Find the top rated bike trails in Santa Monica, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The scenic Huntington Beach Bicycle Trail runs along the Pacific Ocean waterfront of the most populous beach city in Orange County. Paved over its entire length and remarkably wide at some points, the...
Quintessential Southern California, the Marvin Braude Bike Trail—commonly referred to as simply The Strand by locals—is featured in hundreds of TV shows and movies. Whether you are here on vacation,...
Running through large Los Angeles suburbs in both Los Angeles County and Orange County, the Coyote Creek Bikeway follows the channelized bank of the creek through residential and industrial...
The Santa Ana River Trail is a 12-foot wide path following the Santa Ana River, a waterway that is cement-lined through much of Orange County but free flowing in Riverside and San Bernardino counties....
The Sierra Bike Trail occupies a sliver of land between active Metrolink commuter rail tracks and Sierra Highway, connecting the communities of Palmdale and Lancaster in California's Antelope Valley....
The San Gabriel River Trail extends from the base of the San Gabriel Mountains all the way to the Pacific Ocean. A key component of Los Angeles County's transportation infrastructure, the trail...
If you believe the setting makes the trail, you won't quibble with the brevity of the path through Seal Beach's Electric Avenue Median Park. Ensconced in a beautifully maintained linear park, the...
The Hoover Bike and Walking Trail is a utilitarian path adjacent to an active rail line in the western Orange County city of Westminster. Also paralleling Hoover Street for its entire distance, the...
Open space is precious in South Gate, and the Southern Avenue Greenway—which runs under overhead power lines—provides an off-street walking and biking route, as well as play areas for the community....
The San Diego Creek Trail is the spine of the City of Irvine's extensive system of trails and bike lanes. It begins in Newport Beach, joining the Upper Bay Trail near where San Diego Creek empties...
The South Fork River Trail follows the dry waterway through Santa Clarita, providing many of its residential communities with access to the area's great trail network. Easily accessed from Placerita...
The Omer Rains Coastal Bike Trail, named after a popular local politician and environmentalist, is an incredibly scenic route along Ventura's Pacific coast. Much of the trail offers dramatic views of...
A neighborhood trail of the first order, the Pacific Electric Bike Trail links well-kept middle class neighborhoods on either side of tree-lined Maple Street near downtown Santa Ana. The trail runs on...
The Woodbridge Trail, while short, is one of the most scenic in Irvine's extensive trail network. Views of two lakes and surrounding mountains unfold around each bend. It's a great route for families...
The Ventura River Trail follows the former Ventura and Ojai Valley Railroad right-of-way, from just north of Ventura to Casitas Vista Road at Foster Park northeast of town. Here the trail continues to...
To the trail user, the West Irvine Trail and Peters Canyon Bikeway are one continuous trail with two names in three cities. The northern component of the Peters Canyon Regional Trail, both paths...
Open 24/7 and providing a crucial off-road route in Simi Valley, CA, the Arroyo Simi Bike Path is a flat and well-paved trail that provides a great route for commuting and recreation. The trail begins...
The Chandler Bikeway is a jewel tucked nicely into a Burbank neighborhood. The bikeway begins as a well-maintained corridor that runs in the median between lanes of traffic on Chandler Boulevard. Like...
The Walnut Trail shares a wide corridor with an active railroad line, a BNSF route, through a section of Orange County known for producing oranges and strawberries. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe...
The Pacific Electric Inland Empire Trail is a great commuter and recreation trail in western San Bernadino valley, with expansive views and connections to community centers and parks. The trail...
The Ballona Creek Bike Path follows the channelized Ballona Creek for 7 miles, from Syd Kronenthal Park in east Culver City (National Boulevard) to the Pacific Ocean, where it connects with the Marvin...
The San Fernando Road Bike Path parallels its namesake road and a shared active Metrolink commuter rail and Union Pacific freight rail line from Los Angeles' Sylmar neighborhood to its Pacoima...
The Alton Avenue Bike Trail runs adjacent to both Alton Avenue and an active railroad line through Santa Ana. The path primarily serves the recreational and commuting needs of local residents,...
The scenic University Trail begins at a connection with the San Diego Creek Trail and runs east along University Drive through southern Irvine. The trail stretches the length of William R. Mason...
The Walnut Trail shares a wide corridor with an active railroad line, a BNSF route, through a section of Orange County known for producing oranges and strawberries. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe...
Stretching through the heart of the small city of Santa Paula, the Santa Paula Branch Line Trail provides an important off-road means of getting around, as well as a chance to experience some rich...
