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Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
Trailforks scans users ridelogs to determine the most popular direction each trail is ridden. A good flowing trail network will have most trails flowing in a single direction according to their intension.
The colour categories are based on what percentage of riders are riding a trail in its intended direction.
The colour categories are based on what percentage of riders are riding a trail in its intended direction.
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Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
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Trail Popularity ?
Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months.
Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades.
Think of this as a heatmap, more rides = more kinetic energy = warmer colors.
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Trails are colored based on popularity. The more popular a trail is, the more red. Less popular trails trend towards green.
Jump Magnitude Heatmap
Heatmap of where riders jump on trails. Zoom in to see individual jumps, click circles to view jump details.
BC Backroad Status
![map legend]()
Service Road Atlas is a free to use, community-driven service for viewing and creating reports on the numerous back-country service roads around B.C. and Alberta.
Slope Aspect
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Only show trails with no bike usage.
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Activities Click to view
- Mountain Bike
22 trails
- E-Bike
9 trails
- Gravel Bike
0 trails
- Adaptive Bike
0 trails
- Hike
38 trails
- Trail Running
43 trails
Region Details
- 3
- 1
- 4
- 8
Region Status
Open as of May 21, 2026Stats
- Avg Trail Rating
- Trails (view details)
- 36
- Trails Mountain Bike
- 22
- Trails E-Bike
- 9
- Trails Hike
- 43
- Trails Trail Running
- 43
- Total Distance
- 48 miles
- Total Descent
- 8,313 ft
- Total Vertical
- 2,522 ft
- Highest Trailhead
- 2,577 ft
- Reports
- 337
- Photos
- 110
- Ridden Counter
- 15,370
Articles
Must Watch: Aptos Productions’ 'Top Soil 2' Still Holds Up 20 Years Later
Mar 12, 2026 from pinkbike.com
VOD... The best MTB film you’ve probably never seen.
Video: Christian Rigal Brings BMX Influence to eMTB Shenanigans in 'Long Story Short'
Oct 7, 2025 from pinkbike.com
Rigal never runs short of creativity on the bike.
Recommended Routes: The Quick and the Dead - CyclingTips
May 6, 2022 from cyclingtips.com
In the first episode of our Recommended Routes series, we visit the gravel roads around Mt. Davis and Forbes State Forest in Pennsylvania, USA.
Sub Regions
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Nisene Marks State Park
- 3
- 8
Popular Aptos Mountain Biking Trails
• 100 ★ 3.7 • 1 mile • 268 ft • 1,670 •
Cusack's is a nice alternative to the fire road. There are a few punchy short climbs. There is a technical rock garden, and an erosion chute. These two sections require care and are easily walked.
• 95 ★ 3.0 • 3,573 ft • 143 ft • 406 •
A simple trail from the perimeter road behind Cabrillo College up the the and access to Nisene Marks.
• 60 ★ 2.0 • 2,201 ft • 0 ft • 325 •
is a nifty "back door" entrance and exit to Nisene via the Vienna Woods neighborhood. The trails is pretty short and has a few roots and switchbacks on it to make it fun. It's all up on the way out, and all down on the way in. It takes...
• 45 ★ 3.5 • 1,555 ft • 18 ft • 236 •
is the first single track you can reach when you come in the main entrance to Nisene. It cuts off of the dirt road before you get tot the Ranger Kiosk. It takes you into where you can continue the legal single track "below the steel...
• 40 ★ 4.4 • 2 miles • 205 ft • 153 •
This is a nice parallel to the Fire Road, and it has it's own special entrance from the edge of the park via a neighborhood street across from the Safeway shopping center on Aptos Ranch Rd. The trail goes all the way to the first bridge...
• 35 ★ 4.3 • 4,121 ft • 121 ft • 48 •
One of the few legal single track trails in Nisene, it's pretty fun and a bit challenging in places. Great loamy ground in a large redwood grove. Not super well marked as State trails go, and crossing the creek to get to it may require...
• 30 ★ 3.0 • 2,022 ft • 26 ft • 32 •
A small dirt trail from the top of Vienna Woods Trail to the streets of the Vienna Woods neighborhood. It's a county trail, not part of Nisene, but connects to it.
• 25 ★ 3.0 • 1 mile • 81 ft • 19 •
A loop in a large open field the goes around the circumference of the upper disc golf course. Views of the lake from the southern tip of the loop.
Aptos Mountain Bike Routes
47 miles • 8,598 ft • 14 • Loop •
If you're crazy, and you really want to explore Santa Cruz, this is a really cool tour starting from the...
37 miles • 3,879 ft • 3 • Loop •
Aptos Loop Soquel to Freedom to Eureka Canyon Climb to Hihns Spring rd to Olive Springs rd to Soquel San...
