Tag Archives: rides

California Motorcycle Roads

CA motorcycle roads

These are the roads that drivers love. More room to roam, more space, more pavement, more scenery to love and less people, less drivers and less distractions. California has endless roadways that wind through every part of the entire state. If you enjoy real driving in California, you like the curvy roads & scenery. Total Escape  has dedicated numerous hours to the collection of back roads in California. Some paved, some not.

4000 RPMs or higher / Cerro Noroeste Road to Hwy 166

CALIFORNIA driving WAYS & ROADS

CALIFORNIA SCENIC HIGHWAYS & MAIN ROADS

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MAPS, PARKS & LINKS

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scenic drives
Some random road east of Trinity River

Wildflower Century Ride

Butte County Bicycle Ride
Chico Wildflower Century Ride

Bike riders can enjoy the hilly Wildcat 100 & 125, the traditional Wildflower 100 & 65, the Flatflower 60 & 30, and the Childflower 12. Wildfest pre-ride party.

Annual event: April

Chico, CA

wildflowercentury.org

IMG_1625L Chico Velo cycling club

California Central Coast Bike Event:
San Luis Obispo County also has a cycling race / ride called the Wildflower Century SLOBC held in March

wildflower

califrepublic

Los Angeles County Fair

The Fun Starts Here

LA County Fair

Los Angeles County Fair is held several miles from downtown LA; at the Pomona Fairgrounds (off Interstate 10). Concerts, carnival rides & games, exhibits, horse shows, home & garden shows, arts & crafts. Big event for the county of Los Angeles.

NOTE 2022:
The LA Fair has permanently moved to the month of May

Annual event; May
909-623-3111

Los Angeles CA

lacountyfair.com

Trinity County Fair

Ferris Wheel -- Trinity County Fair - 2009

Trinity County Fair
Hayfork Fair

This rural county fair started in 1921 and always held in the small mountain town of Hayfork, which is east of Hwy 299 and up hill from the Trinity RiverDouglas City; Carnival rides, games, exhibits, quilt show, horse show, mule show, rodeo. It’s the biggest thing to look forward to for locals, during the summer.

Annual event; August
530-628-5223

HAYFORK, CA

trinitycountyfair.com

Trinity County Fair -- Signpost

The Road That Time Forgot -- Trinity County, CA

Tulare County Fair

Tulare County

Tulare Fair

Tulare is located in the California Central Valley (the “bread basket”) – so summers can still be quite warm, or should we say HOT, even in September.

Big county fair for this farming region. Agriculture shows, auctions, destruction derby, exhibits, competitions, 4H livestock, parade, rodeo, tractor pull and much more. Don’t miss the delicious Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler Cook-Off and the Tri-Tip Cook-Off. Carnival rides and carnival games too.

Annual event; September

Tulare County Fair Assoc.
620 South K St.
Tulare, CA 93274
559-686-4707

tcfair.org

 

farris wheel

Brea Fest

spin'n

Brea Fest

Annual food & art festival is one of the most popular events; includes performances by 2 professional bands, dancers, magicians & street performers, as well as an art exhibit and artist demonstrations. A family area features musical performances for kids, hands-on art projects and face painting. Food and beverages are served by 30+ area restaurants.

Brea Civic & Cultural Center
1 Civic Center Circle
Brea, California

Annual event; August
714-990-7771

Brea, CA

ci.brea.ca.us/448/Annual-Events

Lassen County Fair

Fair

Lassen County Fair

The NorCal event Lassen County Fair is held in Susanville California. Carnival rides, destruction derby, ranch rodeo, arts & craft vendors, food, & plenty local music too. This whole Northern California region is awesome for summer camping & fishing, so make a week of it & enjoy the natural scenery, outdoor recreation & this annual county fair.

Annual event; July
530-251-8900

SUSANVILLE, CA

lassencountyfair.org

Lassen Fair

Demolition Derby

Zipper

Gold Country Fair

Auburn Gold Country Fair - 7 September 2007

Auburn Gold Country Fair

California Gold Country Fair

Auburn is home to the Gold Country Fair every September. 4-day event w/ parade, pony rides, carnival rides & games, entertainment.

1273 High Street
Auburn, CA 95604

Annual event; September
530-823-4533

Auburn CA

goldcountryfair.com

20070907 Cowgirl

Downieville Classic Mountain Bike Festival

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Downieville Classic Race

Downieville Classic Mountain Bike Festival

25th Anniversary in 2023

Downieville Downhill

The very busiest weekend to visit the Downieville – Yuba River canyon region, so consider yourself warned.

