South Bay Rides - Bay Area Mountain Bike Rides

Trail descriptions in and around the San Francisco Bay Area

All Rides
North Bay
Peninsula
South Bay
East Bay

Fun	5
Scenic	3
Aerobic	5
Technical	2

Almaden Quicksilver Park

This ride will allow you to exhaust most of the biking options in this historic park in a single loop.

10.5 miles 1800' climb 2 hours

Fun	5
Scenic	4
Aerobic	4
Technical	3

Berry Creek Falls

An easy out-and-back fire-road ride that reaches a pretty waterfall after an additional half-mile hike. Plus, you end up at the beach when you finish the ride. Not bad.

13.5 miles 1700' climb 4 hours

Fun	6
Scenic	2
Aerobic	7
Technical	3

Big Basin

This big and remote park is not a prime destination for mountain biking, but still provides a few opportunities for a forest ramble like this one.

14 miles 2350' climb 4 hours

Fun	3
Scenic	4
Aerobic	2
Technical	1

Coyote Creek Trail

A long out-and-back ride on a flat-and-easy paved recreational trail. Friendly enough for the whole family and long enough to while away most of the day (at family-riding speeds).

31.5 miles 1300' climb 3 hours

Fun	7
Scenic	3
Aerobic	6
Technical	7

DeLaveaga Park

This little gem of a park is chock-full of technical singletrack, though it still doesn't add up to more than a local option.

9 miles 1550' climb 3 hours

Fun	9
Scenic	2
Aerobic	8
Technical	9

Demo Forest (Braille Trail)

Possibly the most-often-ridden route at this prime mountain biking destination, which traverses the most popular Braille Trail.

13 miles 2350' climb 3.5 hours

Fun	7
Scenic	1
Aerobic	6
Technical	7

Demo Forest (Corral Trail)

The shortest "full" loop you can make at Demo Forest. It misses some of the best trails, but might fill a need for an easier ride or as a second loop.

11 miles 1800' climb 2.5 hours

Fun	9
Scenic	2
Aerobic	8
Technical	9

Demo Forest (Sawpit Trail)

The longest single loop possible at this first-rate mountain biking destination.

16 miles 2900' climb 4.5 hours

Fun	4
Scenic	7
Aerobic	7
Technical	3

El Sereno

This preserve does not provide any good loop options but, as long as you're okay with climbing on fire roads, this is a good and scenic workout option for this vicinity.

11 miles 2300' climb 2.5 hours

Fun	3
Scenic	5
Aerobic	2
Technical	1

Foothill Expressway

A flat, safe, and easy (if a little busy) road ride that is an option that's obvious to all locals, and whose main appeal is as a starting point for longer rides rather than as this brief out-and-back.

19 miles 650' climb 1.5 hours

Fun	8
Scenic	4
Aerobic	9
Technical	7

Fort Ord

A long and challenging trail ride along the course of the Sea Otter cross country race.

19 miles 3500' climb 6 hours

Fun	5
Scenic	4
Aerobic	5
Technical	3

Fremont Older

A small park that has some very nice ride possibilities for locals, but does not offer enough to be considered a riding destination.

6 miles 1400' climb 2 hours

Fun	6
Scenic	3
Aerobic	6
Technical	4

Grant Ranch

A challenging fire-road ride in typical East Bay scenery and not too much else.

17 miles 3600' climb 4.5 hours

Fun	8
Scenic	3
Aerobic	8
Technical	6

Grizzly Flat and Charcoal Grade

A short loop that has you descending a mediocre forest fire road only to do one of the region's most notorious climbs, but redeems itself with some sweet singletrack near the end.

10.5 miles 2550' climb 3.5 hours

Fun	5
Scenic	7
Aerobic	5
Technical	3

Harvey Bear Ranch

As nice as a fire-road loop can get in the East Bay or South Bay. An easy and short ride with good views.

10.5 miles 1700' climb 3 hours

Fun	8
Scenic	7
Aerobic	8
Technical	7

Henry Coe (Grizzly Gulch)

This short loop mixes some scenery, fire road climbing, fun singletrack, and plenty of creek crossings, to add up to easy fun at this remote park.

9 miles 2500' climb 3 hours

Fun	9
Scenic	7
Aerobic	8
Technical	7

Henry Coe (Jackson and Dexter Trails)

A short, fun, and easily accessible loop at one of the remotest wilderness areas you can access near the Bay Area.

