Review Date
August 31, 2009

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 1 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 1 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Every few months

Reviewed by: Gary the No-Trash Cougar ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
There are some paved trails out here, especially near the duck pond but you can skip those and hit the dirt instead! Hit the Adobe Creek Loop Trail if you're looking for cyclocross training, a recovery ride or just an easy stroll through marshlands full of birds and other wild life. The trail is mostly fire road, though there are sections of singletrack that run parallel and are closer down to the water. The fire road sections relatively smooth with one very rocky section that is practically a rock garden and can be very tiring (especially on a rigid). The singletrack is mostly hardpack (watch out when wet though). There is also a bowl with a few small jumps out here. You can also connect to Shoreline Park trail system and Steven's Creek Bike Trail from here. The headwinds suck, but that's life in the Bay Area. The cross winds also suck, but the trail is usually wide enough to weave back and forth.

Recommended Route:
Hit Adobe Creek from East Bayshore Rd. You can ride in from downtown Palo Alto and cross 101 on the pedestrian bridge and go south on Renzel Trail or park at the Duck Pond on East Bayshore and go north on Renzel. Follow the trail around Byxbee Park Hills, then go east at the fork and follow it out towards the bay. After you've gone over 5 miles, you can complete the loop and head back on Renzel or keep heading east towards Shoreline Park in Mountain View which eventually leads to the Steven's Creek bike trail. It's a great way to add mileage, as long as you don't mind that it's pavement.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Russian Ridge (and pretty much anything on Skyline), Arastradero, Water Dog Lake Park, Arguello Park, Carlmont Hills, The Shells