Where do you SoCal Guys Ride Off-Road?

[Bushyar15]

I'm probably going to visit family in the SoCal area, Probably between the San Fernando Valley and San Diego and thinking of bringing my bike out. Was wondering where or which roads you ride when you want to go off road that are "Day Rides"?

TIA

 

[AVGeek]

There is an embarrassment of riches there in SoCal for day rides, most of them canyon roads. You can do Mulholland in the Santa Monica mountains (along the coast near Malibu) and check out the world famous Rock Store (a popular weekend hang out, I saw Jay Leno there once on one of his MV Agustas). There's also Glendora Mountain Road to the east, Ortega Highway in OC (runs from San Juan Capistrano to Lake Elsinore), Palms to Pines Highway (Idylwild to Palm Desert; both Ortega and PtP are part of Highway 74), Highways 76, 78 and 79 through southern Riverside County and North San Diego County, which gets you to Palomar Mountain.

For dirt excursions, you could always head over to the San Bernadino mountains; there will be snow, but nothing like Colorado. There are dirt roads that cross the Cajon pass. Also in that area, Highway 173 is paved, but becomes a dirt road and takes you over the mountains to Hesperia, in the high desert.

 

[Bushyar15]

Thanks for the response AVGeek! I'm surprised, I've not received more responses. I would think SoCal being the Mecca of Motorcycle riding would have garnered more responses. Maybe Adv bikes aren't as popular there?

Yeah those roads you mention are awesome. I grew up in SoCal, and before moving to Colorado I lived in Thousand Oaks, so the Rockstore and all those great Santa Monica mountain roads were in my backyard. I also loved riding Hwy 2, Angeles Crest Highway from both the base or starting off on Big Tujunga and syncing up with Angeles Crest.

Thing was I only owned and rode "onroad" bikes when I lived there. Never had anything to go off-road.. I was wondering if there were trails in the San Gabriels between the Valley and Palmdale or any offshoots from Angeles Crest Highway, any off-road stuff in the Santa Monica mountains? or Ojai area?

 

[AVGeek]

I moved out 7.5 years ago, and I also had only my FJR and my sand toys when I lived there. My memory is that any dirt roads were further afield, more out towards the high desert, the Grapevine (Gorman and the like). There's too many people in the LA Basin, so most of what used to be available was closed off to motorized access.

 

[AVGeek]

tomatocity posted this link in another thread, mentions a couple of dirt roads on this route:

http://goo.gl/maps/4wfXq

 

[tubebender]

Federal government have been closing forest roads for years here in Southern California. Budget cuts and endangered species are the 2 biggest reasons.
But there are still places to go and find some dirt.
Here's a partial list.

Angeles National Forest - San Gabriel Mountains (north of I-15)/ Glendora Ridge – Mt Baldy, Lytle Creek
San Bernardino National Forest (south of I-15) / Cleghorn Rd, Lake Arrowhead – Big Bear area has a lot of Forest Service roads.
Cleveland National Forest
(North of Ortega Hwy) / Slverado Cyn., Main Divide, Trabuco Creek.
(South of Ortega Hwy) / South Main Divide – Los Alamos Truck Trail (paved ), Tenaja Rd (short), Cold Springs Rd. (dead end)
Hemet – Idyllwild – Anza area / Bee Canyon Truck Trail, Forest Rte 5S15 (Thompson Mtn), Bautista Rd, Forest Rte 7S02 (Santa Rosa Mtn ), Cooper Cienega Truck Trail, Puerta La Cruz Truck Trail
Palomar Divide Truck Trail, Nate Harrison Rd

 

[Bushyar15]

GREAT! Thanks for those suggestions!

 

[burnoil]

Here's a route I do out of Big Bear. Easy peasy, but a little rocky in some stretches. Just pick your way through and no worries at all...and scenic.


https://www.google.com/maps/@34.2102694,-116.6234511,20183m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!6m1!1sz-xSUg_E-sNI.kTczkIRtYZG0?hl=en