On my "mental map" of biking in this area, the main role of Monte Bello Open Space has more to do with the options it provides as a part of longer loops that start outside the park, with connections to Monte Bello Road, Stevens Canyon Road, Alpine Road (Coal Creek Open Space), Skyline Ridge Open Space, or Russian Ridge. But, that doesn't change the fact that this park is a decent option in itself for shorter rides within the park's boundaries as well. This particular ride is just such a ride within Monte Bello Open Space itself, one of a handful of rides I habitually do here as a weekday-morning ride before going to work.

The gate to the parking lot is unlocked at 8:00 AM. However, I've been told by a park ranger that they don't mind people parking on the wide shoulder along the road next to the Los Trancos Open Space entrance gate (right across the street), as long as you make sure your vehicle doesn't block any signs. So, if you need to plan a start time earlier than 8:00 AM for your ride here, you shouldn't have any trouble parking there. There is almost always space at this road-side area before 8:00 AM, at least on weekday mornings.

This ride starts out from the park's parking lot by following White Oak Trail. Its beginning may be hard to notice at first. It's literally two steps away from the beginning of the trail near the sign board, on your right. White Oak Trail has been recently re-routed (completed in late 2010). Before this work, roughly half of this trail consisted of a straight shot uphill along a wide and badly rutted "fire road". This segment of the trail is now replaced by a nicely meandering singletrack; initially exposed to the sky, and later under partial oak cover. The second half of the trail (the lower elevations) still follows the older path, which was a decent singletrack to begin with, and still is. I think that this change of White Oak Trail raises the desirability of Monte Bello Open Space for riders who are interested in singletrack trails. In my opinion, this brings this park to the same level as, say, the nearby Russian Ridge in terms of the level of biking trail quality.

Before the White Oak Trail re-routing, I used to do this ride as a clockwise loop (and used to show it on this page in the same way), traversing White Oak Trail uphill. That was because I found it too short and wide to be interesting for descent. (The ruts may have been an interesting descent challenge for some, but still...) I used to think that it was at least a good climbing challenge to test one's mettle. After the re-routing, I've changed this to a counter-clockwise loop, because the beautiful singletrack that's the newer White Oak Trail is much more fun to descend than to climb, in my opinion.

The new White Oak Trail has some more off-camber spots than I would have expected from a new trail. Nothing too sketchy, but it does discourage you a little bit from speeding. When I come to think of it, the only other major singletrack trail in this park, Bella Vista Trail, also has quite a few off-camber sections. Perhaps it's something about erosion control. Or speed control. There's also at least one particular hairpin turn on White Oak that's a little over the top in its tightness. But maybe that's a good thing; those of us with super-human bike control skills need some spots where they can test themselves as well.

After White Oak Trail, you string together a couple of other shorter trails on this ride whose names I'm not certain about, all the way to the creek bed and then up the other side until you meet Canyon Trail. The rest of that descent to the creek bed is also mostly a fun singletrack. The climb to Canyon Trail is a little bit wider. Canyon Trail itself is a fire road. You take this uphill to the start of Bella Vista Trail. This segment on Canyon Trail also includes one short stretch that's seriously steep. It's almost guaranteed to mean a hike-a-bike for mere mortals, but it's short. The rest of the climb is moderate.

Bella Vista Trail is another good singletrack trail. It will subject you to a serious but manageable climb. This trail has very little tree cover and it provides some impressive views as you gain elevation. Near the top of the ridge, after following part of Old Ranch Trail (singletrack) and the uppermost parts of Indian Creek Trail (fire road), you get to the gravel Monte Bello Road, which quickly leads you to the (fairly flat and nondescript) peak of Black Mountain.

On your way down, you take the same route back. (It's the most fun way back to the valley floor as well as for climbing up from it.) Once you're back on Canyon Trail, you continue uphill on it. After a short distance, you'll see a signed trail junction with a singletrack trail starting off to your left. You take that trail and stay on it all the way up to the parking lot without taking any turns at the intersections along the way. This is a cute singletrack trail, too, but it's short. Still, it wouldn't be a bad thing for you to try taking it downhill on another variation of your ride here.

You should know that White Oak Trail and the trails making up the rest of the portion of this ride that's before Canyon Trail are subject to seasonal closure. So, if you intend to ride here during any part of the wet season, make sure to check the website in advance and find out the current trail conditions.