One of the only networks in the East Bay offering bike-legal singletrack riding.

Statistics

0 - 1

hrs

368

m

368

m

8

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Difficult

Description

While trail access laws in the Bay Area are generally very anti-mountain bike, the East Bay is arguably the most restrictive area.

The rampant spread of signs proclaiming “no bikes allowed” throughout the region makes Joaquin Miller such a diamond in the rough.

This network of trails may be small, but it’s almost entirely singletrack, and the trails are legal to mountain bike on! Adding to the surprise is the relative technicality of the trails in this network.

“A few of the bike-legal trails have very technical (some, extremely so) and steep segments,” according to BayAreaRides.com.

Most notably, the Chaparral Trail claims the title of the most technical trail in the park.

"This trail is a singletrack that's covered over pretty much its entire span by frequent wooden steps,” writes BayAreaRides.com.

"In its upper (northeastern) stretches, it's also very steep, rocky, and technical in a number of places.

There are spots on this trail that might pass for a dry waterfall.

If any trail would satisfy hard-core downhill riders, then this trail would.” Not all trails in this network are as technical, however.

It’s very possible to piece together a pleasing intermediate ride—albeit, a short one. To make the most of the network, you’ll have to loop back and forth on yourself, sometimes riding the same trail multiple times.

That said, the double loop mapped here is a recommended route that actual largely avoids re-riding trails, and simultaneously delivers the highest quality singletrack and best descending.

Feel free to start with this double loop, and then add on more singletrack riding if desired. It’s common to connect Joaquin Miller to nearby Redwood Regional Park, but be warned that pretty much all of the singletrack in Redwood Regional Park is off-limits to mountain bikes.

Unless you want to ride doubletrack, best to stick to Joaquin Miller. Sources: https://bayarearides.com/rides/joaquinmiller/