more stats
3.1 miles
Distance
1,067 ft
Climb
-10 ft
Descent
00:48:52
Avg time
1,058 ft
Altitude change
1,850 ft
Altitude min
2,909 ft
Altitude max
1,850 ft
Altitude start
2,907 ft
Altitude end
6.5%
Grade
-7.9%
Grade max
38.2%
Grade min
3 miles
Distance climb
610 ft
Distance down
1,066 ft
Distance flat
00:48:52
Avg time

John Nicholas Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Gravel Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Sanborn County Park
    Saratoga, California
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (4 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    100 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 100 in E-Biking
    • 65 in Trail Running
    • 80 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #10044 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #90684 in E-Biking
    • #8203 in Trail Running
    • #1508 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    XC, Gravel
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 3
  • Ride in Rain
    Yes
  • Year Opened
    2014
  • Land Owner
    Santa Clara County Parks

From Black Road to the reservoir this is a dirt road, but from the reservoir up to Skyline this is one of the premiere maintained singletrack rides in the Bay Area. Purpose built by Santa Clara County as a bicycle connector trail - also used by hikers. Surface is smooth enough and often used by CX bikes, and even the more adventurous road biker. The gradient is only steep in one or two short sections.

Trail Supporters
  • Sponsor
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 4 rides
  • 13 miles average
6 Months
  • 151 rides
  • 13 miles avg distance
All
  • 1,242 rides
  • Last: Sep 9, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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John Nicholas Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Aug 25, 2026 @ 8:13am (America/Los_Angeles)
Aug 25, 2026
 Tree across the trail near the bottom. Easily walkable.
Jul 9, 2026 @ 9:20am (America/Los_Angeles)
Jul 9, 2026
 No longer damp, and not yet too dusty
Jun 7, 2026 @ 2:29pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Jun 7, 2026
Apr 1, 2026 @ 5:47pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Apr 1, 2026
 Good conditions, not soggy - just damp.
Feb 22, 2026 @ 5:06pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Feb 22, 2026
 couple wet spots but otherwise great
more »
Status:
on Aug 25, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.5 (30 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • 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%
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  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
  • < 6 months
  • > 6 months
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  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
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  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to john-nicholas trailhead (37.220440, -122.054990)
        View on Discover Map

        Photos

        81 more »
        mtb
        31 |
        Jun 7, 2026 @ 5:14pm
        Jun 7, 2026
        mtb
        45 |
        Jun 7, 2026 @ 5:13pm
        Jun 7, 2026
        mtb
        72 |
        Jun 7, 2026 @ 2:27pm
        Jun 7, 2026
        mtb
        61 |
        Jun 7, 2026 @ 2:27pm
        Jun 7, 2026

        Videos

        5 more »
        John Nicholas Trail
        mtb
        7:53 | 270 | Jan 7, 2025 , Saratoga
        John Nicholas Trail - JNT
        mtb
        14:36 | 685 | May 20, 2023 , Saratoga
        My First Fusion with GoPro & Drone | John...
        mtb
        2:00 | 367 | Jun 11, 2021 , Saratoga
        John Nicholas Trail Guide
        mtb
        12:59 | 982 | Oct 17, 2020 , Saratoga

        Routes with this trail

        224
        Storm The Castle
        24 miles • 3,950 ft • 11 • Point to Point •
        A hard, long route (or race) to get to Castle Rock State Park for the endurance-minded among us. Starting...
        97
        JNT Through Road Climb
        8 miles • 1,222 ft • 3 •
        Climb up the Road to get to JNT,
        97
        John Nicholas To Sanborn Campground
        10 miles • 2,426 ft • 3 • Point to Point •
        HKJJKNSAKNJASDKNJKJNDKJNASDKJDASKJNKJNSDJKNDSKJNSADKJNDSKJNASDKJN
        4.6 ★★★★★
        30 Ratings
        5 ★ 70%
        4 ★ 23%
        3 ★ 3%
        2 ★ 3%
        1 ★

        16 Reviews & Comments

        Ag3R10
        E-bikes are allowed on the full trail not only the bottom path to the reservoir
        JohnsWWjlg
        JNT between Summit and Reservoir have been open. Despite rain, trail is in decent shape. One tree down today at bottom between the bridges, but passable. Black Road and Sanborn Rd access open today, but pending forest work so call ranger station to check. This has been a great go-to trail this Winter as it drains well and has some good caretakers.
        Kyleponga Kyleponga
        Still marked as closed on weekdays. Looks like they are doing some maintenance. Open on weekends no problems. Unsure when it will be done.

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        Nearby Trails

        Sanborn County Park

        Frequently Asked Questions

        ▼ Where is John Nicholas located?
        John Nicholas is located in Sanborn County Park, Saratoga, California, United States. It is part of the Sanborn County Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 37.22044, -122.05499.
        ▼ How hard is John Nicholas?
        John Nicholas is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 6.5%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for John Nicholas?
        John Nicholas has 1,067 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 10 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 1,850 ft to 2,909 ft.
        ▼ How long is John Nicholas?
        John Nicholas is 3.1 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on John Nicholas?
        Yes, dogs are allowed on John Nicholas. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
        ▼ How do I access John Nicholas? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to John Nicholas are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride John Nicholas?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 47 minutes to ride John Nicholas. The trail is 3.1 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is John Nicholas?
        John Nicholas is a very popular trail. There have been 10,552 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 16,215 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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