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The Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail (also known as the Pacific Electric Trail) traverses the communities of Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, and Rialto in Southern California’s Inland Empire metropolitan region. The wide and largely straight rail-trail has parallel paved and crush stone paths, allowing for cyclists, walkers, runners, and equestrians to freely share the thoroughfare. On-street crossings, while well-designed and marked, add some time to trail-users journey.
While some segments are simple and utilitarian, others are tree lined, featuring charming landscaping, especially at crossings. In the spring, jacaranda trees splash bright purple blooms atop the muted earth tones characteristic of the Inland Empire.
About the Route
The western endpoint of the Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail is atClaremont Blvd & Huntington Dr in Upland, a few blocks from Pomona College. The trail proceeds east to Downtown Upland, where several dining and shopping options exist, along with a Saturday farmers market.
As the trail crosses Vineyard Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga, it intersects the Cucamonga Creek Trail, offering a connection. 3 miles further east, the trail also connects with the Deer Creek Bike Path. Just ahead is Rancho Cuamonga’s Central Park, with playgrounds, mountain views, a dog park, and several looping gravel paths.
In Etiwanda, the trail passes Isle House, a preserved mansion with a historical marker. Across Etiwanda Street is the historic Etiwanda Pacific Electric Depot, which served passengers on the rail line until 1941 and freight until 1960.
In Fontana, after seamlessly passing through a commercial zone, the trail takes users into the downtown, with several shopping, dining, convenience, and recreational park spaces can be found. At Juniper Avenue, Art Depot, converted from an agricultural freight depot in use from 1915 to 1961, offers a chance to peruse the gallery or attend a program. In the same plaza, the trail passes rose gardens and an old-fashioned windmill. The Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail’s eastern endpoint is in Rialto, at N. Cactus Ave., where a lookalike bridge pays tribute to the Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy.
Connections
In Rancho Cucamonga, the trail connects with the Cucamonga Creek Trail and the Deer Creek Bike Path. Both are north-south routes into neighboring communities.
Trail History
While Southern California is known today for its sprawling freeways, in the 1920s, it was home to the largest interurban electric railway on earth, the Pacific Electric Railway.
Today’s Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail follows part of the the historic railway’s San Bernardino Line, designed around the area’s booming citrus industry, and completed in 1914. On bright red electric cars, the segment carried passengers between the Inland Empire, downtown Los Angeles, and other destinations in the Pacific Electric network.
Though segments of the original San Bernardino Line west of the trail are still in use, passenger service on this portion of the corridor ended in 1940s. Freight continued for a few decades until the line was fully abandoned and deconstructed in the 1980s. The first segment of the rail-trail opened in 2004.
The Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail runs between Claremont Blvd & Huntington Dr (Upland) and N Cactus Ave, between W Second St & W First St (Rialto).
Several public transit stations nearby offer access to the trail by train, on the MetroLink San Bernardino Line:
Parking is available:
There are numerous parking options along this route. See TrailLink Map for all parking options and detailed directions.
We parked on the western end in the Metro train parking lot at 1st and College in Claremont. Lots of free parking. Rode a few blocks down First and picked up the trail. This trail is in beautiful shape. No trash, no graffiti, no homeless camps. Part of it has a beautiful separate parallel dirt trail for horses and runners. Not too much shade so would be hot in summer. There’s a nice park about 10 miles in on the trail. The downside is the number of street crossings. Only a few of the streets were busy. But the fun part is that in addition to street crossing buttons for bikes they have high up buttons for those on horses.
Amazing trail
The trail itself was nice. We started from the parking lot on Foothill, in RC and went east. Nice paved two lane trail. After a while though, you cross city streets over and over again. It kinda sucks have to stop for signals so many times.
BE CAREFUL if you park in the foothill parking lot. While we were out riding, someone drilled a hole in my gas tank to steal gas. I didn't even notice it until we got home. It was $1700 worth of damage. Because of that, I will never again go to that parking lot. Heck, I will probably never use this trail again because of that. You have been warned.
The trip starts at my house getting on PET from Campus Ave. in Upland. The distance is 17.5 miles one way from where I start. The trail goes east and at about two miles into the trip there are two brief climbs and from there on it's pretty much level. At the Foothill Blvd. trailhead there is restroom access. It's important to mention that unlike the Santa Ana River Trail,, there are many intersections you have to cross. With some short and some long stretches. After about nine miles, starting from the under the 15 fwy you will be on a mile stretch that is very bumpy with the concrete slabs. Not very pleasant at all for road bikes. This section ends with a rest area in Rancho Cucamonga. I look at this portion as the first half of PET. It's now mile 10.
