Mountain Biking - Bay Area - South Bay
- Fort Ord (max singletrack loop)
- Henry Coe State Park (Middle Ridge Loop, Jackson-Grizzly Gulch Loop)
- from Monterey, 68E
Trail Map: BLM map
Video: Trail ride(arinca.csustan.edu)
More info: BLM / Fort Ord Public Lands
Henry Coe State Park
Type: Mix of fireroads and singletrack
Distance: 50 miles of trails and fireroads
Location: Near Morgan Hill, CA [Map it]This is it -- the mountain biking mecca of the Bay Area. A big drive from SF (a little under 2hrs), so try to head out early to maximize your riding time -- you may need it just to make it back to the car before dark. Huge (87,000 acres, the largest California State Park) with a staggering number of routes to choose from including tons of singletrack with large vertical swings. Coe is known for its steep fireroads and off-the-beaten-path paths; the sheer scale and remoteness of the place adds to its mystique. Convention is to take normal effort estimates and crank them up by 1.5x -- the Coe Factor! With over 50 miles of trails and fireroads, would be a prime location for mountain bikepacking but be sure to bring a reservoir of water in summer months since this place gets baked. So far, I've only ridden the popular Middle Ridge Loop and the Jackson-Grizzly Gulch loop, just scratching the surface of the variety of rides possible in this paradise.
Henry Coe State Park - Middle Ridge Loop
Type: Mix of fireroads and singletrack
Distance: 9.5 mile loop
Ride start: Coe Park Headquarters [Map it]The narrow singletrack Frog Lake Trail is a treat, offering up views of Middle Ridge and the terrain to come. The singletrack climb from Frog Lake to the top of Middle ridge is a POC, and then it's downhill for miles, one of the best downhills I've ever experienced. Towards the end of this bomb, things get progressively more technical. A group of three of us accumulated a double-digit wipe-out count, the best being when one guy intentionally baled because he thought a huge fallen tree was blocking the path (it wasn't - the trail just turned sharply in front of it). After reaching Poverty Flat, we were running out of time, so we took the most direct route back - the hellish Poverty Flat Road . Time to pay the piper - this road climbs 1400ft in 2 miles. The first part is the steepest - and sandiest - but things really don't let up until you make it back to the Manzanita Point Road, or should I say the infirmary.
Trail Map: Lee Dittmann's Official Coe Maps(click Northwestern region for Middle Ridge Loop), Profile(von-kaenel.com)
Photos: Middle Ridge Vista(parks.ca.gov)
More info: Henry W. Coe State Park
MTB.LIVE555 trail infoHenry Coe State Park - Jackson - Grizzly Gulch Loop
Type: Mix of fireroads and singletrack
Distance: 12.6 mile loop
Ride start: Hunting Hollow Entrance [Map it]This may be the gem of Henry Coe, one of the most scenic rides in the entire Bay Area. A tough singletrack climb followed by expansive ridge views, and a solid downhill make this one of the Top 5 Bay Area rides. Would love to return to explore some of Coe's connecting trails to turn this loop into a 30-mile epic.
The route:
Start at the Hunting Hollow parking area ($6 fee) and bike 2 miles up the paved road to the Coyote Creek Entrance (parking no longer allowed here, a ranger told us). Head right onto Coit Road and follow easy grades for 1 mile. Use this as a necessary warmup to get ready for the Coe Factor. Take a right onto the Anza trail and as you hit your first switchback prepare to buckle down for some climbing. Climb some serious vert until taking a right on the Jackson Trail. Open views of the surrounding ridges distract your exertion as the singletrack snakes upward through large chapparal meadows dotted with live oak. Expect to walk your bike in a few sections on Jackson, the switchbacks and vert are relentless. At the top, veer left onto the Elderberry Spring Trail, an under-used rolling singletrack. At Coit Road, take a right and stay on Elderberry and follow to the ridge. The views from up here are ridic! A quick 1.1 miles on fireroads brings you to the Dexter Trail. Turn right up the short singletrack "into the sky", take a deep breath, and prepare for a 1,400 foot downhill. Halfway down, take a right on Grizzly Gulch for some fast, non-technical singletrack all the way back down.
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(last updated Feb 2011)
Fort Ord (max singletrack loop)
Type: Mix of fireroads and singletrack
Distance: various loops up to 15 miles
Location: East of Monterey, CA [Map it]With the possible exception of Boggs Mountain, Fort Ord is the furthest ride from SF that is covered on this site. Although there are moments of fun singletrack, the 2+ hour drive is not worth it -- all of the top 10 rides are closer than this. The vegetation here is much like the East Bay - dry, hot, grassy hills. In some places, such as near Toro Creek, the sand is quite loose and makes the going tough. The singletrack of Trail 47 is a definite highlight (pictured above). Recommend this ride if you find yourself near Monterey or Salinas and have some extra time (I escaped from a beat conference in Monterey), otherwise stick to the other, closer top 10 rides.
Recommended loop:
Red denotes singletrack, blue fire road
Directions from SF (~2 hrs):
