Find the top rated running trails in Santa Barbara, whether you're looking for an easy short running trail or a long running trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a running trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Ventura River Trail and the Ojai Valley Trail combine to allow a bicyclist to ride from downtown Ventura to downtown Ojai. It is a very nice ride. The trail goes slightly uphill from the coast to Ojai (approximately 800 feet of elevation gain). Suitable for all ages and abilities.
The trail section through Ventura goes through the industrial area initially constructed during the heyday of the oil boom of the 1920s. Not beautiful; but still interesting. Foster Park, approximately 6 miles from the start in Ventura, is an excellent rest stop (bathrooms, water, views of the Ventura River). Just above Foster Park is a very cool bike bridge at the Ventura River. The remainder of the trail to Ojai offers beautiful views of the mountains, the river valley, and broad landscapes. Libbey Park in Ojai has water, bathrooms, shade, and playgrounds for kids.
The coast end of the trail connects to the Omer Rains bike path which will bring cyclists to the beach. Plenty of options for a full day of cycling and enjoying the Ventura and Ojai areas.
The bike trail is Class I and car-free. However, there are streets that cross the trail and cyclists must be cautious and stop at every crossing if there are cars.
This trail is heavily used by so many people and visitors from outside the City. I give it a rating of 10/10 because of how it was built with so much engining thought. The trail runs next to Calleguas Creek from Upland all the way to the Pleasant Valley Field complex on the west side of the 101 freeway. The enterances to the path are so well posted and easy to enter with a trike. There are a lot of other cyclist with all types and class, and along side there path is filled with the usual dog walkers and runner. I love the way the path crossess the roads by building a path underneath the road, and this allows it to be very safe for everyone! The bathrooms are at the Pleasant Valley Fields and at Pitts Ranch Park and are very clean. I ride a trike and sometimes I find myself zoning out as I peddle down the path because it is so relaxing. I am sure you will too!!!!
The location is nice, residential area next to a creek. Lots of trees and shade but also open, sunny spots. The asphalt has seen better days and is borderline okay for skating but lots of cracks. Due to the trees there are a lot of little sticks and leaves on the trail as well. On top of that, it's not a flat trail, there are quite a few step but short hills up and down. If you are a beginner this is nothing for you. If you are an advanced skater and know how to break an don't mind the dirt and a little rough surface, it's a fun skate!
The trail is kept up, but until you reach the Ojai trail, which is essentially an extension of this one, you go through some typically ugly southern California terrain, past oil derricks, storage depots, and scrub.
Next time, I'll skip this trail and just about five miles up at the Ojai trail.
FYI, there is no exit 71 on the 101 if you're going north (there is if you're going south). Instead, take the 33 and get off the first exit.
Also, Rex St has no street sign; it's just past the 33 entrance as you drive up Olive.
For running, this was a fine trail. Starting at the southernmost point, you get very tough-on-the-feet concrete, but eventually, you are on softer asphalt. You definitely dodge bike and pedestrian traffic along the promenade, but once you get north and out into the marsh areas, this trail is wonderful. From Surfers Point and northwards, the breezes and lack of crowd and asphalt surface make this a great route to get in some miles.
beautify scenery with some hills. portions of the trail there are stop signs and a few roads to go over, slight up hill to Ojai from Ventura, ends a Libby Park. a great ride back, there are some bumps as the tree roots cause the paved path to shifts. a must ride.
its a short trail, narrow at times but well maintained, I did not start at the beach, I started at the trail head off of a side street. If you are familiar with Ventura and its oil hayday then this portion of the trial will remind you of it. the trail links nicely with Ojai Valley trail
Only good for a very leisurely ride on a slow bike. The trail has not been maintained at all and so is in poor shape. Badly needs repaving. And as with many bike trails, it seems to be used mainly by dog walkers, runners, etc., which wouldn't be a problem except they tend to walk/riun 2 or even 3 abreast.
Nice bike ride along the Ventura County, CA shores; if you start in the city of Ventura and finish at Rincon Beach Park--you can complete a good 15 miles of a bike ride. Fabulous view points, don't miss it!
We started at Foster Park (weekend entrance fee is $4) and rode 7 miles towards Ojai. Foster Park has plenty of parking and restrooms, noted that some folks parked outside of the park at the underpass. The ride towards Ojai is uphill, a bit more uphill than initially anticipated and would like to say grade is a little steeper than remember other rail-to-trail trails to be. However, not so steep as to make it difficult and does make for a nice return trip. There are some cross street intersections that need to be negotiated, none that delay the ride significantly. This was a nice ride and recommend a look.
For me, the two previous times that I have used the path, parking on Main St and riding up Olive Ave is the best way to go, Main St has a bike shop right there near Olive and it is a short ride up Olive to Rex to access the bike path.
There is also a strange park right as you enter the path. Lawn bowling on steroids. The bike shop is Ventura Bicycle Depot 239 W Main St Ventura 93001
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