Mountain Biking Cheeseboro / Palo Comado Canyons in Southern California

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Cheeseboro / Palo Comado Canyons
Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles County, Agora Hills / Simi Hills, CA

Located just north of the 101 in the Simi Hills, this spectacular riding area truly has something for everyone. Beginners can ride relatively flat fire roads while taking in spectacular views of live oaks, rolling hills and savannahs and interesting wildlife. Intermediate and advanced riders can find miles of challenging singletrack and technical climbs and descents (particularly on the Simi Peak / China Flat Trail Option, which is afforded its own page owing to its spectacular features). More...

( Click here for directions to trailhead )

The trail doesn't take very long to get beautiful.

Either way gets you to the same place a little further up on the Cheeseboro Canyon Trail. The singletrack is hard to resist.

I typically stay on the main trail here and bypass the Modelo Trail option to the left. I prefer taking the Canyon View trail a bit further up and riding the Modelo Trail as a downhill to the parking lot at the end of the ride.

Huge Oak Trees litter the trail here with giant acorns in the fall. Dodge the acorns and head straight for the Canyon View Trail.

For those wanting to avoid a climb, go left and the CCT will eventually join the Sulphur Springs Trail. Those of us who like to climb should head straight ahead here up the Canyon View Trail and the Cheeseboro Ridge Trail. The views from the loftier trails are worth the effort. This also seems to be a major wildlife throughway as the variety of tracks along this trail, including deer, coyote, bobcat, racoon, squirrels, quail, and other critters is impressive.

As you can see, the CCT is flat while the Canyon View Trail begins climbing almost immediately.

I suppose much of the area north of the Santa Monica Mountains from Palm Springs to Ventura probably looked a lot like this before it was paved.

As you can see, the Cheeseboro Ridge Trail (CRT) climbs to the north. A sign here explains that this is part of an experimental "controlled burn" program being tested to restore native grasses and shrubs. See explanation on the next slide.

It says: "This area is part of a controlled burn that is being used to determine whether fire can be used to restor native grasses and shrubs to areas that were converted to animal grasslands by pasting grazing and agriculture. Burns are performed in the spring or early summer to reduce the seed bank of non-native grasses. Native species are then planted by variosu methods in the fall and their growth is measured by park staff to determine which methods are the most effective in re-establlishing native species.

Despite the effort in climbing, I like this option in that it affords a great view of Cheeseboro Canyon and the surrounding canyons and hills outside the recreational area.

Though it appears that the trail heading off to the right (eastward and southward) is the "main" trail, the Cheeseboro Ridge Trail is actually the trail up and to the left. This rather steep section hereafter brings us to what may be the highest point on the CRT.

Though I typically only take trail pictures looking forward (as it can be confusing to keep track of what one is looking at days after the fact), I couldn't resist this photo looking back at the CRT behind me.

Trust me, its steeper than it looks. A nice view across Cheeseboro Canyon

This intersection also allows one to leave the friendly confines of the Cheeseboro Recreation area and wonder eastward into the real world.

Though I have taken the Cheeseboro Ridge Trail north of the upcoming intersection with the Cheeseboro Canyon Connector trail, and its is a nice climb which passes a huge water tower and eventually intersects with Sheep Corral Trail, I recommend heading southwest on the connector trail back to Cheeseboro Canyon Trail.

Go the opposite way from this view and cruise down the Cheeseboro Canyon Connector Traill to the CCT.

To repeat, go left here and cruise down the Cheeseboro Canyon Connector Trail to the Cheeseboro Canyon Trail

Go this way...

Going right returns you the the aformentioned northern section of the Cheeseboro Ridge Trail, past the water tower, etc. Better to stay left and head most directly for the Sulphur Springs singletrack trail.

Go straight ahead here.

This is worth checking out once, but as discussed previously, you'll probably want to bypass this route, instead taking the Cheeseboro Connector Trail to Cheeseboro Canyon Trail and then on to the spectacular Sulphur Springs singletrack trail.

This nice shady section of this trail precedes the intersection at which we turn right to merge with the Cheeseboro Canyon Trail en route to Sulphur Springs singletrack.

Turn right here and head for Sulphur Springs Trail

This old ranch road follows a streambed through a valley oak savannah and coast live oak riparian zone. As we reach beyond the Sulphur Springs trail, this shady riparian zone is replaced by sunnier chaparral slopes.

Either way is fine. The Service Road is a bit smoother, shadier, and more like singletrack but they both lead to the same place a bit futher up the trail...

Either way works fine.

We'll roll past this upcoming left turn, staying on Cheeseboro Canyon Trail en route to Sulphur Springs Trail.

We'll roll past this left turn, staying on Cheeseboro Canyon Trail en route to Sulphur Springs Trail.

I'll have to hike this one day. I've heard its worth a look.

This brings us to the stuff that great mountain bike rides are made of....meaty, raw, gorgeous, rocky, rutted, sometimes supremely smooth singletrack.

They say it smells like sulphur along this section of the trail but I've yet to have the pleasure of that particular scent here.

