05 CALABASAS PEAK/COLD CREEK TRAIL

KEY AT-A-GLANCE INFORMATION

Length: 9.7 miles

Configuration: Out-and-back

Aerobic difficulty: 4

Technical difficulty: 3

Scenery: Views of Saddle Peak, Calabasas, San Fernando Valley, and nearby Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills

Exposure: Fully exposed 90%; some shade on Cold Creek Trail

Trail traffic: Light on weekdays, moderate on weekends

Trail surface: 30% singletrack, 70% fire roads; mostly dry and loose, some hardpack

Riding time: 1–2 hours

Access: Sunrise–sunset, 7 days a week

Maps: USGS 7.5-minute quads: Topanga, Calabasas, and Malibu Beach

Special comments: It can be very hot here in summer, so bring plenty of water and use sunblock.

GPS TRAILHEAD COORDINATES (WGS84)

UTM Zone 11S

Easting 348986

Northing 3775100

Latitude N 34.06′21″

Longitude W 118.37′42″

DIRECTIONS

From Los Angeles, take CA 10 west until it becomes CA 1. Stay on CA 1 for 5.4 miles, and then turn right on Topanga Canyon Road. After 4.3 miles, turn left on Old Topanga Canyon Road, and then turn left on Red Rock Road. The parking lot is at the end of this partially paved road, about 0.8 miles from its start. If coming from the San Fernando Valley, you can reach Red Rock Road by going south on Mulholland Drive from US 101 for 0.5 miles. Then, turn right on Valmar Road, make another right on Mulholland Highway, and make a quick left onto Old Topanga Canyon Road. Continue 3.8 miles to Red Rock Road, on your right.

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In Brief

This area is close to many other popular mountain bike destinations in the Santa Monica Mountains, yet it doesn’t draw nearly as many fat-tire explorers. Perhaps fewer mountain bikers visit because it is somewhat hard to find, or maybe because it is still largely a secret. Red Rock Canyon offers a phenomenal area for mountain biking, with a unique red-sandstone-addled landscape, clean air, and singletrack that rivals any section of the Backbone Trail.

Description

By the time you reach the parking lot at the end of Red Rock Road, it will be obvious how this area got its name—the sandstone rock formations have a fantastic crimson hue that will remind you of southern Utah if you’ve been lucky enough to visit there. Unlike southern Utah’s, however, these sandstone rocks are for viewing only. Please stay on the trail. The trail-head is easy to find at the west end of the parking lot, continuing where Red Rock Road finished.

The Red Rock Canyon Fire Road starts out flat, paralleling a small creek. There are many large rock formations on both sides of the trail that make for such interesting hiking and climbing that you may want to bring an extra pair of suitable shoes. If you have the right gear, stop, indulge, and make this a multiactivity excursion. Back on your bike, the trail becomes steeper and more grueling the farther you go.

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Old Topanga Canyon viewed from Calabasas Peak

Red Rock Canyon Fire Road comes to a T after 1.2 miles and joins Calabasas Peak Fire Road. This section also features a humbling uphill grind, but hopefully the Martian topography will distract you from your burning thighs—a couple of stretches are difficult to pedal even with the granny gear. Remain vigilant and try not to dab so you can preserve momentum. After a mile, you will be somewhat bushed, so stop and have a breather and a snack at Calabasas Peak, which provides great 360-degree views of Saddle Peak, Stunt Road, Topanga Canyon, and the somewhat-less-picturesque San Fernando Valley.

After your picnic, continue north on the fire road and descend to the entrance to the Calabasas/Cold Creek Trail, which is marked by a sign roughly 0.7 miles from Calabasas Peak. When you start this tight singletrack ascent, you’ll immediately understand why this route is such a gem. Several stepped switchbacks on this 1.25-mile-long stretch to the end at Mulholland Highway will test your technical skill, but don’t worry—the fun’s not over. This trail is as much of a joy to ascend as it is to descend.

When you return to the Calabasas Peak Fire Road, turn right to begin the rest of this splendid out-and-back experience with a short climb to Calabasas Peak followed by a blistering plunge back to the trailhead. This descent’s speed makes up for any lack of technicality, proving that downhill mountain biking doesn’t require technical terrain. Drifting around corners with your foot scraping terra firma is just as much fun as plunking over rocks and catching air, but keep an eye out for equestrian and hiker traffic on your way down.