• 19 miles • 3,034 ft • 5 •
• 18 miles • 2,165 ft • 3 •
• 15 miles • 1,214 ft • 2 •
• 18 miles • 2,269 ft • 1 •
Photos of Aptos Mountain Bike
Videos of Aptos Mountain Bike
trail: Aptos Creek Road
45:35 |
1497 |
Jul 23, 2020 , Aptos
youtuber
![LETS RIDE // Santa Cruz California]()
17:45 |
725 |
Apr 4, 2018
trail: Aptos Creek Road
1501 |
Jan 8, 2018 , Aptos
Recent Trail Reports
| status | trail | date | condition | info | user |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split Stuff | May 21, 2026 @ 9:14am (America/Los_Angeles) May 21, 2026 | Dry | elcid86 | ||
| Advocate Tree | May 21, 2026 @ 9:14am (America/Los_Angeles) May 21, 2026 | Dry | elcid86 | ||
| Aptos Creek Road | May 19, 2026 @ 4:02pm (America/Los_Angeles) May 19, 2026 | Dry | Jonsanders SCMTS Sage | ||
| John Cusack's | Dec 30, 2025 @ 5:51pm (America/Los_Angeles) Dec 30, 2025 | Variable | Jonsanders SCMTS Sage | ||
| Vienna Woods Trail | Dec 22, 2025 @ 2:08pm (America/Los_Angeles) Dec 22, 2025 | Variable | lbWAOUfh | ||
| Mesa Grande Wall | Aug 17, 2025 @ 3:53pm Aug 17, 2025 | Ideal | LoneFalcon | ||
| Carmichael County Trail | Aug 17, 2025 @ 3:53pm Aug 17, 2025 | Dry | LoneFalcon | ||
| Aptos Rancho Trail | Jul 5, 2025 @ 11:44am Jul 5, 2025 | Dry | ad10am | ||
| Buzzard Lagoon Spur | Jul 30, 2024 @ 4:31am Jul 30, 2024 | Dry | aguynamedjoe | ||
| Hinckley Basin Fire Road | May 29, 2023 @ 2:06am May 29, 2023 | Variable | aguynamedjoe |
Activity Feed
| username | action | type | title | date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| robotmechanic | ridden | trail | activity #96275440 and 1 more | Jun 4, 2026 @ 9:06pm 17 hours |
| harveyswik | ridden | trail | activity #96205316 | Jun 3, 2026 @ 9:25pm 2 days |
| Edw3rd | wishlist | region | activity #95941208 | May 31, 2026 @ 8:07am May 31, 2026 |
| elcid86 | add | report | activity #95200184 and 3 more | May 21, 2026 @ 2:18pm May 21, 2026 |
| Jonsanders | add | report | activity #95070861 | May 19, 2026 @ 4:02pm May 19, 2026 |
Recent Comments
| username | type | title | comment | date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| report | Cleared long ago | May 19, 2026 @ 4:03pm May 19, 2026 | ||
| report | All clear on the buzzard-ridge side. Thanks to... | May 19, 2026 @ 4:02pm May 19, 2026 | ||
| report | Cleared | Dec 30, 2025 @ 5:51pm Dec 30, 2025 | ||
| report | Cleared | Dec 30, 2025 @ 5:51pm Dec 30, 2025 | ||
| trail | The last bit right off olive springs rd is... | Aug 1, 2025 @ 12:16pm Aug 1, 2025 |
Local Badges
-
Epic Ride Climb 2k178 awarded -
Climbing 10k Badge148 awarded -
Climbing 100k Badge7 awarded -
Epic Ride Descent 2k195 awarded -
Descent 10k Badge148 awarded -
Descent 100k Badge7 awarded
Bike & Skill Parks
| name | type | city | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polo Grounds | skill park | Aptos |
Activity Type Stats
| activitytype | trails | distance | descent | descent distance | total vertical | rating | global rank | state rank | photos | reports | routes | ridelogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Bike | 22 | 26 miles | 2,828 ft | 7 miles | 2,523 ft | #3,736 | #1,254 | 96 | 331 | 2 | 14,851 | |
| E-Bike | 9 | 5 miles | 400 ft | 1 mile | 1,867 ft | #4,839 | #1,532 | 293 | 2,699 | |||
| Hike | 38 | 47 miles | 8,294 ft | 18 miles | 2,523 ft | #899 | #410 | 15 | 335 | 1,862 | ||
| Trail Running | 43 | 47 miles | 8,294 ft | 18 miles | 2,523 ft | #3,897 | #1,173 | 335 | 1,131 |
Frequently Asked Questions About Aptos
▼
What are the best places to ride in Aptos?
Aptos has 2 areas to explore for mountain biking. The top rated areas are:
▼
What are the highest rated mountain biking trails in Aptos?
The highest rated mountain biking trails in Aptos are:
- Aptos Rancho Trail (4.1/5)
- Terrace Trail (4.1/5)
- John Cusack's (3.9/5)
- Split Stuff (3.9/5)
- Carmichael County Trail (3.8/5)
▼
What is the best time of the year to ride in Aptos?
Based on ride log data, the most popular months to ride in Aptos are:
- July (125 activities)
- August (99 activities)
- October (87 activities)
▼
Where can I park to ride in Aptos?
Activities
Trails
- By mrtoadsc
SCMTS Reporter & contributors - Admins: apply
- #16085 - 8,406 views
- aptos activity log | embed map of Aptos mountain bike trails | aptos mountain biking points of interest
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