My last trip report from NorCal (about a month or two ago).

All in all, my favorite place to ride was China Camp. Not just China Camp State Park itself, but when combined with the local trails it was just great. Nothing technical, just great trails and a lot of places to discover - "where does that trail go?" (Unfortunately, China Camp is on the list of state parks to be closed next year.)

Pictures of the trails within the Park itself. Wide, but not too wide, comfortable grade, mostly on the north slope, so deep shade, especially in the redwoods.




Second visit, mixed oak forest






At the top of China Camp is an old Nike base and an access road to towers. China Camp State Park is just one side of a pretty good sized ridge that is all open space of one form or another. First time through, as I'm riding down the road on the top, I see a nice single track dropping off away from the Park. So I ride it.


Great trail. Nice and narrow and pretty much just contouring.


First time on the trail, I talked to some people lunching on this bench. They told me there was another trail below. Second visit, I first rode the top trail then dropped down a fire road to the trail below, and rode the second trail "back" until I picked up a fire road back to the top. Same sort of thing - well built trail, pretty much contouring the slope, although I had to decline to follow a left turn dropping towards the bottom. (Next time!)




It came out on a fire road that led me back to the top of China Camp. I became too tired to be enthusiastic about hauling the camera out, but my adventures were not done. I tried to follow the road on top to reach the trail down to my car in China Camp but decided that I had made a wrong turn dropping down a fire road. Reversed and started HABing back up. Spotted a trail I had missed on the way back up. Followed that trail. Another narrow trail, contouring, but this one was newer or not as well used. And sometimes . . . eight inch tread on some ridiculous slope, sort of like SART with trees . . . I HABed, wheeling my bike in front of me.

At the end of this trail, I found an intersection I recognized and resumed my exit towards my car and figured out why I had made a wrong turn on the top. Along the way, I stopped to give directions to some other MTBers. People more confused than me!

Great time.

gorgeous! Great photos, that looks incredible!!!

Thanks for the pictures and ride report. That was my favorite after work ride spot as well when I worked at a bike shop in downtown San Rafael. It was the one place I actually enjoyed owning a singlespeed (read: too poor to buy new shifters).

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Department of Good Times

Fnords,
Did you ride anywhere else? I am thinking of heading up to Marin County and then Santa Cruz on the way home. Did you camp and if so where?
Thanks

I can't help you with camping, I was staying at a relative's house.
Great places that I rode included: China Camp SP, Wilder Ranch SP, Corte Madera Open Space on the SF Peninsula (aka Skeggs), Annadel SP, and Tamarancho Boy Scout Camp (permit required).