not subject to the greenness of the grass very much," opines Ergin Guney on the website Bay Area Mountain Bike Rides. "So, I'd recommend this ride regardless of the time of the year." The preserve has an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars on AllTrails based on nearly 11,000 reviews.

Head south of San Jose and you'll find Mt. Umunhum. This is the tallest peak in the Sierra Azul Preserve, at 3,486 feet above sea level, and the Mt. Umunhum Loop is a wide, multi-use path with twists and switchbacks well suited to mountain biking. Like Mission Peak, this is a great getaway from the Bay Area, and the route can form a complete circuit from several different trailheads. Yet this ride is more than twice as long, at about 14 miles, starting with a 2,400-foot climb.

The dirt trail also takes you through the Sierra Azul Forest, which has more vegetation than Mission Peak and is a major habitat for coyotes and wild cats. The way is pretty steep, with a maximum grade of 35%, and the full journey will take several hours. You'll also have to make way for hikers, but the views from the top are magnificent, and the descent is peppered with heart-racing switchbacks. "A very pleasant ride to one of the highest peaks in the Santa Cruz Mountains," said a rider on MTB Project, where the trail has received an average of 4 stars. Over on AllTrails, it has 4.8 stars and over 5,500 reviews.

The most conspicuous landmark here is human-made: a concrete tower stands on Umunhum's summit, marking the spot where the U.S. Air Force once operated a radar station. The "cube" has long been abandoned, but you can still walk right up to this Cold War relic. If you're just looking for a cool lookout point, you can just drive a car to the tower by taking Mt. Umunhum Road.

To ride the trails of Camp Tamarancho, you do have to throw down $5 on a permit. This is easy enough: Just head to the Sunshine Bicycle Center in the town of Fairfax. You may crinkle your nose at having to pay upfront, but the 10-mile loop through the hills of Marin County — the same area where mountain biking was first attempted — is absolutely worth the modest fee. You'll rise and fall about 1,400 feet, and most of the time you'll be rolling over dusty single track. The 480-acre property technically belongs to a local branch of the Boy Scouts of America, which maintains the forests, meadows, and bike-ready trails.

Tamarancho is also located in the Bay Area, across the Golden Gate Bridge and about an hour north (by car) from San Francisco. Marin County is beloved for its natural spaces, such as the breathtaking trails to explore on the Point Reyes National Seashore. Tamarancho riders should be experienced to advanced, owing to the curvy flow trails through the forest and many steep jumps. You're allowed to bring your e-bike, which will be helpful on the climbs, but monitor your speed on the twistier sections.

"Very technical MTB," reports user Tony Moses on AllTrails, where the trail has an average of 4.6 stars, based on 440 reviews. "Great flow trail when [you] get to [the] top. I don't ride technical trails [too] often, my quads were torched. Better get back to spin classes (out of saddle). Have fun out there!"

Pockets of mountain biking exist all around the Greater Los Angeles area, and savvy cyclists can find plenty of trails among the city's encircling hills. But for a true escape, many Angelinos prefer to leave the city behind and head to Big Bear Lake, an outdoors-loving town about two-and-half-hours east by car from the beaches of Santa Monica. Several trails form a ring around the actual lake, with a wide range of lengths, landscapes, and recommended skill levels.

The most famous is Skyline Trail, a sprawling single-track run just southwest of town. Depending on how you approach Skyline, this loop is around 15 miles, with total climbs as high as 8,000 feet. The route takes you through evergreen forest and logging areas, around switchbacks and boulders, and up some sweat-inducing ascents. This trail is definitely long and challenging, but most intermediate riders should handle the well-maintained track and 4% average grade. And if all those uphill stretches sound daunting, note that e-bikes are permitted on Skyline.

"I highly recommend this trail," writes biker Markk Knowles on the website MTB Project, where the trail earned an average of 4.7 stars with over 100 reviews. "Excellent construction with a few smartly placed rocks on the side to have some fun with, nice bermed corners, thigh-burning climbs, and flowing descents." Once you finish your ride, consider a cooling dip in Big Bear Lake, or at least a cold IPA at Big Bear Lake Brewing Company.

According to the official City of San Diego website, the Mission Trails Regional Park looks much the same as it did in 1542, when the Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo first set foot in these hills. Only 20 minutes by car from San Diego's famed Gaslamp Quarter, the park encompasses 8,000 acres of rugged highlands and 60 miles of trails. Among them is the Fortuna Mountain Trail, a 6.3-mile MTB loop that climbs and descends some 1,341 feet.

These pine-studded slopes are considered pretty advanced, with rocky desert terrain and narrow, rutted descents. This route is quite the workout, although you can cut the distance in half by just taking the Fortuna Saddle Trail, a mix of paths and gravel roads. The Mission Trails are free to access and close to the city, making it a boon for residents and SoCal tourists with bikes. Fortuna can also get busy at peak hours, and the weather can get dangerously hot by midday, so regular riders often recommend coming early in the morning.

"One of the best trails in that area," asserts YouTuber Bike Empowerment on his channel. "More geared towards advanced riders, but many other trails in the Mission trail system [are] suitable for beginners." The trail has an average score of 4.7 stars on AllTrails, based on over 7,400 reviews. Note that all of these are multi-use trails — and some are actually roads accessible to commercial vehicles — so just keep an eye out.

Determining the best mountain bike trails in California is no small task, as the state has too many bikeable trail systems to count, and no two experts seem to agree on their favorites. We consulted AllTrails' list of 10 best trails, which included three of the five here. The SingleTracks website maintains an exhaustive list of 1,015 MTB trails, which it then ranks from best to least-best. The most convincing roundup came from the website Cardo, which overlapped nicely with the AllTrails rankings and informed four of these selections. We also browsed user reviews across YouTube, AllTrails, and other more boutique websites. (See quotes above).

We wanted to represent both Northern and Southern California, especially places that are within a reasonable distance of major population centers (San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles). Some online writers recommended excellent locations, but one quality or another ruled them out. For example, Escondido Falls in L.A. is a great runner-up, but it's not very long (1 mile) and mostly trafficked by pedestrians.