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      Aptos trails and routes are listed on Trailforks with interactive trail maps, difficulty ratings, photos, and user-reported trail conditions. Supported activity types include Hiking, Trail Running, Mountain Biking, E-Biking, Gravel Biking and Adaptive Biking. Popular destinations include Nisene Marks State Park and Byrne-Milliron Forest.
      This is an auto-generated description of Aptos. Login or register to submit a custom description.

      Trail info last updated

      Activities Click to view
      Region Details
      • 3
      • 1
      • 3
      • 6

      Region Status
      Open as of Sep 11, 2026

      Stats

      Avg Trail Rating
      Trails (view details)
      34
      Trails Mountain Bike
      14
      Trails E-Bike
      9
      Trails Gravel Bike
      9
      Trails Adaptive Bike
      2
      Trails Hike
      35
      Trails Trail Running
      35
      Total Distance
      48 miles
      Total Descent
      8,325 ft
      Total Vertical
      2,522 ft
      Highest Trailhead
      2,577 ft
      Reports
      280
      Photos
      41
      Completed Counter
      16,104

      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

      Popular Aptos Mountain Biking Trails

      • 100 ★ 3.8 • 1 mile • 323 ft • 1,713 •
      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.
      • 80 ★ 5.0 • 6 miles • 534 ft • 433 • • hike
      Popular blue difficulty singletrack. This hike primary trail with a 534 ft blue climb. On average it takes 40 minutes to complete this trail.
      • 100 ★ 3.0 • 3,573 ft • 143 ft • 424 •
      A simple trail from the perimeter road behind Cabrillo College up the the and access to Nisene Marks.
      • 55 ★ 2.0 • 2,776 ft • 38 ft • 334 •
      is a nifty "back door" entrance and exit to Nisene via the 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 you to ,...
      • 50 ★ 3.5 • 1,404 ft • 32 ft • 244 •
      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 • 310 ft • 157 •
      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 • 3,967 ft • 177 ft • 49 •
      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...
      • 20 ★ 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.

      Recent Ride Log Activity in Region

      Today
      • 0 rides
      Yesterday
      • 12 rides
      Past Week
      • 35 rides

      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...
      • 18 miles • 2,165 ft • 3 •
      • 15 miles • 1,214 ft • 2 •
      • 12 miles • 1,303 ft • 1 •
      • 18 miles • 3,187 ft • 1 •

      Photos of Aptos Mountain Bike

      mtb
      193 |
      Aug 1, 2019 @ 6:11am
      Aug 1, 2019
      mtb
      139 |
      Apr 16, 2022 @ 2:46pm
      Apr 16, 2022
      mtb
      153 |
      Apr 16, 2022 @ 2:46pm
      Apr 16, 2022
      mtb
      183 |
      Apr 16, 2022 @ 2:45pm
      Apr 16, 2022
      mtb
      173 |
      Apr 16, 2022 @ 2:44pm
      Apr 16, 2022
      mtb
      91 |
      Sep 6, 2021 @ 4:50pm
      Sep 6, 2021
      mtb
      139 |
      Mar 3, 2021 @ 6:59am
      Mar 3, 2021
      mtb
      180 |
      Mar 3, 2021 @ 6:59am
      Mar 3, 2021
      mtb
      247 |
      Jan 19, 2021 @ 10:33pm
      Jan 19, 2021
      mtb
      325 |
      May 28, 2020 @ 1:38pm
      May 28, 2020
      mtb
      280 |
      Apr 3, 2020 @ 8:31am
      Apr 3, 2020
      mtb
      106 |
      Jul 5, 2019 @ 9:12am
      Jul 5, 2019

      Videos of Aptos Mountain Bike

      Aptos Creek
      mtb
      45:35 | 1663 | Jul 23, 2020 , Aptos
      youtuber LETS RIDE // Santa Cruz California
      mtb

      17:45 | 744 | Apr 4, 2018
      First ride with the Gopro Karma Grip
      mtb
      1635 | Jan 8, 2018 , Aptos

      Recent Trail Reports

      Activity Feed

      usernameactiontypetitledate
      markhollowayaddtrailactivity #104447714 and 3 more
      Sep 23, 2026 @ 2:52pm
      Sep 23, 2026
      markhollowayupdatetrailactivity #104443718 and 18 more
      Sep 23, 2026 @ 1:39pm
      Sep 23, 2026
      markhollowayaddpoiactivity #104422492 and 4 more
      Sep 23, 2026 @ 8:23am
      Sep 23, 2026
      markhollowayupdatetrailactivity #104422464 and 15 more
      Sep 23, 2026 @ 8:22am
      Sep 23, 2026
      cobblerideraddreportactivity #104046225 and 2 more
      Sep 18, 2026 @ 7:21am
      Sep 18, 2026

      Recent Comments

      usernametypetitlecommentdate
      JonsandersreportJohn Cusack'sCleared
      Dec 30, 2025 @ 5:51pm
      Dec 30, 2025
      chriscrisptrailHinckley Basin Fire RoadThe last bit right off olive springs rd is...
      Aug 1, 2025 @ 12:16pm
      Aug 1, 2025
      JonsandersreportBig Slide TrailI heard these have been removed now.
      Jun 23, 2025 @ 6:17pm
      Jun 23, 2025
      JonsandersreportJohn Cusack'sThese trees are gone
      Nov 11, 2024 @ 6:42pm
      Nov 11, 2024
      JonsandersreportJohn Cusack'sThis tree is gone
      Nov 11, 2024 @ 6:41pm
      Nov 11, 2024

