Review Date
August 26, 2007

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: me109 ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Trail seems to be in great shape. This has a killer climb for mile or so, I had to use my small ring. A couple of clip-outs on the tight switchbacks. The scenery of pretty much the whole loop is awesome. Technical rocky creekbed near the beginning, try to fly over these. The downhill is all fast and fun. you can really fly for the last two miles of this loop, but watch for hikers, there were a lot today.

Recommended Route:
CA 5 exit at calgrove. head south 1/4mile and park in the lot on the right. Ride paved road into park. it will turn into fire road and then into single track through "the narrows". This is where the technical stuff starts. Then the switchback climb and finally the peak. the follow the trail down and fast back to the parking lot.

Review Date
March 10, 2007

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: soundezgn ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Hit this trail yesterday afternoon, and it's in decent condition. Brush is finally growing up around the burned trees on the trail, but the trail is clear. Dirt is hard packed , with significant gopher hole action. Some of the switchback trails have had some erosion, and are getting a little thin... Tread lightly please...

Review Date
August 9, 2006

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 5 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: normdzn ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
This a great local trail for me and I ride it as a loop. It starts out pretty flat with a gradual ascend towards the 'narrows'. I still find myself walking the narrows but from there be ready for about a mile and a half (I think?) straight up with a number of switchbacks. This is where I go on granny gears. Once you get to the top (hike-a-bike parts on loose dirt, steep uphill switchbacks) you would notice the trail suddenly becoming narrower (overgrown brush), hard-packed and rutty. The downhill is very fast and be very careful with the switchbacks and hikers (very rare but if you're not carefull it could be dangerous) because it is very tight. There are a couple of technical downhill sections where you need to try very hard not to lock up your back wheel and skid all the way down. Very gratifying trail once you finish the downhill without any spills. Novice rider.

Recommended Route:
I would start the loop in a counter-clockwise direction, you can ride it in reverse but it makes the uphill even harder and more technical.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Viper on San Fernando Road off of the 14 Frwy.

Review Date
July 2, 2006

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 5 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 5 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Ridden Once

Reviewed by: Outta Shape Rider ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
The trail was a killer for me but I am a novice at this. I will say this though, the views a along the trail are stunning and the view at the top was great. If you like to see nature at work the bubbling tar-oil or whatever it is along the trail is something else. I found this part of the ride the most fun. I kept thinging of Jed Clampett. Watch out for hikers and runners them come up on you fast on the way down. Or they pass you on the way up if your walking your bike like I did.

All in all a great trail for the advanced rider testing their skills, for the Old and Fat like me either hike it or stick to fire roads. Or not take the time to look this trail up on this site like me and walk your bike up 1/2 way. I took a friend with me who had not ridden a bike in 17 years. I think he wanted to kill me at the end but never said so. But he did not talk to me much on the way home either.

Cheers

Review Date
October 10, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 4 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: Ub3rnoid ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Its been said before, but this is one of the best one hour trails out there. Nice up hill work out and fast down hill. Really watch for hikers on the down hill because you can get going pretty fast. There cool if your cool to them. I ride this one a week and never had a problem.