Biking Trails in the Los Angeles Area

With all the excitement and scenery in the Los Angeles area, there is no shortage to the bike routes. You can easily see something new every day as you pedal your way through the area. From Santa Barbara to Oceanside and the Pacific to San Bernardino, you can find all sorts of different routes regardless of your skill level. Whether you want to tour the star's homes and see some of the more historic landmarks, or just want a pleasant ride along the coast. With plenty of flat courses and some steep mountain trails, you are sure to find the perfect route here in LA.

Hollywood -

One of the most known areas in all of LA is Hollywood. Home to the stars and movie studios, this area has some very nice scenery and several historic landmarks. It is always a great ride when you strap on a helmet and pedal your way through the posh Hollywood and Vine shops. With the hills and climbs that take you past the famous Hollywood sign and the bustle that is downtown Hollywood, you can experience it all in one ride. An early start at the base of Mount Lee is a great start for this ride. You can then head over to Mulholland drive and follow it up the hill. This offers one of the best views of the sign. You can then find your way back down and tour the rest of the Hollywood area. If you are up to it, you can also head over to the Bel-Air suburb after the sign and tour some of the biggest and nicest homes in the area. Along this ride, there is no telling who you will run into. There are several stars that enjoy an early morning jog or ride. You may end up in a race with one of Hollywood's social elite.

Beaches -

The beaches stretch all the way down to the Mexican border, and if you have the time (it may take the weekend) you can run from Santa Barbara to Tijuana. This is a more advanced ride and you may need to hop the I-5 for a small section between Orange and San Diego Counties (Camp Pendleton has some tight access restrictions on certain portions). Even if you only have a couple hours, the stretch from Long Beach to Santa Barbara is breath taking. It has some of the most amazing ocean views and is a nice ride. It is a little far, so you need to be moving if you are in a time crunch, but it is well worth the visit. This will take you through the historic Muscle Beach, Redondo Beach, and Manhattan Beach. You can also head north from Santa Barbara up to Monterey. This is a very relaxing and even more visually stimulating trek than the southern route. There are vast expanses of beach throughout the area and they all make for a great ride. No matter where you are in the area, you can also jump on a bike head to the ocean and then come back. This ride can help you get the lay of the land a little as well.

Road Work -

Most streets have marked bike lanes and even if they don't, they are usually more than wide enough to accommodate. You can plan out any route with an area map. You are the only one that knows what you want to see and how you want to ride. If you like rolling hills and short climbs, the North Long Beach area may be for you. If you like a more flat ride, Anaheim and Orange County may suit you better. There is a wide variety of terrain and you are sure to find the perfect route that will match your desired distance and difficulty level. The header of this section has a nice site with some pre-mapped routes to get you started.

Mountain Trails -

When it comes to the extreme off road rider, you have more than enough trails throughout the LA Metro area. This area is full of valleys, hills, peaks, and canyons. If you want to stay in the city limits, you have your choice of canyons and peaks from Hollywood down to Orange. If you want to get away from the bustle of the city, there are several choices within an hour's drive. Rocky Peak is a great area that offers several very challenging rides. This one is located between Simi and San Fernando Valleys and offers a great view of the entire area along the top. There are several more mountains and some very tricky canyons that offer some awesome rides. There is a very good map of some of these areas in the header of this section.

The LA Metro is full of some awesome bike routes. No matter what type of route you prefer, you can find the perfect ride here. Just remember to stay on the road and where your helmet. There are a lot of pedestrians and joggers in the area. Whether you are on a backwoods mountain trail, or zipping through downtown, you can almost always be sure that someone will be walking along the same route. There are many bike only trails and even more hiker/biker trails with more than enough room for everyone.

Sources:

Hiking and Biking Trails - LA Mountains.com

Los Angeles Area Trails

LA Trails

Los Angeles, California Bike Routes and Maps