      Local Badges


      Activity Type Stats

      activitytypetrailsdistancedescentdescent distancetotal verticalratingglobal rankstate rankphotosreportsroutesactivity logs
      Mountain Bike1426 miles2,828 ft7 miles2,523 ft
      #3,658#1,25834276215,134
      E-Bike921 miles1,325 ft5 miles2,523 ft
      #3,938#1,3302523,145
      Gravel Bike822 miles2,119 ft6 miles2,421 ft
      #2,252#68011248
      Adaptive Bike21 mile26 ft1,135 ft217 ft
      #3,410#756165
      Hike3548 miles8,307 ft19 miles2,523 ft
      #1,341#609102802,019
      Trail Running3548 miles8,307 ft19 miles2,523 ft
      #4,229#1,2752801,211

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ 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: View all mountain biking trails sorted by rating.
      ▼ What is the best time of the year to ride in Aptos?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride in Aptos are:
      • July (109 activities)
      • August (103 activities)
      • October (91 activities)
      Check the Aptos reports page for current trail conditions, recent trail reports, and seasonal information from the local community.
      ▼ Where can I park to ride in Aptos?
      There are 9 parking locations listed in Aptos. The most popular parking spots are: View all parking and trailhead locations on the map to plan your visit.
      ▼ What is the longest trail in Aptos?
      The longest trail in Aptos is Westridge Trail at 5.6 miles. View all trails sorted by distance.
      ▼ What are the best & highest rated hiking trails in Aptos?
      ▼ What are the best & highest rated trail running trails in Aptos?
      ▼ How many trails are in Aptos?
      Aptos has a total of 34 trails. Of those, 14 are designated for mountain biking. Browse top mountain biking trails in Aptos to find detailed information including difficulty ratings, distances, and trail conditions.
      ▼ Which trail has the most elevation gain in Aptos?
      The trail with the most elevation gain in Aptos is Westridge Trail with 534 ft of elevation gain. View all trails sorted by elevation gain.
      ▼ Which trail has the most elevation descent in Aptos?
      The trail with the most elevation descent in Aptos is Westridge Trail with 1,738 ft of elevation descent. View all trails sorted by elevation descent.
      ▼ What activities are most popular in Aptos?
      Aptos supports the following activities: Mountain Biking, E-Biking, Gravel Biking, Adaptive Biking, Hiking, Trail Running.
      ▼ What bike services are there in Aptos?
      The following bike services are available in Aptos:
      • Bike Shop (2)
      • Shuttle Service (1)
      Browse the full Aptos directory for details.
      ▼ What are the steepest mountain biking trails in Aptos?
      The steepest mountain biking trail in Aptos is Carmichael County Trail with an average grade of 3.8%. View all trails sorted by grade.
      ▼ Are there any trails with scenic viewpoints in Aptos?
      Yes, there are 1 scenic viewpoints marked along trails in Aptos. Some popular viewpoints include: Explore more points of interest to find trails with the best views.
      ▼ What trails have the biggest jumps in Aptos?
      The trails with the biggest jumps in Aptos are: Browse all mountain bike trails to find trails with jumps and technical features.
      ▼ Are the trails open in Aptos?
      Out of 19 trails:
      • Clear / Green: 16
      • Minor Issue / Yellow: 2
      • Closed: 1
      View the full trail status page for the latest updates.
      ▼ Can I ride an ebike in Aptos?
      Yes, Aptos supports e-bike riding. There are 9 trails in Aptos that allow e-bikes. Check the e-bike trails listing for specific trail access details and any local regulations.
      ▼ What are the most popular mountain biking routes in Aptos?
      ▼ What type of bike is most common in Aptos?
      Based on activity log data, the most common bike types used in Aptos are:
      • AM (102 activities)
      • XC (35 activities)
      • DH (1 activities)
      • Gravel (1 activities)
      Check the Aptos activity logs for more details.
      ▼ What is the highest summit in Aptos?
      The highest summit in Aptos is Santa Rosalia Mountain at 2,598 ft elevation.
      ▼ What are the top sights to see in Aptos?
      ▼ What are the most popular Strava Segments in Aptos?
      The most popular Strava segments in Aptos are:
      • Loma Prieta Railroad Grade Climb (8,701 athletes)
      • Aptos Creek Road Climb (7,337 athletes)
      • Last Mile to Sand Point (5,246 athletes)
      View all Strava segments in Aptos.
      ▼ What trails are closed in Aptos?
      There are currently 1 closed trails in Aptos. The breakdown of all trail statuses is:
      • Clear / Green: 16
      • Minor Issue / Yellow: 2
      • Closed: 1
      View all closed trails for the latest updates.
      ▼ Are there accessible or adaptive trails in Aptos?
      Yes, there are 2 accessible/adaptive trails in Aptos. View all adaptive trails in Aptos for specific accessibility information.
      ▼ What are the most popular mountain biking trails in Aptos?
      ▼ What are the best beginner ride trails in Aptos?
      The best beginner mountain biking trails in Aptos are: View all beginner mountain biking trails in Aptos.
      • By mrtoadscTF Pro SCMTS Reporter & contributors
      • Admins: SCMTS Admin
      • #16085 - 8,925 views

      Downloading of trail gps tracks in kml & gpx formats is enabled for Aptos.
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