At your local bike shop, Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure, our mission is to build deep connections with our customers and inspire them to take more adventures! To inspire you to explore the local Sierra National Forest on your bike, we’re stoked to let you know we have just published mountain biking trail content on our website.
We currently have information on 29 different trails and locations where you will find fantastic riding. We have trail recommendations for every rider, from black diamond single-track trails like Octopussy near Bass Lake, California, to mellow dirt roads suitable for young children at Tesoro Viejo just north of Clovis, California, off of Highway 41. We also have included information on riding in Yosemite National Park. We plan to include road biking routes. If you have some favorite routes, please email us or DM us on social media to add to our website.
The mountain bike trail content we currently have provided is only just the start. Over time, we will be adding more trails, such as the trail network in Jerseydale, California, near Mariposa. Additionally, we will include videos of each trail, so you will see how the trail looks before your go for your first ride. Eventually, we plan to have more detailed videos reviewing the different lines you can ride and descriptions of what you can expect during your ride.
After you check out our trail content, swing by the shop for some in-person advice on riding locations. We’ll give you recommendations based on your skill and fitness level. We also hold “Shop Rides” regularly. Our “Shop Rides” are purely social, and all skill levels are welcome. It’s a fantastic way to meet other riders and join others when riding a trail for the first time. Click here to check out our ”Shop Ride“ calendar. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to get notified of our next ride, the latest news on products we carry, and our efforts to support the riding community of all ages.
We hope you find this information helpful so you can get out there and Pedal Forward!
Join us on a social Shop Ride Excursion to Santa Cruz. We will leave from Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure at 8:00 AM on Sunday, March 7th. We’d love to ride with you!
Below are the details about the destination and some of the trails available to ride!
Soquel Demonstration State Forest is situated in the Santa Cruz Mountains along California’s central coast. Originally part of a Mexican land grant, the property was logged by several different owners before the State taking ownership in 1988. Today, the Forest provides the public access to the beauty of the coastal redwoods and the wildlife found in this habitat type. Per CALFire policy, no e-bikes are allowed at SDSF.
This area provides the best legal technical and intermediate/advanced riding in the Bay Area.
Four Main Trails:
SawPit (blue/Black):
It was reopened on May 27, 2020. The Sawpit Trail closed after the winter of 2016/17 and, through the active timber management operation period, has been rerouted. Through a partnership with Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, the trail work is now complete, and Sawpit Trail is open. Sawpit Trail is remote, rocky, and steep with a 4.1-mile climb out Hihn’s Mill Road to the Highland Way parking area.
Braille (black):
Braille is steep and natural. The trailhead off Ridge Trail has signage to call the top. As you enter on a reasonably flat sector, you’ll do a couple of esses and soon come to a log drop of about 3-4 feet, and from there, it gets fun. Looking around as you descend, you’ll see at least 5 ramp jumps built by trail gnomes. Inspect them before you try them, as at one time or another, they have all been awesome. But conditions cause change. It is easy to skip them and try them at a later date. The other items you’ll find as you descend are steep (steep) skinny scalloped lines over roots. There is a skinny bridge and a teeter-totter about halfway down (easy to go-round). You can choose one or the other, but hitting both at speed is tough as they are not in line. As you get closer to the bottom, the trail weaves between redwoods and has one G-out that may catch you in the wrong gear forcing you over a skinny redwood ramp – 3 ft. gully bridge. Near the bottom is a fat four-foot high fatty log with a ramp-up and a huck to flat on the other end. Easy to by-pass, rewarding to hit. A new-ish route at the bottom has you come out parallel to the fire road. It was done to reduce getting t-boned on the fire road, but it requires a pedal stroke or four to get off the Braille.
Flow trail (blue)
Built specifically for mountain bikes, a flow trail emphasizes speed and rhythm, featuring berms, rollers, jumps and other features that are designed in a way that uses the rider’s momentum to minimize pedaling and braking (think downhill pump track). From the young (or not so young) beginner to the downhill pro, a flow trail delivers smiles for riders of all ages and skill levels.
MBoSC has partnered with land manager California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to build a four-mile flow trail in Soquel Demonstration State Forest (SDSF). The objectives of this project are to promote mountain biking by creating a progressive trail that can be enjoyed by riders of all ages and ability level, and to increase the diversity of riding opportunities, demonstrate innovative and sustainable trail building design and techniques, and provide a model for other land managers for similar types of projects.
Ridge Trail (blue)
Ridge is the launching point for most of the descents found in the Demo. All the DH trails start from Ridge, and Ridge connects them all at the top. It’s a fun trail with lots of turns, a couple of rock gardens, and a couple of Up-Pitches that test your ability to change speed rapidly (fast to slow) as you clear them. There are gathering spots at every trailhead where riders can group up – the start at Rosalia, the top of Corral, the top of Sulphur (the helipad), the top of Braille, and the top of Flow. It is mostly ridden fast in the DOWNHILL direction, but sometimes people climb – if you climb, be aware that no one expects to see you, so listen carefully and get ready to give way.