The second half of PET begins across Baseline Rd. where you enter Fontana. You are now going southeast. The trail takes on a different character where you are in a community setting and many portions of the trail have a neat accent to them. There's a park at Oleander Ave. with a nice restroom right off PET to your left. Other parks and exercise equipment are alongside the trail, along with a number of historical buildings. Once you enter the city of Rialto, you see neat signs telling you you're at Rialto with numerous cement benches and water fountains. The trail ends at Cactus Ave. at mile 17.5.
I gave this trail a four because in Fontana and Rialto I noticed that the trail isn't being kept up regarding weeds growing inbetween the concrete slabs you're riding on. Those weeds often have thorns that can puncture tires. I recommend you check the weather forecast for wind. Cucamonga, Fontana, and Rialto are know as "wind tunnels" so better to be safe than sorry. On my second trip, I did notice signs of the homeless with trash and other items associated with them. It wasn't much but I suspect it's going to get worse because on my first trip I didn't see anything. That's not good. Hope it doesn't get too bad!
I start at Citrus and ride to Claremont. Nice ride, only one detour where a portion is being rebuilt; have to detour up to Arrow but it takes you thru the Colleges campus to the village.
I really like this trail. I have only made it from Cactus to Cherry Ave. But it seems like a safe and easy ride so far. You’ll see some homeless people peppered throughout Fontana area but in all there are a lot of people walking, running and biking.
Beautiful, clean, well maintained, wide trail. Much of the way you have to option to be on a paved path or compact gravel. We went on a mild weathered Saturday afternoon and the trail was not busy at all. There are several intersections with lights you have to go through but it’s all very safe. Plenty of water fountains and rest break locations. Most of the trail abuts the backside of residential areas. Very little shade from sporadic trees. We felt super safe. Our GPS clocked in a little more that 18 miles (20).
WAY TO MANY STOPS ¿¿
Used the this trail with friends to roller skate(quad) and it was a good ride! However, because of the dirt trail alongside the bike trail, there were many little pebbles and dirt debris. Also, the cement dividers are pretty deep making to feel the need to skate tense in order not to trip. Street crossing wasn’t too bad on this route, only 2 big streets with a few small streets. This route is probably not ideal for beginner skaters. I would love to come back on my bike and walking with my dog. Not too much uphill/downhill.
I need to get off and on my bike again and again.
I have a bad foot and riding a bike has zero impact on it so I can go and go when trails are flat. I catch it right at the I-15 and Baseline. I'm happy.
Counted 28 traffic light crossings and another 24 crossings with stop signs. However, very functional community bike transportation corridor. Paving good, but yes, it lacks restrooms.
I’ll make this short and too the point. 1. Needs a restroom facility on the trail at least halfway throughout the trail. 2. Lots of bumps in between intersections. 3. Lots of sketchy people chilling on the trail around Euclid through Upland towards Claremont .
I guess I am the only one reviewing this trail who actually both runs and rides every inch of this trail on a regular basis. My home is near Milliken and is just several block north of the trail. I typically run from my home to the trail at the central park, and decide either westbound (to Claremont Blvd or even a little bit further to the metrolink station) for about 20 miles out & back, or eastbound (to Fontana, and recently as trail expanded, into Rialto) for 20 to 22 miles. Except for two parks near the trail in Rancho, there is no restroom. But water fountain is abundant in west half of the Rancho west to east part of Upland, then there is none in Claremont. There is again no water fountains in east part of the Rancho until you are 1 miles into Fontana, then you will enjoy at least one for each mile all the way into Rialto. Standing at the end of the trail, sometimes I can see the railway train on the rail shadowed by the far away snow capped mountains. If the trail continous eastbound, it will makes a sudden turn southbound before 215 freeway, and it will join the Santa Ana river trail, which eventually (except for miles of disconnect before Yorba Linda) goes all the way south to Huntington Beach. I heard that westbound of the trail also has the potential to join the San Gabriel river trail, though I have no ideal how it will go that way. Given the slow progress, not sure in my lifetime I can see that happens.
I absolutely love walking on the Pacific electric trail. I am on it several times a week.
BUT there are no restroom facilities! The only one is at the trail hub....and that's it! What are we suppose to do? Not drink water while exercise? Pee in a bush on the side of the trail? There absolutely NEEDS to be restroom facilities along the trail.
As a lifelong resident of the Inland Empire and a Rancho Cucamonga homeowner, I've ridden this trail dozens of times over the years. It's extremely popular with locals and families for bicycling, walking, and jogging. For an urban area it has a great deal of good things going for it. There are also some not so great things.
THE GOOD: Off street, Class I trail following along the historic route of the extinct Pacific Electric Rail Line; some pretty views of the San Gabriel Mountains; historic, one hundred year old homes near downtown Upland; riding between Base Line Road in Fontana to Route 66 in Rancho Cucamonga.
