# Good first bikepacking trip destination greater bay area?



## bykerchick (Oct 15, 2015)

Where's a good first bike packing 1 night trip with easy to moderate elevation gain. Can be fire roads or single track. Can be established campground though preference towards backcountry camping. 

Ideally -- South of Chico, West of Tahoe, North of Big Sur

Extra credit if you can camp near a river, lake, ocean...water of some sort.

Thanks!


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## Zignzag (Jan 23, 2004)

Mississippi Lake at Henry Coe State Park, east of Gilroy, is a good overnighter. 

Also, most of the State Beaches and State Parks on the coast have areas for bike camping. Inexpensive ($7) and no reservations required. Some you can get to by dirt, like Samuel Taylor State Park in Marin County, Half Moon Bay State Beach, and New Brighton State Beach near Capitola


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## z1r (Apr 17, 2014)

Not quite where you want to be but I always liked biking to Julia Pfeiffer-Burns State Park, Awesome beach.

But eons ago, I did a race near Mendocino. We camped in the forest near the race but there was a nice campground by the beach at Russian Gulch. Best part was Mendocino Brewing Company had a pub in town.


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## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

I heartily endorse the idea of a trip with "easy to moderate elevation gain" for a first bikepacking trip. It's not so easy in the Bay Area to find fire roads or trails that have easy to moderate climbing, though.


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## the other Anne (Feb 14, 2014)

The Marin Headlands could be a good spot; you could go to Hawk Camp (reservations required). Or you could go to Point Reyes and camp at one of the bike-in campgrounds there. Or you could bop around Railroad Grade and that area, and camp at Bootjack or Pantoll, though Pantoll isn't the nicest campground in the world.

Or, if you were in the South Bay, you could camp at the little Black Mountain camping spot at the top of Montebello Road (reservations required). With your reservation, you'd get some kind of parking permit to park overnight at the Montebello Open Space parking lot, which is on Page Mill Road. You could do some of the flatter trails in Montebello or Russian Ridge before heading up to the campsite; IMO the easiest way to get there would be Bella Vista Trail. 

I wouldn't recommend Henry Coe for a first backpacking trip with "easy to moderate elevation gain." It's steep and climb-y there.


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## shredchic (Jun 18, 2007)

Take the bottom of Skyline to sea from Waddell creek beach, then lock up bikes and hike to camp near a waterfall. Reservations required via Big Basin. 6 miles of eeezy peeezy each way. Good equipment test. Disclaimer, I haven't bikepacked, or even backpacked there, but sounds like a good idea. I have ridden it - piece o' cake.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Zignzag (Jan 23, 2004)

Yes, Waddell Creek at Big Basin Redwoods State Park is a good idea for a first bikepacking trip. Check out the California State Parks website for info.


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## Boomchakabowwow (Sep 8, 2015)

you could ride along the kern river in GTW..spectacular.


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## Nomad Ninja (Sep 2, 2007)

The easiest? Park at Butano State Park. Make your way up Butano fire road and camp at their Trail Camp. It's about a 6 mile fire road climb. I took my buddies there as and intro ride and they made it and one does not ride at all. The next day you can just bomb back down. Guaranteed smiles the next day. Pack it in, pack it out.


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## bykerchick (Oct 15, 2015)

Thanks! I will look up some of those places. What about any good national Forrest loops western side of Tahoe? I imagine most national Forrest's you can wild camp. Just go as far as you want then plop your tent down...


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## veloborealis (Oct 25, 2009)

Check out Ice House Rd. off Hwy 50 on the way from the Bay Area to Lake Tahoe. The drive to Wrights Lake (USFS campground) is about 20-30 miles, as I recall. Several trailheads depart off of this road. Some lead into Desolation Wilderness (no bikes), some do not. It's been years since I've been to this area, but I believe it still sees lighter use than many other USFS lakes on the west side of the Sierra near Tahoe. Crystal Basin, which contains Wrights Lake in very pretty. There are several other lakes and reservoirs around there. You might be able to put together a loop linking trails and roads. In regard to elevation gain/loss my memory is too hazy to be of much help. If hunting season is still in effect there you might want to skip it.


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