more stats
5,276 ft
Distance
548 ft
Climb
00:18:17
Avg time
548 ft
Altitude change
494 ft
Altitude min
1,041 ft
Altitude max
494 ft
Altitude start
1,040 ft
Altitude end
10.4%
Grade
30.6%
Grade min
5,148 ft
Distance climb
128 ft
Distance flat
00:18:17
Avg time

Denning Drive Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Gravel Bike
    • Adaptive Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Rancho La Costa Preserve
    Encinitas, California
  • AKA
    Rancho La Costa Backside Fireroad
  • Difficulty Rating
    Access Trail or Doubletrack Rate
  • Local Popularity
    70 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 55 in Trail Running
    • 60 in Hiking
    • 5 in Adaptive Biking
    • 5 in Gravel Biking
  • Trail Type
    Dirt/Gravel Road
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Adaptive MTB, Gravel
  • Direction
    Both Directions
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • Land Owner
    Center for Natural Lands Management

Access to Rancho La Costa trails from San Elijo Road and a great Cat 4 warmup. Hop off and take the top of Whip Tail/Horned Lizard to the kiosk for some variation.

Tags

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 7 miles average
6 Months
  • 10 rides
  • 10 miles avg distance
All
  • 96 rides
  • Last: Nov 4, 2026
c1c2c3c4
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
update trails status or condition

Denning Drive Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Feb 1, 2023 @ 11:04pm
Feb 1, 2023
 quite well in many places. significant erosion.
Mar 13, 2022 @ 2:13pm
Mar 13, 2022
Mar 5, 2022 @ 10:46am
Mar 5, 2022
Jul 31, 2021 @ 10:54am
Jul 31, 2021
 Tough climb. All good though
Apr 19, 2019 @ 6:44pm
Apr 19, 2019
more »
Status:
on Feb 1, 2023
Wet
Avg: 3.19 (4 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (1,010)
close
      Directions to denning-drive trailhead (33.094700, -117.208280)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      9 more »
      mtb
      36 |
      Nov 20, 2024 @ 7:17am
      Nov 20, 2024
      mtb
      37 |
      Nov 20, 2024 @ 7:16am
      Nov 20, 2024
      mtb
      49 |
      Jun 3, 2023 @ 6:38pm
      Jun 3, 2023
      mtb
      144 |
      Apr 19, 2020 @ 5:40pm
      Apr 19, 2020
      Views 1

      Videos

      no videos have been added for Denning Drive yet, add a video.

      Routes with this trail

      454
      Rancho La Costa All Mountain Loops
      ★ 5.0 • 20 miles • 3,672 ft • 39 •
      20 miles and tons of climbing to hit the fun downhills in Rancho La Costa. This route has you do Horned...
      437
      AJ SB1
      8 miles • 1,605 ft • 34 • Loop •
      New route, not yet ridden.
      2.0 ★★★★★
      4 Ratings
      5 ★
      4 ★
      3 ★ 25%
      2 ★ 50%
      1 ★ 25%

      3 Reviews & Comments

      MichaelQBQaau
      Just the fire road option to the La Costa trails. It's a grind but pretty direct if you're short on time.
      prognostication
      Don't know why this is marked unsanctioned, it has signage and the only things that are prohibited are motorized vehicles and e-bikes. As the above comment says, much harder than Water Tower, I usually end up hiking some of it, but also brings you out closer to different trails.
      IsaiahSimon1406
      Take Water Tower Access Road if you are looking for a easy way up. Not this.

      We hope you've been enjoying Trailforks!

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

      Create a Free Account

      Nearby Trails

      Rancho La Costa Preserve

      • By snowcrasher & contributors
      • #36283 - 2,079 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Denning Drive located?
      Denning Drive is located in Rancho La Costa Preserve, Encinitas, California, United States. It is part of the Rancho La Costa Preserve trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 33.0947, -117.20828.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Denning Drive?
      Denning Drive has 548 ft of elevation gain. The elevation ranges from 494 ft to 1,041 ft.
      ▼ Is Denning Drive a point to point trail?
      Denning Drive is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is dirt/gravel road.
      ▼ How long is Denning Drive?
      Denning Drive is 5,276 ft long. The trail type is dirt/gravel road.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Denning Drive?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Denning Drive. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Denning Drive?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Denning Drive are:
      • March (14 activities)
      • April (11 activities)
      • May (8 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Denning Drive? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Denning Drive are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Denning Drive?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 18 minutes to ride Denning Drive. The trail is 5,276 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Denning Drive?
      Denning Drive is a very popular trail. There have been 974 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 1,010 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.