THE BAD: The trail is frequently intersected by major thoroughfares and other streets so there are lots of stops and starts; you're essentially riding your bike between the block walled backyards of neighborhoods for much of the time or behind businesses; going uphill between Route 66 and Base Line Road in Rancho Cucamonga (according to my wife); downtown Fontana homeless.
THE UGLY: When heading west, don't bother going beyond Euclid Avenue in Upland since for the most part there's nothing but some sketchy apartments, warehouses, and industrial complexes the rest of the way.
CONCLUSION: I've traveled thousands of miles in the United States to ride my bike on beautiful, historic, once in a lifetime, bucket list worthy trails. This ain't one of 'em. As a Rancho Cucamonga resident I was excited when they constructed this since it's great, local urban bike riding, and an opportunity for walkers to get in their ten thousand steps or joggers their miles. However, don't plan a big vacation around this one (unless you're coming to visit friends or family and you need to get a bit of exercise).
Looking through the preceding 47 reviews, a title from May of 2013 sums this trail up best: "Better Than Riding a Stationary Bike".
CONSIDER: Just west of Vineyard Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga is a connecting trail called Cucamonga Creek Trail which goes north about six miles into the foothills of Rancho Cucamonga. It's a Class I asphalt trail, and the first few miles are moderately difficult and not especially well maintained, but the last few miles travel diagonally across the foothills and are easy and well maintained as you travel through neighborhoods of million dollar homes and ranches full of horses. Eventually you get to the crown jewel park in our city, Heritage Park, where you can enjoy valley and mountain views and have a picnic lunch. (I've taken my kids when they were little and my 10 year old granddaughter in recent years up this trail). Best of all, you can coast almost all the way back to the Pacific Electric Trail!
I usually stay in Rancho. I'm still trying to get in shape lol. The ride towards Fontana is horribly bumpy. But I like it better than the trail to Claremont. Only because coming back is more uphill. I haven't ventured outside Rancho or Upland. The trail is definitely not set up right for any kind of riding. It should have been laid down with no separation cracks. I heard Claremont is not this way??
This trail is pretty good from rialto to rancho but from upland to Montclair it's not that good. The trail is fairly easy and clean with OK scenic view. But there are quite a few breaks on the trail which one might find a little annoying.
I did not care for the stretch of trail from Upland-Claremont. As mentioned in a prior review-too many street crossings. I haven’t tried the Upland-Rialto route yet.
If I could split this review, I would rate most of the trail, from Upland to points east, 5 stars. But the westernmost 4 miles from Upland to Claremont are terrible. The street crossings require you to leave the trail, go down to the nearest traffic light to cross, then go back up to the trail to continue. This wouldn't be so bad if the crossings weren't every quarter mile, and if the crosswalk buttons weren't placed in such bizarre, hard to reach places. I guess it's OK if you live here, but if you are visiting from outside the area, just pretend the trail starts in Upland. It's fantastic.
Had a fun fast spin on the PE IE trail yesterday. Started at N. Cactus in Rialto and rode to Victoria Park Ln. and back. There is a short section in Fontana closed for construction between Emerald Ave. and Juniper Ave. but just go slightly over to the parallel road to the left (Seville Ave.) to get around it.
My wife's bad knees mean no cycling, and we both have lower back issues so walking is no fun. We've used our Segways around Fontana as well as to Rialto and back, sometimes pulling a trailer for shopping and to carry volunteering equipment. The trail east of Citrus Ave was good concrete going, with signals on the main crossings, but we were disappointed to find the trail ending at Cactus Ave. There we had to jog a couple of hundred yards on a rough road shoulder to Rialto Ave., where narrow sidewalks complete with utility poles were a hazard.
Yes, there is a homeless population between Sierra and Citrus, but we've had no problems whether walking with our dogs or riding. Among the amenities we appreciate are poop bag dispensers and receptacles for used bags. We did notice broken lights, but since we have and use Segway lights that's not a problem. I wouldn't recommend night walking on any urban route.
I think the designers on this trail did their homework. Other trails I've ridden should have had their designers sentenced to ride them daily for six months or so, but this one is properly done.
I am very happy to have found this trail. Very well maintained clean lighted and easy to access. My new number one trail to go to.
I usually go in the morning and late afternoons on the weekends. It's my go to trail lots of peaceful walking, very well maintained.
This is the third time we've been there and will be back many more times, great trail, this sunday i rode withme 2 year old son, he had fun!!
Great!
