(Rick Needham rides Cerro San Luis at dusk).
Welcome to the most complete on-line source for mountain biking in San Luis Obispo County. Check out the various rides descriptions in the area.
It is highly recommended that you purchase a guide book (the best one is Fat Tire Fun) before hitting the trails to learn exact mileages, directions to and from rides, view maps, and obtain more thorough route descriptions. The ride descriptions are informational, but not exact. New ORV roads and trails are cut each year, so make sure you are up to date with the latest published descriptions.
Feel free to make comments about the site and let us know how your ride was.
See you on the trail!
J.G.
Featured Ride
(A tough but scenic climb up Pine Mountain Road).
GPS Link
Great ride! This ride is 100% fire road, but don’t think it’s a slam dunk due to the lack of single track. This is a great cross country ride, with terrific views, and can be ridden as a loop ride (actually more of a tear drop), finishing at 22 miles…hard earned.
Get to Pozo. Pass the Pozo Saloon and and continue on Pozo Road. When you come to the junction of Park Hill Road and Pozo Road, turn right staying on Pozo Road. After about a mile, you reach San Jose Avenales Road and Pozo Road. Stay left on Pozo Road. You’ll soon come to a dirt parking lot on your right. Park here, if the road turned to dirt and crossed a bridge, you went too far. Make sure to read the sign about parking restrictions. You may need a wilderness pass. You could always park at the Pozo Saloon and pound pavement to the dirt adding an extra three miles.
After packing your bag with plenty of water and calories (you’ll need them) ride across the bridge and begin a four mile climb to Pozo Summit. You ride the canyon the whole way. This is a mellow, gradual climb, and can be done in your middle chain ring. You’ll soon reach the top and have a great view of the valley to the south east.
Drop down the road to your right (you’ll see an ORV road to you’re left that goes straight up…ignore it) and enjoy a three mile downhill to a three way junction. There is a single track that splits the canyon off to the left about 100 yards off the top if you prefer single track. You arrive at the three way junction. The left turn goes to Fris Camp and Navajo Flat (Fernandez Trail). Turn right here and head towards the La Pansa Summit. You’ll pass a campground on the left called the Queen Bee Campground, keep moving forward.
The climb through the campground is gradual, but it will soon start to get steeper. Soon you will come to a major fork in the road. The left turn looks like it drops you off in the middle of nowhere, turn right and begin climbing Pine Mountain Road. You’ll see the gate.
This is where the climbing gets tougher. Although there is some downhill in this stage, it is short lived. Prepare to climb…a lot. You’ll soon find yourself climbing steeply past the Castle Crags to your left (the picture at top is the the climb I speak of, Crags not pictured).
As you reach the top of the first spine, you’ll see a turn out to the left. Ride up it and you’ll find a much needed picnic table to rest on. This is a great place for lunch, and has the best view of the ride. Not to mention…you are about to climb…and climb…and climb…so a break is in order.
After your rest, keep moving up. You’ll reach the summit and think you’re done, but your’re not. Keep climbing up a series of three “S” shaped inclines. They are clear-able, so don’t give up. OK…so you’re done climbing now…WRONG! Keep moving along the spine. After a series of more steep climbs (and some walking) you’ll find that the road cuts steeply down to the right.
Finally…you are moving downhill. Enjoy the descent (it’s a rocky and loose one) until you reach a sign that warn you that you are about to kill yourself if you proceed any farther. You have now reach the infamous “Stair Steps.” The sign is actually a warning for four wheel drivers, but mountain bikers should get the same message.
Rumor has it that people have ridden the stairs, but I don’t see how. They are difficult to walk. After passing through the stairs, continue on the road as it mostly rolls downhill to the top of Pozo Summit (your first rest rest stop of the ride). Make a sharp left and cruise downhill four miles to your car. At 22 miles you are done.
The views and scenery are worth the climbs. I highly recommend this ride.
