# Recommendations for Bikepacking Trails Southern California



## tro4130 (Jul 11, 2013)

Hello, I am hoping i can be steered in the right direction for a great bikepacking trail in the San Diego area up to Riverside area (Big Bear Lake) and surrounding locations. Anyone have advice? Also, Noble Canyon and the whole Laguna Mountain Range is currently on FIRE so that is a no go...

Thanks!


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## random walk (Jan 12, 2010)

For the San Diego area, this first came to mind. Not a lot of miles on this particular trip, but as you probably know there are ways to connect Cuyamaca & Laguna into some longer rides. Where you can put down your gear and camp is another story. I've ridden up there but never camped. I don't know of other approved primitive campsites other than Granite Springs. The OP of that thread posts on MTBR occasionally (same screen name), you could PM him about other campsites.

Hopefully the worst of the Laguna fire has passed and the area will be open soon. I think most, if not all of the rideable trails were spared.


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## tro4130 (Jul 11, 2013)

Thank you very much! I assumed they were gone but am glad they were spared! Also, saves me the drive to Big Bear


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## fourtoone (Jan 30, 2013)

You could do part (or all) of the Stagecoach 400 route. It goes right through SD.

Stagecoach 400 | SCES - Southern California Enduro Series


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## evdog (Mar 18, 2007)

Thanks for the props Frank! 

There are limitless options here in SoCal for bikepacking. Especially for shorter routes where you ride in during the afternoon/evening and ride out in the morning. Technically we are not allowed to camp in most places, but if you find a good spot far and out of sight of roads and trailheads, and are discrete and responsible I doubt you will have any issues in most places. If you want to stay legal your options are much more limited to official campgrounds, trail camps like the two in Cuyamaca, and BLM/USFS lands where dispersed camping is allowed. 

Any area with trails has some potential, and the potential gets better when you can link different areas or trail systems together or on larger national forest tracts. For example, Cuyamaca to Noble, or to on Corral Canyon. Most often the more distance you want the more dirt road or pavement you will have to include. The fun part is planning routes that minimize those distances and/or maximizing the best singletrack. Not to mention coming up with awesome ways to link stuff together that would not be possible with single day rides.


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