Bike Trails on the Mountains and Mesas
1. Pipeline Road
Technical difficulty: 3-
Physical difficulty: 4
Elevation gain/loss: ~3000 feet over ~10 miles
100% unpaved road
A good training ride. A long, unrelenting climb that runs from North road to the Pajarito Ski hill. A good way to access the Guaje Ridge, Guaje Canyon, and Upper Quemazon trails. Actually pretty technical in sections, due to massive amounts of loose rock and gravel. Some sections are smooth (especially the bottom half) after the fire, some sections are rougher. If you can ride it in under 45 minutes (to the top of the final climb into the meadow) you're ready to turn pro!
2. Guaje Ridge Trail
Technical difficulty: 3
Physical difficulty: 2
Elevation gain/loss: ~2000 feet over ~5 miles
100% singletrack
The best downhill run in town - in years past, anyway. Leaves Pipeline road and goes all the way down Guaje ridge to the Cemetary road. Off-camber, steep, and long. The fire and subsequent erosion spared the first 1.5 miles of trail, but destroyed the bottom sections (especially below the Mitchell trail intersection) pretty badly.
3. Reservoir Trail
Technical difficulty: 3+
Physical difficulty: 3
Elevation gain/loss: ~500 feet over 3 miles
60% dirt road, 40% singletrack
Not LA's best trail, but kinda fun. Follow a dirt road to the reservoir and then continue west on a loose singletrack. If you want to, you can carry your bike to the canyon's south rim and join lower Quemazon (no way to ride this section).
Closed to the public (along with the rest of Los Alamos Canyon) indefinitely.
4. Cabra Trail
Technical difficulty: 4-
Physical difficulty: 2+
Elevation gain/loss: ~300 feet over 2 miles
100% singletrack
Very fun downhill, extremely hard uphill. The downhill rating is probably only 3+ (though even experts will be sitting on the tire on some sections), uphill it's probably got some sections of 5-. Goes from the Cemetary/Guaje road to Rendija Canyon. To find the trail, look for the first gate (sometimes open) on the Cemetary/Guaje road. Cabra trail leads south from the road. The middle section of the trail is badly eroded from the fire, and there's a new descent into Rendija canyon built recently by the Tuffriders. Still a fun ride, if you like technical stuff and don't mind some shitty sand for a few minutes.
CLOSED DUE TO CERRO GRANDE FIRE
5. Guaje Canyon Trail
Technical difficulty: 4+ on switchbacks, 3-/2+ lower sections.
Physical difficulty: 2+
Elevation gain/loss: Drops ~1500 feet over ~8 miles
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Goes from the top of Pipeline into Guaje Canyon. The trail takes off to the right at the top of pipeline road (after the road passes through a meadow) and is rolling terrain for the first 1.5 miles or so. After riding out a ridge to a point, the trail drops off the left side and the fun begins. This is an INSANELY technical descent - almost everyone will want to walk it, and only trials/downhill afficionados will enjoy it (I think it's great!) Very tight switchbacks, pedal technical sections, large dropoffs, large rocks and roots will all be encountered, many at gut-wrenchingly steep angles of off-camber, rock-strewn trail. This is the most technical downhill in the county, boys and girls. Be prepared. Consequences of going OTB aren't incredibly dangerous, but there are plenty of sharp rocks to keep you humble. Once you descend the switchbacks, the trail becomes a pleasant glide through the canyon bottom along a stream. After around 5 miles, you'll come to Guaje reservoir. The next 3 miles or so descend on a much mellower abandoned dirt road.
6. Upper Quemazon/Canada Bonita
Technical difficulty: 2+
Physical difficulty: 2
Elevation gain/loss: Rolling.
Many variations are possible - there's about 6 miles of trail available.
Links Pipeline to the Ski Hill. Some fun trails in this area - explore on your own - you'll find plenty of entertainment. Also a good way to access the Guaje Canyon trail. Some of the trail from the ski area was deliberately destroyed by the forest service, and then badly rehabilitated, so it's pretty trashed.
7. Pajarito Trail
Technical difficulty: 4 in some sections.
Physical difficulty: 2
Elevation gain/loss: ?
100% singletrack
Very eroded, steep, and loose singletrack that is fun downhill but not much fun up (someone could clean it, but not anyone I know.) Leads from Rendija Canyon to the Pumice Mines singletrack area.
8. Lower Guaje Ridge (Cabra/Pajarito/Guaje Mtn) Trail
Technical difficulty: Mostly 2-3, with a couple of nigh-unrideable parts.
Physical difficulty: 3
Elevation gain/loss: rolling terrain - approx 4 miles
100% singletrack
A wonderfull ride that is an amalgam of the best parts of several different trails. When riding toward the canyon on Guaje Road, keep going straight at the turnoff for Cabra trail (ie go due east.) This is mellow, somewhat sandy singletrack, and is officially part of the Cabra loop. Take every left turn you come to - soon you'll be doing a short climb on the Pajarito trail. At a fork where the left branch drops steeply into Guaje Canyon, turn right and (attempt to) ride the trail up the hill. This is the Guaje mtn. trail. Coming back down the other side is a blast! Lots of rocks and loose gravel make for a decent technical challenge. When the trail ends, turn right on the dirt road and ride back to Rendija Canyon.
If you take any right turns, you drop back into Rendija sooner. The first right is the other half of Cabra, and has a couple very technical sections.
9. Pumice Mines Singletracks
Technical difficulty: 2+
Physical difficulty: 3
Elevation gain/loss: ?
some singletrack, some doubletrack, some dirt road
Fun, motorcycle-built trails on the mesa where the Pumice mines are. You can access these either by taking the Pajarito trail north, or by driving to the Pumice mines. Pretty much annihilated by the fire. D'oh. Garcia Canyon area is closed indefinitely.