Bicycle Expo & Street Fair on Saturday and Sunday. Live music & dancing. Big Air River Jump, plus, race cross country style or the infamous Downieville Downhill. Shuttle service available.

One of the biggest mountain bike events on the west coast. Located deep in the heart of Northern Gold Country, along the Yuba River & historic Highway 49. Camping options available in every direction. The small historic hotels book up well in advance.

Annual event; July

DOWNIEVILLE CA

downievilleclassic.com

 

Festivities on main street

Ross Schnell

Intermountain Fair

Intermountain Fair 2010

NorCal Intermountain Fair

90 years running. Intermountain Fair is held annually at McArthur Fairgrounds, east of Fall River Mills, CA. Small town parade, exhibits, livestock, motocross, demolition derby, carnival rides and games. If you are looking for a small hometown fair inside California, this one is choice pickins.

The Inter-Mountain Fairgrounds is located in the northeastern tip of Shasta County on Highway 299E in the town of McArthur, CA. McArthur is located in the Fall River Valley – along with neighboring communities of Fall River Mills, Glenburn, Pittville, and Dana. All are farming communities with a total population of about 2,000 people @ 3400′ elevation.

Annual event; August & September

Fall River Mills, CA

inter-mountainfair.com

y Picture 1035 ed

Home Town Parade

Intermountain Fair 2010

Monterey County Fair

fair trails

County Fair in Monterey

Over 80 years of this coastal event in California. Carnival rides, livestock show, food, live music, arts & crafts, horse races & wine tasting. This is by far the largest summer fair event in the whole region. Campgrounds and hotels in the area fill up fast in warmer months, so make reservations if you want to visit the Monterey Bay Area.

Annual event; September
831-372-5863

MONTEREY, CA

montereycountyfair.com

 

bred-heifers2.jpg

montereybay

Silverado Days

Ferris wheel

Silverado Days, OC

Event not held in Silverado Canyon, but close enough. A local, long running tradition for this urban region. Chili cook off & car show, carnival rides & games are just part of the fun this weekend in Buena Park California. The good times can be found at William Peak Park in Buena Park, CA.

Annual event; October

silveradodays.com

 

1950 mercury

Mountain Biking Sequoia

Bald Mountain Lookout

Mountain Biking Kern & Biking Camps in Sequoia

Mountain biking has become a popular sport especially in California. We’ve got so much great terrain, so close to home (the urban sprawl), that this outdoor hobby is bound to get you back in shape, fast. Start slow to avoid burnout and injury. The weather is awesome, just go. Plan a camping weekend & bring your bike!

Remington

KERN RIVER AREA

Parks & Forests in Sequoia region of the Sierra Nevada –

Big Meadow Kern

SEQUOIA PARK BIKING

Obvious (but humorous) information on bike riding or mountain biking in Sequoia NP. Upon doing research for this page, noticed a heck of a lotta folks typing in the phrase

Sequoia National Park Bike Trail

I laugh…. but plenty people are searching for bike trails near Sequoia groves, inside the most protected of lands, the National Parks.

NPSFirstly, most National Parks in California do not allow bikes on hiking trails. The Sierra Nevada has NO National Parks that allow mountain biking on their trails. (official words are: Biking is allowed on the main roads in the parks but is prohibited on park trails.)

Yuk. Who wants to ride on asphalt in the wild?

Yosemite & Lake Almanor both have nice paved bike paths. But you may want dirt trails for biking. Be it mellow mountain biking on forest roads, or the hard core Downie-droppers.

California Wilderness Areas are the same rules, but even tighter. So that brings us to Sequoia National Forest. Yes, indeed California National Forests allow mountain bikes on most trails, in most cases. The popular trails might even get small brown signs showing bikes that are allowed.

Second, there are no bike rentals inside Sequoia National Park (or Kings), so you must bring yours in, or better yet ride in. I dare you. Although you cannot take said bike on a dirt trail, so you’ll need to stick to pavement only. The main highway (Hwy 198) has got to be one of the curviest, narrow, fern lined ridge routes of the region. You would be a fool to ride this area, as a senior citizen w/ a 40 foot motorhome or a speeding SUV may take you out on a curve. Seriously! You better be in great shape if you plan to descend into Kings Cyn. That route is just as dangerous if not more so. These 2 National Parks – Sequoia & kings, both get a lotta traffic. Year round.

Thirdly – here is the biggest tip of the whole topic. In between Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Parks is a slice of Sequoia National Forest land. (Meaning you can ride bikes or mountain bikes here) Most call it Big Meadows Road # 14S11 & there is plenty camping all down this road – 12 miles with spur roads in every direction. A nice chunk of forest with rocks, meadows, camps & dirt roads. Granite & great scenery. What more could you ask for? More forest roads than single track trails tho and please watch for equestrian traffic. The dead end of this road leads out to 2 Wilderness areas, so be prepared to navigate with a good map in hand. No bikes are allowed in the Wilderness, remember?

