Most of the trails at Upper UCSC are well-known to mountain bikers—and they're illegal. Join a Jan. 29 discussion about what has become a dysfunctional don't-ask-don't-tell situation.
12 miles RT; 600 ft elevation gain; 4-5 hours; moderate to strenuous
Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail from Waddell Beach to Berry Creek Falls Trail in Big Basin
Each morning Dave Smith fires up his tricked out Ford Econoline at the base of Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos, California, and heads from this spot near the coast to the Soquel Demonstration Forest at the summit of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The Saturday afternoon parking lot at Epicenter Cycling teems like a vibrant cycling ecosystem. Toyota Tundras arrive with knobby tires hanging off the tailgates. The adjacent pump track swarms with groms coasting over the rollers and berms under the watchful gaze of proud parents. Flocks of riders pedal up Aptos Creek Road toward the single-track Mecca of Soquel Demonstration Forest.