The Freeway Trail, as its name implies, parallels the San Diego Freeway (Interstate 405) on its brief route through Irvine. With power lines overhead and neighborhoods blocked by sound walls to the...
The Orange Line Bike Path is an 18-mile rail-trail paralleling the Los Angeles Metro's Orange Line rapid busway in the northern neighborhoods of Los Angeles. Both the busway and the trail stretch from...
The Oceanfront Boardwalk begins in West Newport Beach at the end of 36th Street and runs nearly 3 miles down the Balboa Peninsula. Along the way, trail-goers will find restaurants, dory fishermen,...
The Bonita Canyon Trail is a sidepath along Culver Drive and Bonita Canyon Drive linking the Orange County cities of Irvine and Newport Beach. Near the trail's midpoint, pick up the Shady Canyon Trail...
The Juanita Moe Trail—formerly known as the Quail Hill Trail—is a short path along Interstate 405 south of downtown Irvine. Forming a link between the University Trail and Jeffrey Open Space Trail in...
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The Santa Clara River Trail follows its namesake waterway, one of Los Angeles County's last unchannelized rivers. The paved trail connects several of Santa Clarita's neighborhoods, including Canyon...
The Whittier Greenway Trail occupies part of an abandoned railroad right-of-way in its namesake town, running parallel to Whittier Boulevard and Lambert Road between Mills Avenue and Pioneer Boulevard...
The Hicks Canyon Trail is a short but scenic blacktop trail along the landscaped Hicks Canyon Wash. It starts at the Peters Canyon Trail near Hicks Canyon Community Park and climbs up the wash to end...
The Watts Towers Crescent Greenway is a short but pleasant rail-trail in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. The trail's central attraction is the Watts Towers Art Center, home of the striking and...
Running through large Los Angeles suburbs in both Los Angeles County and Orange County, the Coyote Creek Bikeway follows the channelized bank of the creek through residential and industrial...
The Fillmore Bike Path consists of two distinct but connected trails, each offering its own unique experience for trail users. Both portions are paved and well-maintained, making the entirety of the...
The Santa Ana River Trail is a 12-foot wide path following the Santa Ana River, a waterway that is cement-lined through much of Orange County but free flowing in Riverside and San Bernardino counties....
The Ventura River Trail follows the former Ventura and Ojai Valley Railroad right-of-way, from just north of Ventura to Casitas Vista Road at Foster Park northeast of town. Here the trail continues to...
The San Diego Creek Trail is the spine of the City of Irvine's extensive system of trails and bike lanes. It begins in Newport Beach, joining the Upper Bay Trail near where San Diego Creek empties...
On the southwestern outskirts of Los Angeles, the Laguna Dominguez Trail spans just shy of 3 miles, connecting the cities of Lawndale and Hawthorne (named for famed American author Nathaniel...
The San Francisquito Creek Trail features two parallel paved segments along its namesake waterway in Santa Clarita. The paths provide a useful north–south route, connecting neighborhoods with parks...
Irvine's Jeffrey Open Space Trail, currently open in three disconnected segments, has won awards for its landscaping and innovative design incorporating a series of intaglio panels in the concrete bed...
The Hicks Canyon Trail is a short but scenic blacktop trail along the landscaped Hicks Canyon Wash. It starts at the Peters Canyon Trail near Hicks Canyon Community Park and climbs up the wash to end...
The Santa Ana River Trail is a 12-foot wide path following the Santa Ana River, a waterway that is cement-lined through much of Orange County but free flowing in Riverside and San Bernardino counties....
The Fillmore Bike Path consists of two distinct but connected trails, each offering its own unique experience for trail users. Both portions are paved and well-maintained, making the entirety of the...
The San Diego Creek Trail is the spine of the City of Irvine's extensive system of trails and bike lanes. It begins in Newport Beach, joining the Upper Bay Trail near where San Diego Creek empties...
Quintessential Southern California, the Marvin Braude Bike Trail—commonly referred to as simply The Strand by locals—is featured in hundreds of TV shows and movies. Whether you are here on vacation,...
The short Upper Bay Trail arcs around the northern edge of the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve near the Newport Beach–Irvine city line. The protected estuary, home to six rare avian species, is...
The Culver Boulevard Bike Path is a short rail-trail located in a nicely landscaped median park in Culver City and Los Angeles. The trail was built on a former Pacific Electric interurban...
If you believe the setting makes the trail, you won't quibble with the brevity of the path through Seal Beach's Electric Avenue Median Park. Ensconced in a beautifully maintained linear park, the...
