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Trail Conditions
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- Prevalent Mud
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- Variable
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Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
Trailforks scans users activity logs 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 users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
The colour categories are based on what percentage of users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
- > 96%
- > 90%
- > 80%
- > 70%
- > 50%
- < 50%
- bi-directional trail
- no data
Trail Last Used
Trailforks scans activity logs to determine the last time a trail was ridden.
- < 2 days
- < 1 week
- < 2 weeks
- < 1 month
- < 6 months
- > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
- Downhill Only
- Downhill Primary
- Both Directions
- Uphill Primary
- Uphill Only
- One Direction
Contribute Details
Colors indicate trail is missing specified detail.
- Description
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- Description & Photos
- Videos
Trail Popularity ?
Trailforks scans activity logs 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 activities = more kinetic energy = warmer colors.
- most popular
- popular
- less popular
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ATV/ORV/OHV Filter
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Activity Recordings
Trailforks uses anonymized public activity data.
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Activity Recordings
Trailforks uses anonymized public activity data.
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Winter Trails
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A routing network for winter maps does not exist. Selecting trails using the winter trails layer has been disabled.
Missing Trails
Most Popular
Least Popular
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 users jump on trails. Zoom in to see individual jumps, click circles to view jump details.
BC Backroad Status
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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
Direction the slope faces
Trails Deemphasized
Trails are shown in grey.
Only show trails with no bike usage.
Suggested Layers
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SaveAptos 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. Trails here are often faint trail. Scenery includes ridgelines, old-growth forest and creeks. Common trail features include jumps, berms and bridges. Amenities include picnic spots and restrooms. 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
- Mountain Bike
13 trails
- E-Bike
8 trails
- Gravel Bike
8 trails
- Adaptive Bike
2 trails
- Hike
35 trails
- Trail Running
35 trails
Region Details
- 3
- 1
- 4
- 5
Region Status
Open as of Sep 11, 2026Stats
- Avg Trail Rating
- Trails (view details)
- 36
- Trails Mountain Bike
- 13
- Trails E-Bike
- 8
- Trails Gravel Bike
- 8
- Trails Adaptive Bike
- 2
- Trails Hike
- 35
- Trails Trail Running
- 35
- Total Distance
- 47 miles
- Total Descent
- 8,931 ft
- Total Vertical
- 2,528 ft
- Highest Trailhead
- 2,581 ft
- Reports
- 340
- Photos
- 87
- Completed Counter
- 16,346
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
- 5
Popular Aptos Mountain Biking Trails
• 100 ★ 3.8 • 1 mile • 323 ft • 1,727 •
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.
• 100 ★ 3.0 • 3,573 ft • 143 ft • 426 •
A simple trail from the perimeter road behind Cabrillo College up the the Vienna Woods Trail and access to Nisene Marks.
• 50 ★ 2.0 • 2,776 ft • 38 ft • 337 •
Vienna Woods trail 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...
• 40 ★ 3.5 • 1,404 ft • 32 ft • 244 •
Split Stuff 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 Aptos Rancho Trail where you can continue the legal...
• 35 ★ 4.4 • 2 miles • 310 ft • 161 •
This is a nice parallel to the Aptos Creek 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...
• 30 ★ 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.
• 15 ★ 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...