We rode portions of this trail on two occasions. Started both times at the Route 66 Trailhead just off of Foothills Road to West of intersection with Vineyard. The first ride was towards the East and late in the afternoon. The cement trail is very wide and smooth with a wide equestrian trail running parallel. The trail crosses a number of main streets every so often, they have crossing lights and stop traffic fairly quick after pressing the button, so delay isn’t lengthy but if looking for a continuous ride that isn’t interrupted this isn’t a trail for you. We rode 5 miles to the East and then back, by then it was starting to get dark but was okay because there are plenty of street lights along the trail. The following day we went to the West again a little more than 5 miles. This direction the trail changes from cement to asphalt. This portion isn’t as wide as the cement portion but still wide enough. The asphalt is smooth and makes for a nice ride. Just as in the opposite direction there are frequent street crossings that can slow up the pace of the ride. For us we don’t mind the change in pace and enjoyed the trail a great deal. Normal for a rail-to-trail there is slight elevation change and easy to cruise along in either direction. The Western end does have some street lighting but not spaced as closely together as the Eastern end. The equestrian trail doesn’t go this direction. In the Upland section of the trail we noted sites where there might have been some informational panels but they all have been removed. Could be they had graffiti on them, saw lots of locations that had recently been repainted to cover the graffiti. Highly recommend a ride along this trail.
I love the way this trail connects the communities and allows runners and cyclists alike to share a common corridor several cities with plenty of connections to schools, shops, libraries, and parks.
Well maintained, well lit, and safe for all hour commuting. My family loves the scenery as we take in the sights and sounds of each neighborhood and are looking forward to 5 more years of traveling along this trail!
Thank you friends of the Pacific Electric Trail. Our lives have been enriched because of your support and generosity.
I happened upon the trail by accident while passing through on a bike ride. Out of curiosity I went all the way west so I could ride the full length west to east (was already considering 100 miles this day anyway). I noticed in the 6 mile going east that the trail was so horribly planned that whoever implemented it should be shamed. And, unfortunately as I traveled the full length, it didn't get any better.
1. The trail gives priority to vehicle traffic at every intersection. You have to come to a stop at EVERY crossing and either wait until it is clear, wait for a crosswalk signal, or go around. What the hell is that?
2. You have to cross intersections! And I'm not talking about every 5 miles or something, but sometimes only a few hundred feet apart! There are a few small areas on the west side of the Santa Ana River trail where you are near vehicle traffic, but not much in 30 miles. No interaction at all on the east part for 20 miles. The San Luis Rey trail has no interaction for about 10 (which has painted markers for every .2 of a mile too).
3. The priority goes so far to vehicles as to make it dangerous for cyclists. I had to enter a very busy road, cross two lanes to get to the turn lane, then enter the median for another left turn where you don't get a green arrow so you have to sit in between 4 lanes of traffic just to get back. Now, I could use the crosswalk (no signs saying what to do), but I'm a cyclist, not a pedestrian! Fortunately for me dealing with traffic isn't a big deal, but that scenario would terrify any but the most serious and experienced riders.
4. Leaves the perception that driving is more important. All the intersections should be at most a yield for people on the trail and a stop for vehicles, assuming bypasses can't be made. No cyclist should be expected to stop and walk their bike or ride in the sidewalk.
5. The sections are so short that as a runner it would be annoying. If I want to go out for a 2 hour run I'm going to have to cross how many intersections on the trail? Every single one you have to be concerned with inattention by a driver who could potentially be texting and not see you, maybe making an illegal right turn (rolling through without yielding), or running red lights? All common occurrences! No, I'll stick to real trail running where I won't have to deal with cars.
6. The trail also leaves the perception to drivers that pedestrians and cyclists are a lower class. Not a great precedent.
7. Large sections of the trail are concrete instead of asphalt. In the very least it is annoying getting bounced around at each slab on a stiff road bike. I feel like I am riding a mini Roubaix.
8. At one point, the trail just ends, no explanation. You look around and see it is on the other side of the road now. No sign saying you're supposed to back track on the sidewalk and cross at yet again another crosswalk, you just have to guess. Again, another crosswalk on a bike? No.
If you are in the area, just avoid this trail and stick to Baseline or something where at least the road is predictable. I currently have the KOM (you are welcome to take it, really) on this trail and I spent half the time sitting upright in my middle chainring (on a triple) annoyed at how often I have to stop. Hell, I don't think I ever went into my 52. All the other self respecting cyclists clearly skip this place, and you should too.
The trail is okay for the family walk or short recreational runner. But I don't ever see myself returning.
I live close by the PET trail and tonight I took my two daughters and our two dogs for a walk. The Rialto portion was awesome. There were benches along the path, water fountains for people and also fountains for dogs! There were trash cans, bags to dispose of dog poop, and the landscaping was nice. There were even some plaques that shared Rialto history and info. Nice touch. We then headed into Fontana and it changed a little bit. Not as nice, but I am sure it gets better if we go further west.