I get goosebumps just looking at these photos...

As forwarned, the rhapsodic riparian zone is rapidly replaced by the harshly harmonious chaparral as the canyon widens.

Unfortunately, I was alone on this ride, so I couldn't oblige. Next time I'll bring a date.

All of these ascents are rideable, though some require a near perfect line to clean.

A technically challenging uphill lurks beyond this bend

Sulphur Springs Trail is a great trail for beginners and intermediates to improve their skills.

Some sections of Sulphur Springs trail are straight and smooth enough to reach the park speed limit...

As noted earlier, we'll be taking a left here as Sulphur Springs Trail apparently becomes Sheep Corral Trail and continues northwest.

As noted earlier, we'll be taking a left here as Sulphur Springs Trail apparently becomes "Upper Palo Comado Trail" or "Sheep Corral Trail", depending on whose map you are looking at, and continues northwest. Since this trail is called the Sheep Corral Trail on the official park map, for our purposes I will use this designation. However, Upper Palo Comado Trail would seem a more apt description.

This is worth having an explore one day. For now, turn around and to the opposite way along Sheep Corral Trail towards Palo Comado Canyon Trail.

As discussed elsewhere, the view here can be a bit perplexing, as the trail heading westward seems to split into two and there is no clear signal as to which way to go. The good news is that either trail works! I generally take the first, rightmost trail, which is joined by the left trail about a hundred yards up. The leftwardly trail has some more technically demanding ascents and is also fun.

Go straight into this photo

Sheep Corral Trail, which seems to me to be a direct extension of the Sulphur Springs Trail, tends to be more rutted, rocky, sandy, and curvaceous than Sulphur Springs. Those with a singletrackmind will love every inch of it.

The trail actually splits here and this is a photo of the left lane. The right lane is equally challenging in a different way.

A little ways beyond this section comes a gentle descent which passes a sharp turn to the left en route to a wonderful overlook that features great views of Palo Comado Canyon Trail in both is southerly and northwesterly directions. Skip the sharp left turn for now, as this leads to a GREAT, MUST RIDE singletrack which parallels Palo Comado Canyon Trail (PCCT) downhill for a couple of miles before merging with PCCT well before the Ranch Center Connector junction. Now, stop briefly on the overlook and MAKE A BIG DECISION.

Now is the time to decide if you should turn around, go back to the (now righthand turn) unamed singletrack which parallels Palo Comado Canyon Trail and start heading back. This would result in a 13-14 mile loop and close to 2000 feet of elevation gain. Alternatively, you can continue up (northwesterly) on the Palo Comado Canyon Trail to China Flats and Simi Peak and turn this into an epic adventure. For now, lets turn back. We'll discuss the China Flats / Simi Peak trail later.

Palo Comado Canyon Trail is seen veering off to the left as it ascends, while the final remant of the Sheep Corral trails is just visible at the right of the photo.

By going right and uphill here, we enter the China Flats / Simi Peak Option of this ride. For now, lets turn back and head back to the start of the ridge. See the China Flats / Simi Peak trail option to see the photo gallery for this option.

Heading back up Sheep Corral Trail to take gnarly singletrack which parallels Palo Comado Trail as we head back towards the start/end of the ride.

The parallel singletrack merges with Palo Comado Canyon Trail a couple of miles downhill where we then proceed to Ranch Center Connector Trail

Go left and head downhill towards Ranch Center Connector Trail.

We'll bypass the Doubletree road intersection, staying on Palo Comado Canyon Trail just a hundred or so yards further to pick up the Ranch Center Connector Trail to the left.

We'll make a left turn and begin climbing Ranch Center Connector Trail.

Just keep pumpin.'

This relatively flat section allows your granny gear to cool off as you can shift into your middle ring.

This steep climb located this far into an already challenging ridge can only be described as CRUEL. Remember, Pain is merely the feeling of weakness leaving your body...

You won't get this view from Ranch Center Connector Trail. This view requires one to make a sharp right at the 4-way intersection at the Ranch Center Connector Trail midsection summit and climb the IMPOSSIBLY steep unposted fireroad featured in the Simi Peak / China Flat trail expose.

Watch your speed here Casey Jones...

Make a right here and beginning a quick spin back to the ride start / end at the parking lot.

I typically take the Service Road option because it's a bit quieter and smoother.

Take this right back to the parking lot

Photo of Santa Cruz Superlight resting atop Simi Peak, elevation 2403', a little over 10 miles from the trailhead at Cheeseboro / Palo Comado Canyon Recreation Area, Simi Hills, Northern Santa Monica Mountains, CA.

View from parking lot at Trailhead

Additional Information about Cheeseboro and its Trails	Map of one recommended loop for Cheeseboro Canyon	Topographical view of Cheeseboro Canyon Area	Download Official Park Map in PDF Format
Download Garmin^® MapSource^® mps file - for Cheeseboro Region	Download National Geographic^® TOPO!^®region file for Cheeseboro Region	View China Flats / Simi Peak Option for Cheeseboro Region