Maps for biking in the Sequoia –

For Sequoia/Redwood Parks with less people and more open biking trails, try these –

Wanna see some great riders & bikes in action?
California Mountain Bike Races

Bear Meadow
Camp Site at Bear Meadow, Sequoia National Forest  

California Motorcycle Riding

California Motorcycle Road

motorcycle california

Long Way Down BMW Check out the Bikes!

California Scenic Drives – On a Road to Nowhere

Google Earth Community – California Motorcycle Riding Areas

Motorcycle Ride California – Tours & Trails

CA Motorcycle Maps & OHV Maps California – All Roads, All Trails

Off Road Destinations – Baja California MX Towns

California Motorcycle Events & Races

California Motorcycle Association – Racing as a Business

Baja California Maps

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Cerro Noroeste Road

Fresh Blacktop 2011

Scenic Drive California: Cerro Noroeste

Tejon Pass, Frazier Mountain, Tecuya, San Emigdio, Mount Pinos, Apache Saddle, Mount Abel, Quatal Canyon, BitterCreek, Klipstein Canyon

Los Padres NF – Cerro Noroeste Road #9N05

One of the best driving roads in Central California!

Motorcycles love this route.

Los Padres National Forest stretches from Ojai to Monterey, mostly along the California Central Coast. If you are traveling on Interstate 5 (atop the Grapevine, Tejon Pass) and you wanted to head westbound,  then you really want to take this scenic route.

Exit Frazier Park Rd @ Lebec, on the top of the Grapevine (Interstate 5 N of jct Hwy 138). Proceed westbound thru the Frazier Park stop sign (5 mi), up the hill past the turn off for Lockwood Valley Road. Frazier Mountain Park Road now becomes Cuddy Valley Rd, continue up to pine trees. Turn right on Mil Potrero Highway & drive thru Pine Mountain Club (4-8 mi). Continuing past the golf course, heading up to Apache Saddle.

Approximately 6000′ at a forested intersection is the ‘saddle’ with ranger station. The paved road is now considered Cerro Noroeste Road.

A left turn will bring you up to Cerro Noroeste 8286′ elevation. (10 mi/closed in winter) This mountain peak is also known as Mount Abel.

At the saddle, continuing straight (veering right) through the P&J forest (pinyon and juniper) to the gorgeous rolling hills, fog & cloudscape countryside of ..

HUDSON RANCH ROAD

WTF? Recently county authorities have renamed Cerro Noroeste Rd to Hudson Ranch Rd, which has many locals infuriated and of course, keeping visitors confused. There is a popular Hudson Ranch up near Napa Wine Country, but this is not named after that location. Rumor has it that one local family complained to Kern County about the difficulty of spelling ‘Cerro Noroeste’ for outsiders. Go figure! Want a local roadway name changed? Easier process than imagined – just file a suggestion w/ Kern County.

HUDSON RANCH ROAD

Bitter Creek Wildlife Area & Highway 166 (23 mi) are all out this way. Sports cars & motorcyclists love this route, so do hikers & hunters. Every weekend you can find hundreds of bikes cruising this scenic byway.

Best Sunset Drives
Numerous forest roads can be found out this way. Quatal Canyon #9N09 is a great side route to explore if you like long dirt roads, red dirt, lupine & pinyon pines. Chumash Wilderness backcountry access is way back in this super scenic canyon. Toad Spring Campground is a small site located near the top of the canyon, only half mile off the pavement.

Forest Road #9N27 leads up to Caballo Campground & even further out to the steep ridge line, Marion Campground & Blue Ridge 4×4 trail. Across from the Apache Saddle Ranger Station, San Emigdio dirt road #9N34 climbs to 7400′ elevation and has a great viewpoint. Unsigned San Emigdio 4×4 trail starts at the viewpoint and heads east.

Way out west on Cerro Noroeste Road is Valle Vista Campground, with new a outhouse. This small campground is perched on the edges of red cliffs overlooking the great Central Valley of California.

Klipstein Canyon, a side route/short cut to Taft, offers decent wildflower displays in springtime. San Andreas faultline uplift is also evident on this detour. Road Closed barriers seem insignificant, as many drivers just skoot around them.

CerroNoroeste

nearby towns:

Pine Mountain Club, CA
Frazier Park, CA
Ventucopa, CA
Taft, CA
New Cuyama, CA