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Cold Springs Trail
22 reviews
4.45 of 5
Cold Springs is not recommended for the faint of heart. Full suspension, prefferably long travel highly recommended. Sections of this trail on top are basicly rocky ravines. Boulders and smaller stones make up a good part of the top half the trail. One section is 1' wide with closely spaced steps next to a steep 200' slope, with a switch back. I've ridden this trail for four years and that spot still scares the hell out of me! Caution rules at the bottom due to high numbers of clueless rich hikers towards the bottom, but it is really scenic.Enjoy and keep the rubber side down.
From 101 in SB take Mission street exit. make a right and follow Mission past the Santa Barbara Mission. Make a right on 192 and 2 miles will be a building with a large resivior behind it, there should also be a sign for Gibralter road. Park here for shuttles (recommended) and round trips. Now in the second car or by bike climb Gibralter road to the East Camino Ciello ridge road (11mi). Once on East Camino make a right @ 3 miles down on the right side will be the Cold Springs trail head. Now prepare for one wicked downhill beating. After u finish, your'e on 192 so make a right and ride back to the car, or hospital j/k
Summary: OK. Cold Springs East Fork is da bomb! I just did it today with my Kona Stinky and it was really nice. There were no washy places because we just got some rain here in SB. Ride Now! The trail goes back and forth between rocks and hard packed gravel. Up top there is one sweet section where it is all hard packed, really smooth, flowy and fast. As you go down though it becomes rocks and some more rocks. Full Suspension is a must! My friend did it on his hard tail, but he had to walk a few sections. There aren't any really scetchy 200 foot drop off to your right sections unitill you get down to the bottom.
Bottom line: If you live near SB you need to ride Cold Springs.
Recommended Route: I got a shuttle up Gibralter Road and then went down. Get picked up somewhere on Cold Springs Road at or after Westmont College.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Cold Springs West fork, San Ysidro, Tunnel, Knapps
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Summary: Despite what people say in the previous reviews...'Cold Springs' is not for the faint at heart. If you have seen Hypnosis, you will see a certain rider shreading Knapps and Cold Springs. Not to mention another rider BOMBING Tunnel. These trails are proven and tested by many bike companies across the US. Cold Springs combines quick switch back off cambers, very thin off cambers, plenty of rocks and a lot of 'techy' sections if you go FAST. FAST, is the key to really enjoying this trail. Armor would be recommend, along with a bell and yielding to the rich yuppie weekend warrior trail hikers. They are timid and have a ton of power here. We give you guys the same respect when we ride trials like Telonics, Anderson, Ted Whilly, etc. and dont need these trails shut down simply because no one yields to these hikers and say hi.
Make it to the tree and that is where the fun really starts. Smoke a bowl, take in the sights, then get your ass back on the trail for the meat of the trail. This is where most of the rocks and the tech section really starts. Like I said, faster is better. the is a split in the trail about a mile down that will take you either to many tight switch backs and a lot of hikers (left) or to the right wich will take you through a bunch of tech rock gardens with less hikers. either way is fun. If you go to the right, you will encounter the infamous stair section which is cool and highly recommended. Again, wear a bell, the yuppies will hear you coming and you will have more fun.
One last comment. If you cant take the road hits fast.... where you drop your car off and then all the way to the trail head, keep riding the road a few more miles to Romero trail....you dont need to be on this trail.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Knapps Castle, Tunnel, San Ysidro.
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Summary: Rode the trail on Saturday 8/12 @ 3pm. Only encountered a few hikers. The trail is in excellent shape and is less technical than Tunnel. Still has plenty of fast flowy singletrack, rocky sections and tight switchbacks at the bottom. We opted for the left fork instead of the right fork (seems to blow better). This was my 1st trip to Cold Springs as we normally ride Tunnel. Cold Springs is a better place to take your friends who have never ridden SB before and also for Intermediate and out of shape riders!
Recommended Route: Take the left fork in the middle of the trail (the uphill one).
Other recommended trails in the same area: Knapps Castle
Tunnel
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Summary: I have not been on this trail since 99. We used to park at the beach and shuttle to the trailhead. It was a 4 to 5.5 hour bad to the bone, not for beginners, I almost got tired of rocks ride I have ever had the pleasure of riding. At the time I had a DBR with 60 MM of spring and elastamere travel and had only been riding for a year. Each time I was there bikes were broken, tacoed rims, ripped off derailures and on and on, along with dislocated fingers. (At least he didn't passout when I popped it back in for him.) I would love to come back with my Yeti 575. I am sure it would be easier and much faster now.
Recommended Route: Park at the beach, shuttle up and ride out. You will be spent when you get to the beach.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Gridley
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Summary: I have not been on this trail since 99. We used to park at the beach and shuttle to the trailhead. It was a 4 to 5.5 hour bad to the bone, not for beginners, I almost got tired of rocks ride I have ever had the pleasure of riding. At the time I had a DBR with 60 MM of spring and elastamere travel and had only been riding for a year. Each time I was there bikes were broken, tacoed rims, ripped off derailures and on and on, along with dislocated fingers. (At least he didn't passout when I popped it back in for him.) I would love to come back with my Yeti 575. I am sure it would be easier and much faster now.
Recommended Route: Park at the beach, shuttle up and ride out. You will be spent when you get to the beach.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Gridley
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