The Watts Towers Crescent Greenway is a short but pleasant rail-trail in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. The trail's central attraction is the Watts Towers Art Center, home of the striking and...
Yorba Linda's El Cajon Trail courses through the city on a former irrigation canal that was abandoned and filled in after a flood made it impractical to use. Paved with a parallel equestrian and...
The Bouquet Canyon Trail is open in two disconnected segments—both along Newhall Ranch Road—in Santa Clarita. The western segment runs along the south side of the road from Vanderbilt Way to Avenue...
Callegus Creek Bike Path winds along the east side of Camarillo, a bedroom community on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The paved pathway serves as a great connector between the city's north and south...
Running through large Los Angeles suburbs in both Los Angeles County and Orange County, the Coyote Creek Bikeway follows the channelized bank of the creek through residential and industrial...
The Venta Spur Trail travels along the narrow corridor of a former rail spur that began serving the Frances Packing House—a major citrus processing facility—in 1916. Today, the popular trail serves...
The paved Los Angeles River Trail—also known as the Los Angeles River Bike Path, Los Angeles River Bikeway, Los Angeles River Greenway Trail and Lario Trail—is open in two disconnected segments along...
The Compton Creek Bike Path crosses Compton along the east bank of its namesake creek, offering access to precious open space for the urban neighborhoods along the way. Compton Creek itself is a...
The Shady Canyon Trail is an incredibly scenic route along Shady Canyon Drive in southern Irvine. Extending through the southern reaches of the historic Irvine Ranch and protected Irvine Ranch Natural...
Rode from Centennial Park to downtown Huntington Beach. Nice trail with lots to see. Trail dumps you right into huntington beach.
Great beautiful trail to ride It can get difficult if the beach is very busy. You may have to ride around and through crowds but it is part of the fun a bit. Bathrooms and food is available all along the trail. Great scenery and mostly flat.
You can park for free in the lot next to the bus roundabout. If you come in at the north end of the trail (off of Warner) and turn right after the jack in the box you'll see a parking lot on the left. There's no fee to park there! 😉
This is one of our favorite rides that we have done a number of times over the years when vacationing in the Ventura area. We've always ridden this trail in the summer when inland temps are sizzling, but you can count on cool, refreshing breezes and beautiful ocean and coastal views on this easy trail.
The official trail from San Buenaventura State Beach to Emma Wood State Beach is only 4.1 miles long which is why we extend it. Don't stop at Emma Wood! Continue north on Pacific Coast Highway. I know, you have to ride on the road with only a white stripe to separate you from the motor vehicles, but it seems like the only traffic is the occasional lumbering RV slowly headed to their campsite along PCH. If you take my advice, you'll definitely burn more calories and be rewarded with spectacular views of the Pacific, gawk at multi-million dollar beachfront homes, and envy relaxed vacationers enjoying their RV's.
Nice route to log in miles, pretty flat with some mild inclines. Great clean ride
A friend and I both have new e-Bikes. Both are city urban commuter type bikes and both of us over sixty-five. We used to ride years ago but for various reasons we stopped. Now we’re back on the road enjoying a lovely trail with wonderful sights. There are little parks and kiddy play areas along the way. We only managed nearly half this time around with a plan to finish the second half in the near future.
Breath taking - separate pedestrian and bike paths - Queen Mary, Marina, and an island with a bunch of man made waterfalls that turn into a light show at night
I first rode this trail over forty years ago when it was one of the first Class I trails in southern California, and I must say it was so cool to go from the Inland Empire all the way to the OC beaches! In recent years I've also ridden the upper portion which is a completely different experience but still worthwhile. The lower portion is nice and flat with cool ocean breezes, while the upper portion is hilly in places and much warmer in the summer. Lower: 5 stars. Upper: 3 stars.
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!
This path is an absolute gem, a classic I've ridden and walked so many times over the past forty years. It's so cool to have a wide, sandy beach on one side of the boardwalk and multi-million dollar ocean view residences on the other. (We like to park on a quiet street with very little traffic near The Wedge in Newport Beach, and then jump on the boardwalk at the southern trailhead).
The Oceanfront Boardwalk is only a few miles long, but we usually continue on up the coast and connect to the Huntington Beach Bicycle Trail to enjoy a longer ride.
Consider peddling beyond the end of the Huntington Beach Trail past Warner Avenue and then down the center of park-like Pacific Avenue for a few more miles. You'll be able to brag you pedaled all the way from Newport Bay to Huntington Harbor and back!
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