Los Padres National Forest
Santa Barbara Front to Back Country Loop
Ride Type: 2 day bikepack or single day epic loop.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: see description below.
Reliable water can be found at Romero Trail, Blue Canyon Trail, and at Middle Camuesa campground. Seasonal water can be found at Mono Camp and half way up Angostura Fireroad as well. This is my favorite short bikepacking trip in the Los Padres National Forest. You get hot springs, remote backcountry, singletrack, fireroad, and even a little pavement on this loop. This is best done as a 1.5 day ride. It is ridden in the counterclockwise direction. The itinerary goes like this: Leave after lunch on Saturday, camp near Little Caliente Hot Springs (or Mono Camp) that night. Day 1 should is a 4-6 hour ride for most riders. Day 2 is longer (6-9 hours), so I always take another soak in the hot springs in the morning before starting. The descent down Cold Springs Trail towards the end of the ride is an extremely technical trail. If you are not a good technical rider, take the "less technical option" below that will take you back down Romero Canyon.
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile (less technical option)
Ride Type: 2 day bikepack or single day epic loop.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: see description below.
Reliable water can be found at Romero Trail, Blue Canyon Trail, and at Middle Camuesa campground. Seasonal water can be found at Mono Camp and half way up Angostura Fireroad as well. This is my favorite short bikepacking trip in the Los Padres National Forest. You get hot springs, remote backcountry, singletrack, fireroad, and even a little pavement on this loop. This is best done as a 1.5 day ride. It is ridden in the counterclockwise direction. The itinerary goes like this: Leave after lunch on Saturday, camp near Little Caliente Hot Springs (or Mono Camp) that night. Day 1 should is a 4-6 hour ride for most riders. Day 2 is longer (6-9 hours), so I always take another soak in the hot springs in the morning before starting. The descent down Cold Springs Trail towards the end of the ride is an extremely technical trail. If you are not a good technical rider, take the "less technical option" below that will take you back down Romero Canyon.
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile (less technical option)
Ojai Rim Loop
Ride Type: 2 day bikepack or single day epic loop.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: varies depending on options taken
Time: see description below.
This is a loop that is almost 100% rideable that loops around Ojai utilizing as much available dirt as possible. If you are doing this as a bikepacking trip, adding the out and back hike to the top of Hines Peak is highly recommended (you must walk this section as it is wilderness). Loading up your water at the Stagecoach Store or at Sisar Creek (loading up on 6 liters of water is recommended here) before climbing up Sisar road is a must, as there is no water up on Nordoff Ridge Road. There are two descent options off the ridge road at the end of the ride Pratt Trail (more technical) or Gridley Trail (less technical). Either way you will have a great time.
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile
Ride Type: 2 day bikepack or single day epic loop.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: varies depending on options taken
Time: see description below.
This is a loop that is almost 100% rideable that loops around Ojai utilizing as much available dirt as possible. If you are doing this as a bikepacking trip, adding the out and back hike to the top of Hines Peak is highly recommended (you must walk this section as it is wilderness). Loading up your water at the Stagecoach Store or at Sisar Creek (loading up on 6 liters of water is recommended here) before climbing up Sisar road is a must, as there is no water up on Nordoff Ridge Road. There are two descent options off the ridge road at the end of the ride Pratt Trail (more technical) or Gridley Trail (less technical). Either way you will have a great time.
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile
Big Pine / Buckhorn Road (aka Los Padres Wilderness Corridor)
Ride Type: 2 day bikepack or single day epic point to point.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: 8
Time: see description below.
This is arguably the most popular bikepacking route in the Southern Los Padres. Many do this route from the Santa Barbara side as an out and back so they do not have to car shuttle, but this is the better way to do it. The downside is that you have to find someone willing to drop you off at the starting point, which is a full 2 hour drive from the end point. The route starts on Santa Barbara Canyon Road (west on Foothill Road off of Highway 33 near New Cuyama, then a left on Santa Barbara Canyon Road). Your first reliable water source is Chokecherry Spring. The best camping is at Big Pine Campground or Bluff Campground (Bluff is much more civilized, but both campgrounds have water). The short hike to the summit of Big Pine mountain is a MUST and is included in the GPX file.
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile
Ride Type: 2 day bikepack or single day epic point to point.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: 8
Time: see description below.
This is arguably the most popular bikepacking route in the Southern Los Padres. Many do this route from the Santa Barbara side as an out and back so they do not have to car shuttle, but this is the better way to do it. The downside is that you have to find someone willing to drop you off at the starting point, which is a full 2 hour drive from the end point. The route starts on Santa Barbara Canyon Road (west on Foothill Road off of Highway 33 near New Cuyama, then a left on Santa Barbara Canyon Road). Your first reliable water source is Chokecherry Spring. The best camping is at Big Pine Campground or Bluff Campground (Bluff is much more civilized, but both campgrounds have water). The short hike to the summit of Big Pine mountain is a MUST and is included in the GPX file.
