Potter Pass Loop route

near Lakeshore, CA

9.5 miles

Distance

2,258 ft

Climb

-2,261 ft

Descent

2 miles

High Point

-4 ft

Altitude change

6,970 ft

Altitude min

6,979 ft

Altitude start

6,975 ft

Altitude end

-49.5%

Grade max

43.7%

Grade min

5 miles

Distance climb

4 miles

Distance down

2,661 ft

Distance flat

Alpine singletrack awaits From lakeshore pedal towards SR 168 up Kaiser Pass. Shorty into the climb keep a look out for a punchy climb on the right up a snowmobile route. This is route will save a lot of time compared to climbing up kaiser pass road and is much more scenic. Follow the well established double track up to Badger Flat. Directly across Kaiser Pass Road is the Potter Pass Trailhead. Take the singletrack up to Potter Pass at 9000' where breathtaking views of the Huntington Lake Basin to the south and The Minarets to the North Await!

To get back to Huntington Lake, take the Potter Pass Cutoff trail back down for some ripping singletrack. Along this 1000' descent down to the Cutoff Trailhead you will find natural berms, rock gardens, and an optional 5-6' drop.

Stay to the right when the trail forks at the Potter Pass Trailhead to continue down another 1000' back to Huntington Lake. This portion of the trail is best early in the season. As the summer wears on the horse traffic pummels the loamy soil into dusty silt a couple inches deep. Still fun to ride but not the perfect soil found in May & June. The trail ends at the pack station where the trailhead to Kaiser Peak is visible.

Detailed Description

Potter Pass Loop is a 10 mile moderately popular expert route located near Lakeshore California. This mountain bike primary route can be used one direction and has a hard overall physical rating. This route includes 3 trails. This route climbs 2,258 ft with a max elevation of 8,971 ft then descends -2,261 ft.

Trail Issues on Route

Significant Issue / Amber: 2 trails (newest: Jul 15, 2024)

Stats

Distance

10 miles
Avg time

1 hr 46 min
Altitude min

6,970 ft
Altitude start

6,979 ft
Altitude end

6,975 ft
Climb

2,258 ft
Descent

-2,261 ft
Grade max

-49.5%
Grade min

43.7%
Distance climb

5 miles
Distance down

4 miles
Distance flat

2,661 ft

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Trails in Route

	California Riding and Hiking				2 miles
	Potter Creek				2 miles
	Potter Creek (Lower)				1 mile

Details

Riding area

China Peak Mountain Resort
Primary Activity

Mountain Bike
Other Activities
- Hike
- Trail Running
Difficulty rating

Black Diamond
Route Type

Loop
eBike Allowed

No
Bike type

AM, XC
Direction

One Direction
Physical rating

Hard
Activity Logs

7

Distance (Trails & Routes)

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Trail Conditions

1 Day
1 Week
1 Month
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Unknown
Snow Groomed
Snow Packed
Snow Covered
Snow Cover Partial
Freeze/thaw Cycle
Icy
Prevalent Mud
Wet
Variable
Ideal
Dry
Very Dry

Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)

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> 90%
> 80%
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< 50%
bi-directional trail
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< 1 week
< 2 weeks
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< 6 months
> 6 months

Trail Ridden Direction

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Trail Popularity ?

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ATV/ORV/OHV Filter

ATV - 50 inches
OHV, SxS - 60 inches
Jeep - 72 inches

Max Vehicle Width

inches

Activity Log Year

Radar Time

Activity Recordings

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mountain biking recent
mountain biking (>6 month)
hiking (1 year)
moto (1 year)

Activity Recordings

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Downhill Ski
Backcountry Ski
Nordic Ski
Snowmobile

Winter Trails

Warning A routing network for winter maps does not exist. Selecting trails using the winter trails layer has been disabled.

trail	date	description
Potter Creek	Aug 29, 2025 @ 4:08pm Aug 29, 2025	A few small ruts from recent rain, but made for a dust free ride. Lots of sticks and branches whacking your frame, shoes and shins, normal up here, better than rocks.
Potter Creek (Lower)	Jul 15, 2024 @ 2:17am Jul 15, 2024	Horses have destroyed the lower half of the trail. It was always loose but now you might as well ride on a hoofed out stretch of beach covered in horse shit. Some sections are 8’ wide now. Are they riding 4 across on their horses?
California Riding and Hiking	Jul 16, 2023 @ 2:53am Jul 16, 2023	Lots of downed trees and significant snow (~40-50%). Not really worth attempting until mid August.