• 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
Videos of Aptos Mountain Bike
Recent Trail Reports
| status | trail | date | condition | info | user |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aptos Creek Road | Sep 11, 2026 @ 11:04am (America/Los_Angeles) Sep 11, 2026 | Dry | cobblerider | ||
| John Cusack's | Sep 11, 2026 @ 11:04am (America/Los_Angeles) Sep 11, 2026 | Variable | cobblerider | ||
| Split Stuff | May 21, 2026 @ 9:14am (America/Los_Angeles) May 21, 2026 | Dry | elcid86 | ||
| 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 | ||
| Hinckley Basin Fire Road | May 29, 2023 @ 2:06am May 29, 2023 | Variable | aguynamedjoe | ||
| Pinto Lake Disc Loop | Jul 30, 2019 @ 2:20pm Jul 30, 2019 | Dry | aguynamedjoe |
Activity Feed
| username | action | type | title | date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ehelbush | wishlist | trail | activity #107640592 | Nov 11, 2026 @ 9:16pm 2 days |
| frgibson | wishlist | trail | activity #107273388 | Nov 5, 2026 @ 8:11pm Nov 5, 2026 |
| markholloway | add | trail | activity #104447714 and 3 more | Sep 23, 2026 @ 2:52pm Sep 23, 2026 |
| markholloway | update | trail | activity #104443718 and 18 more | Sep 23, 2026 @ 1:39pm Sep 23, 2026 |
| markholloway | add | poi | activity #104422492 and 4 more | Sep 23, 2026 @ 8:23am Sep 23, 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
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Epic Ride Climb 2k182 awarded -
Climbing 10k Badge150 awarded -
Climbing 100k Badge7 awarded -
Epic Ride Descent 2k199 awarded -
Descent 10k Badge150 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 | activity logs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Bike | 13 | 26 miles | 3,291 ft | 8 miles | 2,530 ft | #3,766 | #136 | 71 | 334 | 2 | 15,292 | |
| E-Bike | 8 | 21 miles | 1,877 ft | 6 miles | 2,530 ft | #3,987 | #145 | 296 | 3,307 | |||
| Gravel Bike | 8 | 22 miles | 2,300 ft | 6 miles | 2,425 ft | #2,270 | #99 | 71 | 2 | 51 | ||
| Adaptive Bike | 2 | 3,783 ft | 23 ft | 945 ft | 217 ft | #3,907 | #131 | 16 | 5 | |||
| Hike | 35 | 47 miles | 8,914 ft | 18 miles | 2,530 ft | #984 | #65 | 16 | 338 | 2,091 | ||
| Trail Running | 35 | 47 miles | 8,914 ft | 18 miles | 2,530 ft | #4,253 | #162 | 338 | 1,251 |
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the best places to ride in Aptos?
Aptos has 2 areas to explore for mountain biking. The top rated areas are:
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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)
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Where can I park to ride in Aptos?
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What is the longest trail in Aptos?
The longest trail in Aptos is Aptos Rancho Trail at 1.7 miles. View all trails sorted by distance.
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What are the best & highest rated hiking trails in Aptos?
The best hiking trails in Aptos are: View all hiking trails sorted by popularity score.
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What are the best & highest rated trail running trails in Aptos?
The best trail running trails in Aptos are: View all trail running trails sorted by popularity score.
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How many trails are in Aptos?
Aptos has a total of 36 trails. Of those, 13 are designated for mountain biking. Browse top mountain biking trails in Aptos to find detailed information including difficulty ratings, distances, and trail conditions.
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Which trail has the most elevation gain in Aptos?
The trail with the most elevation gain in Aptos is John Cusack's with 323 ft of elevation gain. View all trails sorted by elevation gain.
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Which trail has the most elevation descent in Aptos?
The trail with the most elevation descent in Aptos is Aptos Rancho Trail with 267 ft of elevation descent. View all trails sorted by elevation descent.
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What activities are most popular in Aptos?
Aptos supports the following activities: Mountain Biking, E-Biking, Gravel Biking, Adaptive Biking, Hiking, Trail Running.
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What bike services are there in Aptos?
The following bike services are available in Aptos:
- Bike Shop (2)
- Shuttle Service (1)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Are the trails open in Aptos?
Out of 19 trails:
- Clear / Green: 16
- Minor Issue / Yellow: 2
- Closed: 1
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Can I ride an ebike in Aptos?
Yes, Aptos supports e-bike riding. There are 8 trails in Aptos that allow e-bikes. Check the e-bike trails listing for specific trail access details and any local regulations.
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What are the most popular mountain biking routes in Aptos?
The most popular mountain biking routes in Aptos are: View all mountain biking routes in Aptos.
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What is the highest summit in Aptos?
The highest summit in Aptos is Santa Rosalia Mountain at 2,598 ft elevation.
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What are the top sights to see in Aptos?
There are 4 notable sights in Aptos. Some of the top sights include: Explore all points of interest in Aptos.
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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)
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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
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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.
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What are the most popular mountain biking trails in Aptos?
The most popular mountain biking trails in Aptos are: View all mountain biking trails sorted by popularity.
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What are the best beginner ride trails in Aptos?
The best beginner mountain biking trails in Aptos are:
- Carmichael County Trail (3/5)
- Vienna Woods County Trail (3/5)
- Pinto Lake Disc Loop (3/5)
Activities
Trails
- By mrtoadsc
SCMTS Reporter & contributors - Admins: SCMTS Admin
- #16085 - 9,111 views
- aptos activity log | embed map of Aptos mountain bike trails | aptos mountain biking points of interest
Downloading of trail gps tracks in kml & gpx formats is enabled for Aptos.
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