Moved for summer, where are the trails?

[dtron]

I just moved here from Co for a summer internship and i want to get connected to the gravity/xc seen. I have my DJ and a freeride with me. Does anyone know where any of the good trails are?

[davidB]

where you located?

www.geoladders.com for quite a bit of them

if you're anywhere near Fontana, check out www.southridgeusa.com

[dtron]

im in mission hills

[shudder]

Well then check out Dave's Trailhead Map!! That should do it.

shud

[welcome!]

[herzalot]

Welcome. I'm also from CO, but more permanently. I don't do any DJ, BMX or hucking so I can't really steer you towards that. Welcome anyway.

[Piranha]

Chialo Figure 8

Park in the Charlton Flats Day Use Picnic Ground parking area, the ride starts by retracing your tracks to the Charlton Flats entrance and crossing to the east side of Highway 2. Jog slightly north and ride eastbound up the paved road on the east side of Highway 2 just a couple of hundred feet until you come to a Y intersection . Take the right fork and continue on FS 3N15, a typical San Gabriel Mountain fire road. The moderate climb for the first 0.8 miles is enough to get your pulmonary system kick started; the following 1.5 miles is mainly flat or downhill and drops you back off on Highway 2 at about 2.3 miles into the trip. Make a right on Highway 2 (heading north) and take this about 0.4 miles to a well-signed entrance to Chilao Campground by making a left onto Chilao Road and heading west. Shortly after reaching Chilao Road you'll notice a couple of signs on the right (north) side of the road with directions to various destinations. The second sign has arrows pointing to Manzanita Meadow, Coulter, and Little Pines Campgrounds. Just past this sign, at about 2.8 miles into the route, take the singletrack to the right which is a section of the Silver Moccasin Trail (FS 11W06) that snakes along a streambed and over and around small ridges for about 0.9 miles where it meets up with a paved road ( unsigned 3N21A) serving the Chilao amphitheatre. Make a left on this paved road, noting that your mileage should be about 3.7 - 3.8; you'll see the continuation of the Silver Moccasin Trail on the opposite side of the paved road but DON'T TAKE THIS YET. Pass this by for now - we'll be returning on this trail section as a downhill after visiting the summit of Mt. Hillyer. Take the paved road to an intersection at about 4.1 miles where you'll make a sharp right on FS 3N14 heading towards Chilao Station. Stay on FS 3414 through Chilao Station ( you might stop and poke around the Ranger Station for information ) and soon after passing some private residential buildings and driveway turnoffs, FS 3N14 soon turns to dirt and begins climbing along the west flank of Mount Hillyer. This roughly 2 mile climb to Rosenita Saddle and the Santa Clara Divide Road offers great views of Roundtop and Granite Mountains to the west and Mount Pacifico to the north. You'll reach Rosenita Saddle and paved Santa Clara Divide Road ( FS 3N17 ) at about 7.5 miles, where you'll turn right onto FS 3N17 and take this paved road all the way to the trailhead for Mt. Hillyer Trail singletrack at the Southeast corner of Horse Flats Campground. Mt. Hillyer Trail is a singletrack of epic qualities if not epic proportions. This roughly 1.25 mile out-and-back singletrack is extremely technical, wrapping around, through, and over boulders and logs as it claws its way to the summit of Mt. Hillyer. The Mt. Hillyer summit offers gorgeous views and some nice side trails for exploring on foot before descending back to Horse Flats Campground to pick up the Silver Moccasin Trail singletrack back to Chilao Road. The Silver Moccasin Trail singletrack between Horse Flats and the paved ( unsigned 3N21A ) road we traveled earlier (en route to Chilao Station and FS 3N14) is EXTREMELY technical with tight switchbacks and rocky, rutted trail surfaces. After reaching the intersection with paved 3N21A, jog left briefly and pick up the Silver Moccasin Trail singletrack across the road and backtrack over this section that you road earlier. This will deposit you on Chilao Road in about a mile, where you might take a breather and check out the informational display and the several plaques honoring heroes of the San Gabriel Mountains, including Ken Burton, whose namesake trail is one of the great singletracks in the San Gabriels. Proceed on the Silver Moccasin Trail singletrack whose trailhead is just beyond the honorary plaques and take this steeply uphill. You'll reach a point at the top of a hill where the trail seems to multiply and its unclear which is the proper route. If you head downhill and then left at the bottom of the hill you should see a well signed trail heading off to the south towards Charlton Flats. This section of the Silver Moccasin Trail singletrack is also fast, fun, and VERY technical, with tight rocky switchbacks and railroad tie waterbars. This joyride comes to an end when it intersects an unidentified fire road (which appears to be coincident with the Silver Moccasin Trail in this section ) at a T intersection where a sign indicates that Charlton is to be found by going left. Go left and uphill towards Charlton. This climb, which begins as a dirt road but soon becomes paved, is one of the more challenging climbs of the entire ride, especially coming so far into this epic journey. You'll soon reach a gate and the top of a hill. You can go left here and cruise down a paved road to Charlton Flats Picnic area and your parked car. The Vetter Mountain lookout however, is uphill to the right, and having come this far, it would be a shame to pass it by (the climb to Vetter Mountain is on pavement until the last 1.1 miles). After passing a parking area and dilapidated signs for Charlton Campground, you'll reach another gate along the paved road, at which you make another right and continue uphill , bypassing the stone stairs to the right. You'll take this road until it ends in a cul-de-sac where two fire roads lead off tot he northwest. Take the upper, westernmost fire road, with signs for 3N16B and Vetter Mountain . Climb the occasionally steep 3N16B 1.1 miles to the top, bypassing the turnoff for Vetter Mountain Trail singletrack which we'll be taking downhill in short order. The Vetter Mountain Lookout Tower was recently restored and now shines majestically atop an amazing peak in the center of the San Gabriels. Take in the views and then head back down to the Vetter Mountain Trail singletrack trailhead you passed on the way up.
Embark on this downhill fantasy ride, watching your speed around tight switchbacks and slightly overgrown narrow trail sections. You'll cross the same paved roads you road heading uphill to Vetter Mountain Summit on the way down, and eventually be confronted with a Y intersection. The left fork is signed "Chilao" and the right fork is signed " West Fork ." I took the West Fork and..."that has made all the difference." This amazing singletrack will eventually deposit you back on paved road inside the Charlton Flats Picnic Area. Head south out of the first parking area you reach and make a left, which should put you on the main road exiting Charlton Flats. You should see your parked vehicle on the left in the next parking area you encounter.
I hope you enjoy the ride!

[RacinJason]

Hit summit this weekend or any weekend.
For some DH and XC riding. Lift assisted.

[sdyeti]

Welcome...Mission Hills in LA or SD?

[BFloFoxRider.]

Originally Posted by dtron

I just moved here from Co for a summer internship and i want to get connected to the gravity/xc seen. I have my DJ and a freeride with me. Does anyone know where any of the good trails are?

I think you picked the wrong website

Just kidding of course.

You'll find plenty of trails with a little help from others...
or if you find a bike shop and ask, they'll point you in a direction