China Camp Mountain Bike Trails
China Camp has some of Marin's best legal singletrack montain bike trails. There are over 10 miles of bike trails, with some great climbs, challenging switchbacks, great views, and fun descents. If you spend all of your on Mt. Tam you can quickly lose some of your technical biking skills, so branch out and ride China Camp to hone your balance and singletrack skills.
Getting there: 101; N. San Pedro Rd for a few miles and park on N. San Pedro Rd just outside the gate to the park.
Ride: A great loop is to simple head up the first trail you hit on the ride past the park's gate. There are a few options as you climb up but stay on Bay View Trail which takes you up to 600' in less than 2 miles. I like to then take a hard right and continue up the trail until you hit a very rough partially paved road (700') called Bayhills Drive. (Or take Option 2) Take left and grind out a lung-busting climb to about 1000' where you'll take in great views. (Note: there's lots of cool singletrack South of the peak, but much of it is not legal, so check the signs.) The paved road takes you through a small gate and the Ridge Rd trail picks up. Descend on Ridge Road trail until it hits Miwok (which in early 1/2009 was closed) and cross Miwok onto Oak Ridge trail. This takes you down to Shoreline. Hang a left on Shoreline and then another left after a few hundred yards and then enjoy the bike ride all the back to where you started (you'll cross Miwok again).
Option 2 - Instead of taking the hard right, stay on Bay View Trail another .25 miles or so and hang a right at the intersection. This singletrack trail takes you up to Ridge Rd trail but maxes out at 750' (instead of 1000'). Continue down Ridge Road until it hits Miwok (which in early 1/2009 was closed) and cross Miwok onto Oak Ridge trail. This takes you down to Shorline. Hang a left on Shoreline and then another left after a few hundred yards and then enjoy the ride all the back to where you started (you'll cross Miwok again).
