more stats
5,225 ft
Distance
297 ft
Climb
-473 ft
Descent
00:08:37
Avg time
-177 ft
Altitude change
768 ft
Altitude min
1,076 ft
Altitude max
1,067 ft
Altitude start
891 ft
Altitude end
-3.383%
Grade
-165.663%
Grade max
201.174%
Grade min
1,367 ft
Distance climb
2,790 ft
Distance down
1,069 ft
Distance flat
00:08:37
Avg time

Deer Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Santiago Oaks
    Orange, California
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    90 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 75 in Trail Running
    • 80 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #64124 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #121920 in Trail Running
    • #122828 in Hiking
    • #23077 in Horseback
  • State Ranking
    #1,983 in Mountain Biking · California [+]
    • #6,003 in Trail Running
    • #6,849 in Hiking
    • #1,579 in Horseback
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Season
    Not rideable for 2-3 days after rain, but holds soil moisture well.
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • TTFs on Trail
    Berm, Drop, Jump, Rock Face

Primarily ridden as part of a either a loop or connection to Weir Canyon beyond, the trail transitions from long open turns at the top to tighter switchbacks as it descends to the bottom of the canyon. A few steep pitches and tight turns lead up and out leads to the Weir Connector, where a right turn heads towards Weir Canyon and a left turn returns to Barham Ridge. Best ridden in the opposite direction if you prefer climbing and done so not during peak times.

Access Info

off of barham ridge

Tags
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 11 rides
  • 15 miles average
6 Months
  • 159 rides
  • 15 miles avg distance
All
  • 1,134 rides
  • Last: Oct 18, 2026
c1c2c3c4
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
update trails status or condition

Deer Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jul 27, 2026 @ 6:12pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Jul 27, 2026
Apr 26, 2026 @ 11:22am (America/Los_Angeles)
Apr 26, 2026
I appreciate how well tended the entire park is. But Deer in particular is so nicely trimmed back. We were out there earlier in the season,...
Apr 19, 2026 @ 11:09pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Apr 19, 2026
Rode on 4/17/26 and trimmed nicely!
Oct 12, 2025 @ 8:09am (America/Los_Angeles)
Oct 12, 2025
Sep 7, 2025 @ 8:16am
Sep 7, 2025
Really good shape for this time of year.
more »
Status:
on Jul 27, 2026
Dry
Avg: 3.74 (17 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (13,166)
close
      Directions to deer trailhead (33.822670, -117.754970)

      Photos

      5 more »
      mtb
      213 |
      Mar 29, 2018 @ 7:55am
      Mar 29, 2018
      mtb
      311 |
      Jan 1, 2018 @ 3:49pm
      Jan 1, 2018
      mtb
      198 |
      Jan 19, 2016 @ 9:21pm
      Jan 19, 2016
      mtb
      223 |
      Dec 1, 2014 @ 6:07pm
      Dec 1, 2014

      Videos

      22 more »
      youtuber MTB Riding Three Favs at The Oaks, January 6,...
      mtb
      8:18 | 152 | Jan 6, 2024 , Orange
      youtuber MTB Riding TheTrails At The Oaks, January 19,...
      mtb
      31:13 | 79 | Feb 19, 2025 , Orange
      youtuber MTB Riding Deer At The Oaks, January 19, 2025...
      mtb
      7:24 | 67 | Feb 4, 2025 , Orange
      youtuber MTB Riding Deer At The Oaks, May 23, 2024 #deer
      mtb
      4:42 | 129 | May 26, 2024 , Orange

      Routes with this trail

      ★ 4.0 • 10 miles • 1,817 ft • 36 • Loop •
      Santiago Oaks is a well-known trail network located in Orange County. The park has multiple options for...
      ★ 1.0 • 8 miles • 1,394 ft • 15 • Loop •
      This is an 8 mile loops that hits the major trails in Santiago Oaks Regional Park
      8 miles • 1,502 ft • 31 • Loop •
      Santiago Oaks is a well-known trail network located in Orange County. The park has multiple options for...
      3.7 ★★★★★
      17 Ratings
      5 ★ 18%
      4 ★ 29%
      3 ★ 53%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      2 Reviews & Comments

      MTBMOR MTBMOR
      Two way trail so be alert for riders coming the opposite direction
      justinnorth
      Super fun flow trail with a few tight switchbacks. A lot of people skip this one in the traditional Oaks loop, but it’s a great trail. Best ridden starting from Barham Ridge.

      We hope you've been enjoying Trailforks!

      Create a FREE account to view all trail reviews and much more.

      • By zdrenduro67 & contributors
      • #7506 - 3,604 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Deer located?
      Deer is located in Santiago Oaks, Orange, California, United States. It is part of the Santiago Oaks trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 33.82267, -117.75497.
      ▼ How hard is Deer?
      Deer is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 3.383%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Deer?
      Deer has 297 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 473 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 768 ft to 1,076 ft.
      ▼ Is Deer a point to point trail?
      Deer is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Deer?
      Deer is 5,225 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Deer?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Deer. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Deer?
      Deer is best visited during: Not rideable for 2-3 days after rain, but holds soil moisture well..
      ▼ How do I access Deer? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Deer are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Deer?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 9 minutes to ride Deer. The trail is 5,225 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Deer?
      Deer is a very popular trail. There have been 12,799 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 13,164 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

      Hit the Trail

      Open in App

      Get this trail on your phone instantly.
      open trail in app

      Download Trail

      Save to wishlist, Garmin & download.
      save the trail

      Find Related Routes

      Find routes and users activities that include this trail.
      find routes for this trail

      You must enter a description before submitting.