I am very proud of my city for the work on the Rialto portion of the trail. Will take my kids and dogs whenever we can.
Enjoy the clean walking trails. The people are friendly. I, however would not walk the trail alone. I am disappointed that there are no mileage markers or bathroom facilities. I usually to a six mile round trek. I know if I walked to the senior center I could use facilities there but there is nothing that I know of between East Ave and Miliken.
Great trail to ride. Clean family friendly!
This trail is in very good condition. Well paved and flowers along the route. The con is too many cross streets.
www.tripedition.com the expert of travel
I have been reading the reviews and I agree with most of them. I use the trail to free my thought pattern of clutter. I enjoy the awesome people who are always ready to greet you as I do them. I had a knee replacement one year ago so it is great to be able to ride again. We need more local trails like this to help our community stay active and have a outlet for the soul.
I'm from Fontana so I tried this trail near sierra and headed west since I am not one to go east toward Rialto. Still a bad idea. A lot of men who look like gangsters walk that end of the trail and bums sleep on the benches that are near the police station. That is the only part that is nice by the way. My sister to me that the same trail runs near her home in Rancho and that it was really nice. I tried it out and the experience was a complete 180. Nice scenery, although a couple warehouses were along the way but not too bad. Never have seen any form of security, although I read that Rancho has officers on bikes. I've been going almost everyday, and at different hours and have yet to see any security. A lot of families walk the trail so it does appear safe. However if you stay past 10pm you risk running into a weirdo which I have a couple times. Rancho is about 15 minutes from my house and I prefer to drive there just to walk a couple miles. Ladies if you go alone, go while it's still daylight. The trees and bushes make it hard to see if anyone is lurking nearby. And be cautious of bike riders, they come out of nowhere sometimes!
Lots of stops and starts due to traffic and lights. Also, quite sketchy and dangerous on the East end of the trail. The western portion of it was much nicer
My two kids and I recently used this trail for the first time. We live in Fontana so we started riding near Sierra Ave heading West. I was very impressed with the first streach of the trail. Then we passed through the back of an apartment complex where there were some weird guys hanging out by the trail. That and all the graphite on the walls made me quickly questioned whether taking my kids to the trail was a good idea. I don’t think it would have bothered me as much if I would have been alone. Once you get to Rancho Cucamonga the scene changes, it turns into a more joyful ride.
August 01,2013 This trail from Sultana to Palmetto in Fontana,Cal NOT SAFE for riders,homeless people living on trail,most of the lights are broken,broken glass,Gang writing,No trash cans alone the trail,no drinking fountains,no benchs to rest on.no rest rooms,NO EMERGENCY CALL BOX'S AT ALL??? Not maintained and ONLY the SHERIFF Department of the trail is well maintained,The trail is easy ride, I what safety frist.Sorry
After 8 years of living (and recently biking to work) in SoCal - I tried this trail. I loved it. It is clean, well maintained and paved nicely. The intersections are well marked and easy to cross, and rarely felt like I had to wait long enough for my hear rate to drop substantially before getting back up to speed.
If you are heading WEST - as a previous review noted - BE READY FOR A HEADWIND.
It added a full 10 minutes to my ride back.
I will ride again.
And again.
Well, done.
This trail is a real gem in the IE. It is very well maintained, and has excellent road crossings most of the way. Busy streets have a signal just for the trail and secondary streets have stop signs so it is always easy to cross. A couple of the main thoroughfares require a short leg to a nearby street to cross, but never more than 20 yards or so. There is a beautiful bridge over Foothill Blvd/Route 66 at the Rt. 66 trail head.
Starting from the west, the Montclair Transit Center (at Monte Vista Ave) offers a good place to park, as you can access the trail with only a brief 1 block ride on city streets. The trail is asphalt and initially passes through light industrial and apartment complexes in Upland, and then transitions into downtown/oldtown Upland with some very nice mini-park resting areas on former street crossings.
As you pass eastward into Rancho Cucamonga, the trail is more isolated from the residential areas with a wide right-of-way and new concrete path with a parallel gravel path for those so inclined. The old Pacific Electric Station still stands at Etiwanda Ave, although it is fenced off and in a state of disrepair. The concrete trail is in excellent shape and continues under the 15 freeway into Fontana to the eastern terminus.
One note of caution for those riding the entire route, winds are predominantly from the west so be prepared for a headwind on the westbound leg, particularly in the afternoon. The trail is lighted, so available for night ride as well. The trail is mostly level, with a few small grades.
I wish we still had the Pacific Electric Red Cars on this route, but in their absence this trail is a most excellent alternative.
The Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail is great. I rode my bike from Claremont to about a mile past the 15 Frwy -City of Fontana and back. It was better than riding a stationary bike in the local g$m, no m$nthly fees and better than indoor air.
The City of Upland used asphalt which I think is better than concrete but may take more maintenance than RC's cement trail. The reason I like the asphalt (when maintained) is that you Do Not get the "thump" and vibrations on your handlebar which is transmitted to your wrist and body every 10 feet as the previous cyclist mentioned earlier. Of course, the faster you ride on the concrete, the faster the vibrations you will get on the handlebars. If I am not mistaken, the solution these cement joints is to fill them with some silicone or alternative fillers to level the joints with the rest of the cement. Voila! no more "thump" and vibrations.
Other improvements: Add more lights to the Upland side of the trail(crime deterrent) and trim tall plants where criminals can hide and surprise you(before something happens). For example, between Benson and Grove, near industrial areas etc. There are safety issues like crossing safety but that was already mentioned earlier. The best advice I can say is than planners and designers should use these trails day and night. It appears that they have not use it at all. The experience will speak for itself. Pros, cons and improvements. What do you fellow trail mates think?
My husband and I planned to make a couple of hours of riding on this trail the other day and we only rode about 40 minutes before I got a flat. Has anyone else experienced this or was it just a fluke?
Great trail though and great location!
This trail is awesome! Everyone one the trail is very nice and it is always clean, they even provide bags so people can pick up after their dogs (unfortunately no everyone does). The trail passes through a few parks which makes this trail great for a nice free family outing.
Some of the previous reviewers have commented on the differences between the asphalt surface in Upland and the concrete surface in Rancho Cucamonga on the newer sections of the trail. Yes, the newer, concrete section is very nice, but there is a problem with the necessary grooves in the concrete surface that are spaced about 10 feet apart and run across the trail. On a mountain or hybrid bicycle with relatively large, low pressure (40-70 psi) tires, the grooves are likely not noticeable. However, on a road bike with narrow, high pressure (120-140 psi) tires, the rider will experience a continuous "thump, thump" sound and vibration that makes for a very uncomfortable, unpleasant and jarring ride. If anything, the ride is smoother on a road bike on the asphalt portions that others have criticized.
I started my ride, from Montclair (Huntington Av/Claremont Bl) and rode E/B to the end. The trail was well maintained most of the way. It was nice to see city workers in Rancho Cucamonga, & Fontana cleaning the trail. The interruptions that had to be encountered, were crossing at some of the major intersections, where there was no pedestrian bridge. But, I can live with it! It's just, really nice to have a bike trail for IE bike riders! I observed some bike rider's refueling stations (Starbucks, 7-11.,& fast food restaurants) near the trail on some of the cross streets. Distance(s) varied any where, from 100 yds-2blks,& 1/2 mi. away, with easy access to & from the trail. I really didn't like the ending of the trail, it was a bland ending in a neighborhood. I felt it should have ended in a city park. I just, turned around and rode back to Montclair. Over all I rated this trail with 4 stars, I'm looking forward to riding this trail again. FYI; Winds out of the Cajon Pass, can make a ride difficult if it's a windy day!!
We, my family, friends, and I, absolutely LOVE this trail and feel so fortunate to live so close to it (off Milliken & north of Baseline). Rancho Cucamonga has really shined, wonderfully exceeding its obligations to the Trail. Although we love having all of it available to us, as pointed out in other reviews here the other cities' work on the Trail is clearly woefully inadequate when compared to the quality of the Trail and its amenities in Rancho. With all of its wealthy neighborhoods and the attendant high property tax revenues coming into its budget, you would think Upland, at least, could have done a much better job in its construction and maintenance... but they simply didn't. Upland obviously chose the low quality, go "cheap" (and much less safe) now, pay (much more) later plan, and the resultant differences, now and later, are and will be very clear. Throughout all of Rancho, you will find several great characteristics. Among them, the Trail has a wide all-concrete trail right alongside of and parallel to an equally wide dirt-gravel trail. This accommodates, walkers, joggers, runners, bladers, boarders, horseback riders, and all other users equally well. The concrete, while initially more expensive than asphalt, is very smooth with clean edges and will last virtually forever in our climate, with little or no maintenance. If the gang artists subject it to graffiti, it is easily cleaned with sandblasting or paint removers without any long-term damage to its composition or appearance. The Trail is extremely well-lit, making it also a pleasure to ride at night. All street crossings are light-controlled and programmed for very quick responses to any Trail user pushing the button(s), have very clear crosswalks, and they have audible tones allowing vision-impaired folks to know what's happening as well. Buttons are available both high (for horseback riders) and low (for the rest of us). There are water fountains placed every so often making it unlikely that you'll run out of water. Virtually every time