This map and guide is printed on waterproof paper, so when you shove it
in the pocket of your cycling jersey and set out to explore the many
mountain bike-able trails in the Santa Monica Mountains it won’t get
ruined if you work up a sweat.
And the trails are worth the effort. Within minutes of shopping centers
and housing tracts you can see deer, bobcats, coyotes, and lots of
unspoiled hills and canyons. This up-to-date map covers the area from
Camarillo to Santa Monica, from the coast to Moorpark.
Langton knows these trails well, having grown up riding here. He
provides brief descriptions of 13 routes rated on aerobic and technical
difficulty. Rides range from the 20 mile out and back Los Robles Trail
rated moderate to strenuous with intermediate to advanced technique
required, to the shorter but more difficult six-mile Rocky Peak/Chumash
trail in Simi Valley.
The maps are clear and well drawn. Icons borrowed from skiing show the
difficulty of trail sections, from easy to double diamond expert
stretches. Trails are identified as single-track, unimproved dirt road, as
well as paved road sections. Closed to biking hiking trails are also
shown.
Grade A