13 miles 2600' climb 3 hours

Fun	7
Scenic	4
Aerobic	8
Technical	5

Kennedy Road

An iconic South Bay loop aimed mainly at doing a famously challenging fire-road climb.

13.5 miles 2750' climb 3.5 hours

Fun	4
Scenic	6
Aerobic	3
Technical	2

Lexington Reservoir Loop

An easy, mostly-road loop around a reservoir with plenty of water views and almost no challenge.

11.5 miles 1300' climb 2 hours

Fun	4
Scenic	1
Aerobic	4
Technical	2

Old Haul Road

Another almost-flat out-and-back ride on a fire road for beginners. But this one is under dense redwood cover and is arguably a true wilderness.

13 miles 1400' climb 2 hours

Fun	7
Scenic	8
Aerobic	7
Technical	6

Pacheco State Park

There's enough singletrack to knock yourself out in this often overlooked, surprisingly fun, and surprisingly challenging park.

11 miles 2550' climb 4 hours

Fun	5
Scenic	8
Aerobic	5
Technical	1

Pescadero - San Gregorio Loop

An unchallenging road ride that can show you much of what the Peninsula coast has to offer, from tiny cute towns, to world class views, to cozy country roads, without taking up most of your day.

29 miles 1900' climb 3 hours

Fun	6
Scenic	6
Aerobic	7
Technical	3

Rancho Cañada del Oro

This non-technical but challenging short ride exhausts the entire trail network of this small park, but it is one of the more fun and scenic ride options around this location.

10.5 miles 2600' climb 3 hours

Fun	5
Scenic	2
Aerobic	7
Technical	2

Route 9

A road ride. This is as pure as a climb gets. Nothing but 7 miles of climbing.

14 miles 2200' climb 2 hours

Fun	7
Scenic	6
Aerobic	7
Technical	7

Santa Teresa

Easily the most mountain biking fun to be had around South San Jose. Two great technical singletrack trails connected via scenic fire roads with frequent steep climbs.

11 miles 2600' climb 3.5 hours

Fun	8
Scenic	4
Aerobic	7
Technical	7

Saratoga Gap and Long Ridge

One of the jewels of the Peninsula in terms of first-rate singletrack riding.

10 miles 2000' climb 3 hours

Fun	6
Scenic	8
Aerobic	8
Technical	5

Sierra Vista

A mixed ride with great views that allows a sampling of some of this area's rare (and newest) singletrack, if you're okay with lots of climbing, though a shorter and easier version is possible.

17 miles 4200' climb 5 hours

Fun	5
Scenic	6
Aerobic	5
Technical	3

St. Joseph's Hill

A good ride for the locals with a cluster of trails on a hill top with good views, even including a tiny sampling of tasty singletrack.

8 miles 1550' climb 2 hours

Fun	6
Scenic	2
Aerobic	6
Technical	5

Stevens Canyon

A reasonably entertaining out-and-back mixed ride whose length and (hence) difficulty you can adjust to your taste.

11.5 miles 1800' climb 2 hours

Fun	4
Scenic	3
Aerobic	3
Technical	1

Stevens Creek Reservoir Loop

This easy road loop could be used either as an unchallenging beginner ride on its own, or made into the basis of much longer road and trail ride options for experienced riders.

12 miles 950' climb 1.5 hours

Fun	8
Scenic	8
Aerobic	7
Technical	7

Wilder Ranch (Enchanted Loop via Horseman's Trail)

A slight variation on my favorite loop in one of my favorite parks to ride in. The variation doesn't add much to the fun of the ride, but it's okay enough to try once for a change.

15.5 miles 2000' climb 3.5 hours

Fun	9
Scenic	8
Aerobic	7
Technical	7

Wilder Ranch (Enchanted Loop via Wild Boar Trail)

A way to experience, arguably, all of the best features of this excellent mountain biking destination in a single moderate loop.

14 miles 2400' climb 3.5 hours

Fun	7
Scenic	8
Aerobic	7
Technical	6

Wilder Ranch (Eucalyptus Loop and Long Meadow Trail)

This alternate route through this scenic park misses some of the park's highlights, but it's worth a try to see different parts of the park's trail network.

13 miles 1850' climb 3 hours

Fun	8
Scenic	8
Aerobic	5
Technical	7

Wilder Ranch (Ohlone Bluff Trail and Baldwin Loop)

An easy ride at this great mountain biking destination that includes the (judging by the vegetation) much underused Baldwin Loop.

13 miles 1500' climb 3.5 hours