I've ridden the Rancho section during business hours I've seen maintenance being completed (including lights being checked/replaced this morning). There are many other positive points, but you get the picture... it's GREAT! In stark contrast, the Upland section is definitely "less than". Just check out the transition from Rancho to Upland (or vice-versa) at Grove Avenue and you will clearly see this for yourself. The Upland Trail section is narrow and almost exclusively limited to being made of uneven asphalt with lots of "bumps", rough edges, a fair number of potholes and/or broken sections, and an incredible number of areas painted over, in various non-matching paint shades, to cover the extremely abundant formerly graffiti-inscribed sections. The asphalt is poorly maintained and will become more and more expensive to maintain as time goes on. Much of the Trail there is unlit, or not well-lit, and/or has inoperative lighting. As far as road crossings, there are virtually none in Upland that are of anything remotely near the quality of those in Rancho. MANY of the crossings, I believe MOST actually, even in "old downtown" Upland, DON'T EVEN HAVE CROSSWALKS designating them!!! Vehicle drivers generally completely ignore the Trail users waiting to cross... probably not unreasonably thinking "no crosswalk, no right-of-way". Further still, Upland has placed "STOP" signs for the Trail users at virtually every road crossing, and even Trail junctions. I could go on and on, but I think I've made my point. While I love having any trail on which to ride my bike rather than no trail at all, and I DO THANK UPLAND for the contributions that city has made to the project, the residents of Upland must be at least a bit embarrassed as a result of how little forethought, effort, and funds seem to have gone into the Trail through their city. I have not yet ridden the Fontana section, so I cannot speak to its condition or amenities, but will be checking it out soon. Hopefully Fontana has followed Rancho Cucamonga's example rather than Upland's! In my opinion, as the "human community" we need to do everything reasonably possible to get all of our citizens "out and active". We'll all be generally more healthy and happy, and spend far less on medical and mental health care, if we do so. Making this Trail as useful, safe, and enjoyable as possible is a GREAT, readily available contribution toward that goal! I can't wait until it is all fully completed and "up to snuff".
The Pacific Electric Trail (PET) is my trail of choice since I live only a block away from it in Upland. Now that the bridge over foothill is finished one can go from Claremont all the way to Fontana although the trail ends (dirt) at Cherry Ave. Fontana needs to get their act together and finish this portion but it goes thru established commerical property that infringes on the trail so that might be an issue. My only problem is with the city of Upland and their lack of doing it right. They saved a few pennies by paving the trail in asphalt and not concrete. Asphalt breaks down over time and is terribly bumpy. There are no red curbs by the street crossings nor painted crosswalks or posted bike crossing signs so it is a risk crossing the streets due to cars parking right up to the entrances and exits thus creating blind spots. Euclid Ave crossing is a joke and waste of time because you have to go north a block and cross against moving traffic with no crosswalk nor traffic light. Extremely poor design on the city's part. One day someone is going to get hit and then let's see if the money they saved by short cutting the process gets wasted from lawsuits. They should have taken the design example from Rancho Cucamonga who did all the right things when creating their portion ( smooth lasting concrete, easily seen exits & entrances, cross-walk buttons low and next to trail for bikers). I highly recommend this trail from grove all the way to fontana. Skip Upland and the risks from dangerous breaks.
This is a great trial to ride, however, you have to make alot of stops, especially if you start your ride on the west end of the trail in Claremont (This is where the trial ends, near Claremont Blvd. and Huntington, just north of Arrow Hwy). There are also a few spots of the trial where you have to travel north and south on busy main streets to regain access to the trail. Not much of a big deal, but it would be convenient if you didn't have to stop every few tenths of a mile and wait for crossing signals to activate. All in all, like I said this is a great trail and I would definitely recommend it to my family and friends.
Great for running, cycling (though I would rather biking on the road), among others. Though the sections within Fontana is still lacking basic facilities or accessing to facilities. Even though there are parks near the trail in Fontana, but you cannot find any water fountain or restrooms. If you are running the long run during the summer, you'd better run the west sections in Rancho, Upland. There is no water fountain in Claremont, but given the nearest water fountain in upland is only 3 miles away, it's not a problem.
Anyway, to take full advantage of the trail, you'd better center your running at Rancho, the best spot would be the senior center.
I always envy the beach trails or the river trails in OC or LA county, where you have miles of uninterrupted trails, but I am glad that we have PET now, no need to move out of inland empire :)
The PET is now completely open from it's westerly start in Claremont to it's easterly end on Maple in Fontana near Rialto. The trail offers a safe and inviting trail for bicyclists, runners, and walkers. While amenities along the trail, like the new park on Foothill in Rancho Cucamonga are still being completed, the existing parks and businesses along the trail provide adequate amenities.
