Explore the best rated trails in Maricopa, CA, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Rincon Multi-Use Trail and Ojai Valley Trail . With more than 9 trails covering 60 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Parking lot was closed when we tried to visit. No signage to explain why.
Parking lot was closed when we tried to visit. No signage to explain why.
This path sits between, and is connected to, the Ojai Valley Trail as well as the Omer Raines Coastal Path. It is in good condition, and as of June/July 2024 undergoing a very substantial improvement on a fairly lengthy section. The grades are mild, the scenery decent, and only a few rough patches. Safe for kids. Highly recommend extending onto the Omer Raines path, as well as the path up to Ojai, if you're feeling energetic.
Rode the length of the trail from Foster Park, with my wife. We're both in our 70's. While sections of this ride are excellent, what keeps it from being a five star path are a number of factors. In parts, the trail is rough, and needs maintenance. The fairly frequent road crossings as you approach Ojai set this path aside from five star paths that use underpasses or overpasses. Signage is only fair. Not for inexperienced young riders, secondary to the road crossings and rough sections. All that said, for moderately experienced riders, this is a very good ride.
This short trail is a bit of an engineering marvel. Smooth pavement, beautiful scenery, and because it is within feet (separated by an impressive and artistic barrier) of Highway 101, very LOUD. Good luck if you're trying to have a conversation with a fellow rider.
Nice small capacity parking lot at the southern end. Very safe for a family outing, though a bit of caution will be needed in the one street crossing in La Conchita. At the northern end there is a beautiful park, suitable for picnics, and with nice ocean overlooks.
I ride about 20 miles/day, and found the trail a bit short, and a bit too noisy. One of my brothers, who doesn't ride at all on a regular basis, and who is less sensitive to noise than I am, found the trail "perfect". And there you have it!
Traveling by car through the Central Valley over a hundred times during the past fifty years, I've never paused to ride a bicycle in Bakersfield. Mistake! The Kern River Parkway Trail is a way above average opportunity to take a break from the monotony of Highway 99 or I-5, get in a good ride, and get back in your car with the invigoration that a two-wheeled adventure virtually always brings.
I did the length of the trail in two parts. Daty 1, headed south to SoCal on 99, I parked at Yokuts Park (plenty of parking, easily accessible off 99) and rode east. The trail itself is wide, and smooth, well maintained, and without safety concerns. Specifically, though homelessness has been mentioned in previous posts about this path, no encampments encroached onto the path, and homeless folks numbered less than ten over the roughly sixtteen mile round trip. I got a bit confused at Manor St. : stay right, look for the narrow tunnel that goes under the street. The hills mentioned in the official description and previous posts are not steep, easily negotiable by even a mildly fit rider. I did not ride the streets to the disconnected far east portion of the trail, but will next time
On my return trip headed back home (Merced) on 99, I parked again at Yokuts Park, and headed west for a 28 mile round trip ride to the western end of the trail. What a delight! Again, the trail was wide, clean, traveling largely along water, safe, for all ages and levels of riders. Previous postings about tumble weeds....didn't see any. Again, no street crossings, as the path uses underpasses for all roads, a marvelous piece of engineering. If you're a birder, bring your binoculars, you'll be travelling along extensive wetlands. The trail drops about 400 feet in elevation over 14 miles, hardly noticeable going either downstream along the Kern, or upstream on the way back. My sense of public safety seemed to be confirmed by the many families that I encountered on foot or on bikes. The speedster bicyclists were polite, and the width of the path made it easy for the tortoises and the hares, the pedestirans and the dog walkers to get along.
This path is a beauty, an achievement of forward thinking and an excellent investment in the public good. It's easily accessible from either I-5 or Highway 99. If you're passing through Bakersfield, you'll be richly rewarded by pausing to try it out. I rode it in January (58 degrees), for summer riders, be well prepared for the heat, which can be lethal.
It’s a nice, paved trail but lots of homeless camped along it and have large dogs off leash. Also lots of garbage…Bakersfield needs to clean it up. Also never have seen such a squirrel infestation as their parks have
Nice trail but when I rode it this summer a large section was still covered in gravel from last winter's rainstorms and mud/rockslides. Not sure if it's been cleaned yet but if you are on skinny tires be prepared.
I have ridden this trail all the way. It is a very good trail,but from Enos Lane to Buena Vista Lake, it needs the tumble weeds cleaned up and from Hwy 119 to Buena Vista Lake all the broken glass and trash cleaned up to bring it up to par.
Easy bike ride and nice walk for families.
We have used this trail several times. We have not gone on the entire trail but we have ridden 35 miles. We prefer to go west on it as it is more scenic and there are not any homeless or sketchy areas. If you go east you will encounter many homeless people and the area doesn’t seem safest. We have not been bothered by the homeless, it is just a little uncomfortable seeing some using drugs, as we have a teenage daughter. Overall this trail is well kept. You can tell the city cares deeply about this trail. It’s in our top 10 in the country!
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