Reviewed by: Chris Pringle ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
Visited Whiting Ranch the weekend of 31 January, 2004. The park just reopened from the the mountain lion attacks in early January. We found quite a few mountain bikers, hikers and a couple of park rangers walking the park. We got a map and followed some of the trails. After one mile from our start, we ended up on "Dreaded Hill" which is one of the toughest climbs I have done in my life. It's not technical but it is very steep and loooong. I ride 4 times a week and I'm in pretty good shape. Let me tell ya... this climb kicked my a**! I think it didn't help that I wasn't even warmed up when we got assaulted by that hill! However, we found out afterwards that there was a 14 mile loop that doesn't even go through Dreaded Hill. It borders the perimeter of the park (which is not a huge area.)
As far as the trails go, they were really packed and smooth. You really need to watch your speed coming down as you can go really fast. You'll love the change of scenery every 10 minutes or so. The views on top are fabulous!

Recommended Route:
Get a map and follow the trails that border the perimeter of the park or ride with someone who knows these trails.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Marshal Canyon in LaVerne/San Dimas. It's about 45 mins. away from Irvine.

Reviewed by: Jared Johnson ,  Weekend Warrior , from Huntington Beach, CA

Summary:
For those saying that his ride sucks, I say that it rocks!! It may not be the best ride, but it is a lot of fun. It's like riding Colossus at Magic Mountain. It isn't the most thrilling ride but its a classic. Why? Because a beginner can have fun, an intermediate can have fun, and if you are so advanced that you can't have fun on this ride then join a pro team. My guess is that those who rate it poorly did not take Cactus. With speed, that can be as fun as it comes. I give two hearty thumbs up!!

Recommended Route:
Cactus! Cactus! Cactus!

Other recommended trails in the same area:
others

Reviewed by: Softcoconut , from Four Corners

Summary:
This is a beautiful ride with w/o the mountains. Mild intermeadiate at best. Ride this one with all your bro's and gal's of different abillitys. I ride quiet and slow and see mid day deer.

Recommended Route:
The one that ends at a cold beer.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
board walk

Reviewed by: bretDEE , from long beach, CA

Summary:
trail head next to ralphs, once u get to the "fork" in the trail, go left, climb "cattle pond" for a little leg and lung burn, enjoy the short downhill, watch the ruts/studder bumps towards bottom, begin climb up "mustard road", try to not to puke, knock on wood, i havent yet, once at 4-corners you can head up or down, i've always gone down make a sharp left at "cactus" and then wind your way back down.....or at 4 corners, go down, then left on cactus then through the stables and across the highway to the modjeska grade/santiago truck trail....thats a long climb, but well worth it, you can get over twenty miles easily if you go this way.....

Recommended Route:
trail head next to ralphs, once u get to the "fork" in the trail, go left, climb "cattle pond" for a little leg and lung burn, enjoy the short downhill, watch the ruts/studder bumps towards bottom, begin climb up "mustard road", try to not to puke, knock on wood, i havent yet, once at 4-corners you can head up or down, i've always gone down make a sharp left at "cactus" and then wind your way back down.....

Other recommended trails in the same area:
modjeska/santiago truck trail...

Reviewed by: Rick , from Costa Mesa, CA USA

Summary:
Whiting is scenic. Ridding under the tree canopy is very cool. Some of the trails are technical, but overall Whiting is an intermediate ride. 6 to 8 miles is very short and there is only about 600 feet of elevation gain; if you want a decent work out, you will need to ride it twice or push as hard as you can the first loop. Both El Morro and Aliso are better pound for pound than Whiting. Whiting does have some great scenery though.

Recommended Route:
Any and all Routes are fun.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
El Morro, Aliso Woods, San Juan, Santago TT