Amenities near the trail include: Downtown Fontana; Heritage Park in Fontana; Exit south on Day Creek and follow the bike lane to Victoria Gardens (Rancho Cucamonga's downtown); Several parks and trail amenities like drinking fountains in Rancho; Upland's Downtown; and if you follow the bike path for a short distance from the west end of the trail you will be in Claremont's Downtown.
We have been riding the PET, starting in various locations along the trail, since July.
AT first, the portion on Foothill and Baker that was under construciion was indeed a bit confusing
Now complete..It is a very nicely done addition to the trail.
Today we rode from Heritage park to just east of East Ave. The Border of Fontana and Rialto.
The Park was an excellent choice for starting the trail Eastbound.
Although we were impressed with the trail up to then, the end was very disappointing.
There was no signage telling us where to go next..
We proceeded to look for a street to continue Eastbound.
We found Rialto Ave..again to be disappointed. There were few sidewalks and absolutely no Bike Lane.
We turned around and returned to Heritage Park..
Downtown Fontana was very pleasant..They did a very nice job on their portion of the trail.
I was very disappointed to ride east on the trail and have a fence block the train past Grove. The sign said it would be open in November 2011 (which means Spring 2012). There we no signs providing a detour. I could see that new trail had been completed but since it was block, it did not do me any good.
The Upland area of the trail is not well done; too many bumps in the road as you go from street to trail. All areas of the trail have the buttons you push for crossing put in places that are out of the way for bike riders.
Overall, the trail is nice. The problem, in general, is that the designers were not bike riders.
When you can actually ride 21 miles, it will be a good way to get across town.
A local Rancho Cucamonga Bike Club (Cycling Connection) has a supported free monthly (1st Sundays at 1PM) Fun Ride for all ages along the trail offering bike skills and safety assistance to anyone who shows up. They meet at It's a Grind Coffee Shop corner Baseline and Day Creek Sts. and bike the short distance to the trail. Next scheduled dates are Nov. 7th, Dec. 5th and Jan. 2nd.
Parking at Central Park (BaseLine & Milliken) Heading west to Claremont is roughly 12 miles via back. From Central Park heading east trail ends under 15 fwy just past East Street. That is 4 miles. Total round trip is 32 miles approx.
The established trail runs east from Claremont to Grove Ave., which is the border between Upland and Rancho Cucamonga. A bike crossing at Grove is not yet functional. The newer paved trail begins at Grove and heads in a northeasterly direction. There is a short unpaved section (dirt trail) which crosses over Foothill Blvd. (This old railroad bridge may be replaced in the future). The paved section picks up on the other side of Foothill Blvd. and continues to the NE. It crosses over Vineyard Ave. and continues with a slight uphill grade through Rancho Cucamonga. More later.
Presently the trail begins at Amethyst just north of Base Line Road. There is parking at the trail head. It goes east-west through Rancho Cucamonga and ends under the 15 freeway at the boundary with Fontana - a distance of 5 miles. It can be accessed from any of the cross streets. The remaining two miles toward Foothill and Grove are under construction and should be open for use by the summer of 2010. The trail will temporarily end at Grove until the Foothill widening project is finished and the trail bridge is replaced and then it will tie into Upland's portion at Grove and continue towards Claremont. There is planned to be a trailhead at Foothill and the bridge where there is actually some remaining pavement from the original Route 66. There will be parking and restrooms as well as parking and tie-ups for equestrians as the trail through Rancho Cucamonga is paved on one side and decomposed granite on the other side for equestrian use. The trail is lighted and each intersection is signalized so it is a very safe and pleasant ride, walk or run. There is an annual bike-run; the Cucamonga Challenge, by the Friends of the PE Trail and the city held the Saturday before Mother's Day at the Central Park trailhead. Information is on Active.com.
This is an excellent bike trail. My regular one. The trail currently starts at claremont (west) at Claremont Blvd. and continues to about Arrow and Grove in Upland with a break in the trail at Euclid in Upland. At Euclid you have to go around the median then the trail continues to Arrow and Grove. The trail does not start again until Milliken in Rancho Cucamonga then continues to about East Ave in Etiwanda. The two portions of trail are well worth the ride and probably about 8 miles each (?). I recently broke my wrist in a biking accident (not on the trail) so I haven't been on the trail since about March 2009 and it is now May 2009. The trail may have extended in my absence and I will update this if I find it different when I get back on this weekend.
Cheers!
It not the speed that's dangerous, it's the sudden stop.
I will love to get into the sport more so any information greatly apprieciated
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