Point Magu State Park

"Topo map of the ride" Length:22.5 miles Terrain:single tract-4 miles, fireroad-13 miles and narrow paved road-5.5 miles Waterseveral spots along the way, but bring your camel back anyway Level of Difficulty:moderately streneous and slightly technical Total elevation climbing:1600 feet High point and low point: 200feet and 1100 feet Length of ride: about 4 hours Directions to Newbury Park Entrance:Take 101 Freeway north, exit at Borchard. Bear right and continue a few miles on Borchard. Go left at Reino and continue to the end about 1 mile to Lynn Rd. Go right on Lynn Road for about .5 miles till you reach the new entrance to the park on your left. Follow the dirt road a short distance and park at the large parking area by the rest rooms.

Point Magu State Park is one of the most popular areas to mountain bike in the Santa Monica Mountains. After you have riden this ride you will see why.This ride has everything. Single tract, wide open fireroad, nice narrow paved road and spectacular scenery awaits you on your ride from the valley to the ocean. It is best to ride here early in the morning on the weekends to avoid the heat in months between June and November and the crowds. Riding in the winter months is a lot of fun. Be prepared to get wet from the numerous stream crossings.Remember to put sunscreen on in the summer months.

Ride a short distance on the fireroad from the parking area until you get to the paved road. Continue a short distance and get ready for a fast and furious descend to the canyon floor.Remember, you have to come back up this 500 foot drop at the end of the ride. Do not burn yourself out on the ride.Enjoy the lush canyon floor. This is Sycamore Canyon and it goes about 7 miles to the ocean. You will be riding a nice loop and pick up Sycamore canyon on the way back. Enjoy the coolness of the canyon floor shaded by oak and sycamore trees. Take your first right and this is Ranch Center Road. There is water at this junction. Take a good drink and enjoy for the next couple of miles a couple of nice uphills to warm up your legs.Take a little break at the apex of the last hill by the water tower and enjoy the views of the highest peaks of the Santa Monicas. Watch your speed on the descent. After you pass the rangers home, the pavement ends and the single tract begins. This is the most lush part of the ride. You have gone about 4.5 miles in about 45 minutes and you are entering Wood Canyon.Wood Canyon is a beautiful,shaded and stream-side environment that is a little technical due to the several stream crossings. Be careful and enjoy the mile ride to the beginning of the Guadalasco Trail.This is a great 2.5 mile single tract that climbs about 800 feet to the Overlook Trail. This is the most difficult part of the ride as you snake up to the ridge top at a lttle over 1000 feet. You should be able to do this climb without dismounting,depending on your stamina.Once you reach the Overlook Trail you are on a good fireroad but you still got a little more climbing to do.At about a mile into the Overlook Trail if you are lucky there is water(if the water is turned on). At this point looking to your right lies La Jolla Valley,closed to mountain bikers(too bad). Continue a little bit farther until you see the water tower. This is my mid point rest area. Take a nice 15 minute break and kick back. This is my favorite part of the ride as I enjoy the beauty of this area. I love looking at the grand peaks of the Santa Monica Mountains rising 2000 feet above us.The tallest peak of the Santa Monicas is clearly visable at over 3100 feet-Sandstone Peak. On your left a good portion of Sycamore Canyon is visable almost 1000 feet below. You will be returning this way. The rugged canyons on your right drop off into the ocean giving us beautiful vistas of the Pacific. Overlook Trail runs about 3.5 miles and then descends to Sycamore Canyon. This picture was taken a short distance before Overlook converges into Sycamore Canyon during the El Nino of 98. This generally is a small stream crossing. Well I got a little wet on this ride. If you want to take a little swim in the Ocean go right at the fork and continue about a mile through the camp ground and cross PCH and you are at the beach. On a hot day I will do this and take a nice swim. If not turn left on Sycamore Canyon and enjoy the fireroad back to your car. In the winter months you will get a little wet from the many enjoyable stream crossings. Its about 6 miles to the end of the ride. There is a nice picnic area on the other side of the Odhouse about 4 miles up canyon to take a break and rest your weary quads for the gruelling uphill out of the canyon. Hope you enjoyed the ride.

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