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Tags:
Level: Intermediate
Length: 10 mi (16.1 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Loop
Elevation: +983/ -914 ft
Total: 212 riders
Mountain Biking Saratoga Gap
#72 of 1,004 mountain bike trails in California
This trail has something for everyone, it has its technical places, climbing places, downhill, technical downhill (not too technical) and technical uphill. I suggested using the map for a reason since the first time I went I got lost since a lot of trails spawn off of this one. Either way it is a great ride and a good way to spend an afternoon.
There are usually quite a few hikers and bikers on the trail so you can't really let loose and ride but it is still pretty fun. Hope to see you there.
First added by alvin.santoy on Jan 1, 2003. Last updated May 11, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: unknown
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: unknown
- Restrooms: unknown
- Fat bike grooming: unknown
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
From Saratoga take Highway 9 toward 35 (take a right on Hwy 9 toward Big Basin) follow the very winding road til you reach the cross of Hwy 9 and 35 and park on the left. Walk across hwy 9 and you are at the trailhead (feel free to take a map, might want to use it too)
Discovering MTB in California and this is the second one, nice landscape, some narrow places in deep forest, be ready in case somebody arrives fast from the other direction
| Thankplenty of gnats
| ThankVery tight, technical tracks in places. There are a lot of better places to ride in the Bay Area...
| ThankIt was a nice 10 mile loop with a good mixture of uphills and downhills. There was a nice mixture of Forest and views. There was a few hairpin uphill turns over rocks woukd pose a challenge for some. Overall enjoyed the trail.
| ThankThe John Nicholas trail recently opened to mountain bikers, and it's a pretty fun ride. Totalling about 4 miles of downhill, it has good flow with numerous water bars to jump and pump through and some great berms near the bottom.
| ThankFun ride with great scenery and mostly buff trails. Excellent ridge style riding with some deep forest sections thrown in as well. One of my favorites in the area.
| ThankReally fun, theres a single track that you ride all the way down, then it goes into a fire road intersection, find the next single track, and that loops around. Its a long ride, but so worth it. So far the best trail i've ridden in 2 years
| ThankWent on this trail today. You can call me a noob, I'll allow it, but this trail was still fun. Had to get off my bike a few times because I thought I was going to kill myself. With the exception of two bikers that were bombing downhill while I was on the up, I had a great time. View at the top is great! Need to get my technical skills up before doing it again though. Any tips from you more experienced riders? Is there another similar trail that is a little less technical so that I can get better?? Thanks for the help!
| ThankA GREAT ride out there today, only had 2 hours but still very fun. The beginning of the ride was very rocky, fun going down, not up. But great views once you go a mile or two out. Very shady, great views. I hope to get out there for a longer period of time. It wasn't to crowded considering it was a saturday morning. Watch out for the tree that fell over on the first leg.
| Thankthis trail is amazing. breathtaking view at the top.
| ThankTrail is awesome for the view alone. Once you cross 35 you are into the open land where you see mountains and the ocean. Some really good climbs/downhills and a good variety of trails.
| ThankNot from around the area, but went and rode this trail(6Apr08) relatively early in the season, it was great. Talk about a variety of riding. There is definately something for everyone. If you start at Saratoga Gap and work you way around it can be a long pull back to the parking lot, but it's still a blast. Highly recommend to anyone who likes to bike where there is great views.* Review edited 4/7/2008
| Thankthis is a really good place to ride in summertime. i rode it in winter slop and still had fun. very tight singletrack, technical through the trees but it does open up a bit. lots of kickers berms logdrops
| ThankI rode this short section and expanded it to include Peter's Creek trail. There are some good, fast sections here, but overall it is pretty mediocre on the fun factor. Lots of great views though, and a few short climbs on fire roads. For those less experienced, it would be a good ride for both cardio and skill. For more advance riders it may be way too easy.
| Thankgreat ride, a little bit of everything for everyone. first time rode it with a hard tail a bit challenging. great elements, from forested areas, to open fire roads. highly recomend parking in the vista point parking lot and riding across to long ridge hooking up on petere creeks trail for very sweet single track.
| ThankOnce this was one of my faves, but now it's too littered with people. It's a fun 1.5 mile "gap" trail, but you better get there before it get's packed. The real fun is the long ride out to Long ridge, if you can do the 15+ miles.
| ThankI ride here about once a year trying to figure out why so many people say this is their favorite place to ride and every year I just don't get it. The place is ok but nothing spectacular riding wise.
| ThankI've always liked this ride -- it forms an andreline jumpstart to the larger skyline and russian ridge xc.
Can be a little crowded on the weekends and after work, but almost lonely during the weekdays.
Check out the oen space website to grab a PDF topo map of the trail:
| Thankhttp://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_saratoga_gap.asp
We got lost as newbys. glad we did it
| Thank