Skyline Wilderness Park Mountain Biking Trails

Skyline Wilderness park is an interesting place - one that I find myself returning to time after time. It’s hard to put into words what exactly keeps drawing back. In any case, on any given day, you’ll see a mix of users at this park, including horses and hikers.

The trails can be described as fast, rocky, rooty, and at times, awkward. If you love natural trails, this is your spot. Be aware of the sudden hairpin switchbacks on many of the trails at the park.

Lots of poison oak exists anytime you step off the trails, so beware.

A bell is highly recommended on busy days, meaning weekends. Lots of the best gravity trails are fast and have poor lines of sight, so a bell helps to ease the tension between user groups. As always, be nice and say hi.

The best times to ride Skyline are spring and fall. It gets pretty warm in the summer. If it rained heavily (i.e. multi-day storm), give the dirt at least three days to dry. The park is relatively shaded and will hold onto moisture for a while, which is great for hero dirt during dry spells, but also means that it gets and stays muddy for a while. If you are leaving deep ruts, either ride a different trail or head back.

The fee (at time of writing; February 2022) to access the park by riding in is $3. There is a credit card accepting kiosk near the end of the River to Ridge Trail. To date, I have never been checked for a pass, but the money goes back into managing and maintaining the trails. You can also pay at the official entrance along Imola Avenue, which has flush toilets and a place to fill up water.