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile
Potrero Seco Point to Point
Ride Type: 2 day bikepack or single day epic point to point.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: 6
One of the first established bikepacking routes in the Southern Los Padres. This route is the reason I started bikepacking. It was first described in the map titled 'Santa Barbara Mountain Biking' (Raymond Ford Jr., Shoreline Press, 2001). A true classic! The downside to this route is that you have to find someone willing to drop you off at the starting point. The upside is that you get to descend double the elevation that you have to ascend, making it a great ride for intermediate bikepackers. Make no mistake though, this is still a very challenging ride, especially for bikepackers with no experience. Start the ride with 100 ounces of water to be safe. The route starts across Highway 33 from Pine Mountain Road. The easiest place to camp that is not off route (and first reliable water source) at is at mile 23 at upper Santa Ynez Campground (a very nice and quiet campground). You can go off route and ride to Big Caliente Hot Springs instead (best camping is at Rock Campground). Day 2, you will ride up Juncal Road and then descend down Romero Canyon. The ride eventually hugs the beach and ends at the pier in Santa Barbara (close to the Amtrak Station if you need to take the train home).
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile
Ride Type: 2 day bikepack or single day epic point to point.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: 6
One of the first established bikepacking routes in the Southern Los Padres. This route is the reason I started bikepacking. It was first described in the map titled 'Santa Barbara Mountain Biking' (Raymond Ford Jr., Shoreline Press, 2001). A true classic! The downside to this route is that you have to find someone willing to drop you off at the starting point. The upside is that you get to descend double the elevation that you have to ascend, making it a great ride for intermediate bikepackers. Make no mistake though, this is still a very challenging ride, especially for bikepackers with no experience. Start the ride with 100 ounces of water to be safe. The route starts across Highway 33 from Pine Mountain Road. The easiest place to camp that is not off route (and first reliable water source) at is at mile 23 at upper Santa Ynez Campground (a very nice and quiet campground). You can go off route and ride to Big Caliente Hot Springs instead (best camping is at Rock Campground). Day 2, you will ride up Juncal Road and then descend down Romero Canyon. The ride eventually hugs the beach and ends at the pier in Santa Barbara (close to the Amtrak Station if you need to take the train home).
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile
SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST
Big Bear Lake Loop
Ride Type: 1 day epic, or 2 day bikepack.
Fitness Difficulty: 9
Technical Difficulty: 7
See map for waypoints, and images.
This is a great one night out weekend warrior ride. Start Saturday morning and most riders will be finished by mid day on Sunday. Best time of year is late May or June, but July through mid October is still good too. Natural running water is very hard to find in this area so the resupply points are pretty critical. It is recommended that you start the ride with about 6 liters of water, because it is about 40 miles until the first resupply point. Informal camping with nice views can be found off of Skyline Trail/ Skyline Road.
Download GPX file and waypoints, view map, and elevation profile.
Ride Type: 1 day epic, or 2 day bikepack.
Fitness Difficulty: 9
Technical Difficulty: 7
See map for waypoints, and images.
This is a great one night out weekend warrior ride. Start Saturday morning and most riders will be finished by mid day on Sunday. Best time of year is late May or June, but July through mid October is still good too. Natural running water is very hard to find in this area so the resupply points are pretty critical. It is recommended that you start the ride with about 6 liters of water, because it is about 40 miles until the first resupply point. Informal camping with nice views can be found off of Skyline Trail/ Skyline Road.
Download GPX file and waypoints, view map, and elevation profile.
Sequioa National Forest
Waypoints (GPX format of the routes described below)
Kennedy to Nelson Point to Point (UPDATE! DUE TO THE SUMMER FIRES OF 2020, MILE 150 TO THE FINISH IS CLOSED TO PUBLIC USE UNTIL 2022)
Ride Type: 3 to 5 day bikepack.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: 10
See map for ride description, waypoints, and images.
Download GPX file and waypoints, view map, and elevation profile
This route has a few worthwhile alternative options. Some of these options are hand-drawn GPX files drawn over satellite images, so some are not entirely accurate:
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
Option E
Kern Plateau 8-Ball
Ride Type: 2 to 3 day bikepack.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: 10
Download GPX file, view map, and elevation profile
Outstanding Badger Kern Loop
Ride Type: 1 day epic or 2 day bikepack.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: 10
This loop is very high quality mountain biking. A great loop for the spring or fall season. Summer would be too hot and winter would likely have too much snow.
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile
Kennedy to Nelson Point to Point (UPDATE! DUE TO THE SUMMER FIRES OF 2020, MILE 150 TO THE FINISH IS CLOSED TO PUBLIC USE UNTIL 2022)
Ride Type: 3 to 5 day bikepack.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: 10
See map for ride description, waypoints, and images.
Download GPX file and waypoints, view map, and elevation profile
This route has a few worthwhile alternative options. Some of these options are hand-drawn GPX files drawn over satellite images, so some are not entirely accurate:
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
Option E
Kern Plateau 8-Ball
Ride Type: 2 to 3 day bikepack.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: 10
Download GPX file, view map, and elevation profile
Outstanding Badger Kern Loop
Ride Type: 1 day epic or 2 day bikepack.
Fitness Difficulty: 10
Technical Difficulty: 10
This loop is very high quality mountain biking. A great loop for the spring or fall season. Summer would be too hot and winter would likely have too much snow.
Download GPX file, view map, and view elevation profile
Other highly recommended bikepacking routes:
Want to bikepack from Canada to the bottom of Baja California? The Orogenesis Route might be for you!