***********LEGAL DISCLAIMER*************
This is a social ride and is not sponsored in any way by Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure, LLC. Riders that decide to ride socially with Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure, LLC associates freely assume all risks of personal injury, and riders agree to hold Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure,LLC harmless from all claims of injury.
At Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure, we strive to be more than just a bike shop. Giving back to the community and inspiring our customers to have more adventure are two of our core values. Beyond selling bikes, gear, apparel, and repairing bicycles, we also advise customers where to ride and hike. Having talked to hundreds of customers since opening, it has become woefully evident our wonderful town needs more places for families and new mountain bikers to develop their single-track riding skills. The popular riding trails require long and often steep climbs followed by single-track descents that are challenging for children and new riders. We currently suggest that these riders drive all the way to Tenaya Lodge and ride Jackson Road or head south to Tesoro Viejo. Unfortunately, both options do not offer single-track riding.
Our search to find the perfect location close to Oakhurst lead us to explore options at the 400 acre Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park located at 43469 Highway 49, in Ahwahnee, California. We are collaborating with The Friends of Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park. Fern Facchino, the Chairman, has graciously invited us to present our plan for family mountain biking in the park. We’ve attended two board meetings and are pleading our case to obtain approval to develop a sustainable single-track mountain bike trail specifically designed for families and new riders. Read on to see our proposal.
Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park
Proposal: Access for bicycle use within Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park
This proposal is presented by Jorge Negrete and Michael Broderick owners of Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure located in Oakhurst, California on behalf of local families. Jorge is a board member of Yosemite South Gate Trails Cooperative, a mountain bike enthusiast, and former Environmental Manager at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. Michael is also a mountain bike enthusiast, tourism expert, and former Director of Sales & Marketing at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite.
Reference:
Families living in our mountain communities need access to safe family-friendly bicycle trail riding, especially for beginners learning to ride on trails. Currently, there are no designated and conveniently located areas that are safe for families to ride bicycles. Due to the steep and challenging terrain of the mountain area, families cannot ride together in safe, “easy”, “green level” trails. Most of the existing bike trails access points are difficult to locate and entail long drives from Oakhurst/Ahwahnee area. Biking is an excellent outdoor activity that enables children to stay healthy, enjoy the outdoors, and develop a passion for an active lifestyle. Currently, there are non-profits in the area that use mountain biking to keep children involved in athletics providing alternatives to video games, social media, and other potentially negative activities. The addition of a convenient, safe, and fun trail within the Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park will positively benefit the community and promote the park as a place where a family can spend the day together. Families visiting the area will have another family-friendly recreational activity that will positively impact our local businesses that rely on tourism.
The increased demand for outdoor activities that the community of Oakhurst/Ahwahnee are looking for will benefit families and visitors that are looking for a retreat in the mountains.
Details of Proposal:
1. Kids and families will benefit from the riding areas while keeping the bikes off equestrian trails with signs clearly noting: “No bikes allowed.” Signage will educate visitors on proper trail etiquette required between riders, hikers, and horseback riders to share access on the Orange trails that are already designated within the park.
2. Extend the existing hiking trail, keeping it separated from equestrian trails. This will benefit hikers that can enjoy the trail as well.
3. This trail expansion will have the appropriate signage for the specific trail for mountain bikers. The future possibility to build trail features will provide a safe and fun family training ground for riders interested in developing their skills in order to ride the more challenging biking trails in the Bass Lake/Oakhurst area. This trail development could become a small scale version of the Woodward Park trails near Clovis, California.
As a board member of Yosemite South Gate Trails CO-OP, we have the expertise to build and maintain sustainable trails while educating users on the appropriate trail etiquette.
This proposed access is only for non-motorized bicycles. Attached is an environmental impact study about mountain biking. The study concludes that “the environmental effects of well-managed mountain biking are minimal.”
There will be scheduled maintenance of these trails by members of Yosemite South Gate Trail Cooperative, bike enthusiasts, and through community events.
The green trail on the map below illustrates the potential expansion and development of hiking/Mountain bike trails in Ahwahnee Regional Park. Note that a separate biking only trail could be designated. Additionally, a new bike only trail can be build next to the red (hiking) trail to eliminate any mixed use trails.
Join us on our weekly shop rides to stay fit and make connections with our riding community!
Let’s ride Hensley Lake together. This flowy single track ride is scenic and ideal for riding in the winter. Although the trail is rated green on TrailForks, it has many optional features to challenge expert riders. Drops, Jumps, rollers, and challenging technical climbs await those wanting to push their riding skills. New riders will develop their skills and can walk the more challenging sections. Let us show you the many options if it’s your first time riding at Hensley. Anticipate the ride lasting approximately 1:20 minutes. Click here to see the trail map on TrailForks.
The ride will begin promptly at 8:00 am, so please arrive a few minutes early to gear up and make any last-minute bike adjustments. We’ll have some tools with us.
See you this Sunday, weather permitting.
