more stats
1.3 miles
Distance
232 ft
Climb
-189 ft
Descent
00:11:48
Avg time
43 ft
Altitude change
137 ft
Altitude min
317 ft
Altitude max
204 ft
Altitude start
246 ft
Altitude end
0.6%
Grade
-20.8%
Grade max
35.6%
Grade min
2,831 ft
Distance climb
2,552 ft
Distance down
1,266 ft
Distance flat
00:11:48
Avg time

North Loop Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Gravel Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Johnson Ranch
    San Luis Obispo, California
  • AKA
    North Loop Trail
  • Difficulty Rating
    Green Rate
  • Local Popularity
    75 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 85 in Trail Running
    • 95 in Hiking
    • 75 in Gravel Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #75882 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #52175 in Trail Running
    • #26339 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, CX, Gravel
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Season
    Year Round
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No

The Johnson Ranch Loop trail meanders through rolling grassy hills and oak trees. Great as a warmup loop before heading over to Irish Hills via the Johnson Ranch Connector or as a beginner's practice loop. Several easy switchbacks are found throughout the loop along with a couple of bridges on the Eastern half as the trail climbs a creek bed. It's just enough to be fun and nothing is notably tricky.

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 7 miles average
6 Months
  • 23 rides
  • 10 miles avg distance
All
  • 200 rides
  • Last: Sep 11, 2026
update trails status or condition

North Loop Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Mar 30, 2026 @ 11:40am (America/Los_Angeles)
Mar 30, 2026
 Rocks
Dec 9, 2025 @ 11:01am (America/Los_Angeles)
Dec 9, 2025
 Trail erosion, getting loved to death. Need more land to put in trail to spread out the love.💕
Nov 6, 2024 @ 8:30am
Nov 6, 2024
Dec 15, 2023 @ 12:33am
Dec 15, 2023
Oct 1, 2023 @ 12:58am
Oct 1, 2023
more »
Status:
on Mar 30, 2026
Variable
Avg: 3.91 (8 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (2,753)
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      Directions to north-loop-29907 trailhead (35.227740, -120.695050)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      5 more »
      mtb
      111 |
      Jul 27, 2020 @ 12:22pm
      Jul 27, 2020
      mtb
      111 |
      Jul 27, 2020 @ 12:22pm
      Jul 27, 2020
      mtb
      164 |
      Jun 18, 2020 @ 7:53pm
      Jun 18, 2020
      mtb
      137 |
      Aug 12, 2017 @ 2:00pm
      Aug 12, 2017

      Videos

      1 more »
      Johnson Ranch MTB Trail San Luis Obispo, CA
      mtb
      10:52 | 203 | Jan 17, 2022 , San Luis Obispo

      Routes with this trail

      197
      Johnson Ranch to Irish Hills and Return
      20 miles • 2,992 ft • 53 • Point to Point •
      Start by grabbing a bell from the bell box to make yourself heard! Ride starts on easy, non-technical...

      Links

      3.9 ★★★★★
      8 Ratings
      5 ★ 25%
      4 ★ 38%
      3 ★ 38%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      5 Reviews & Comments

      stevecolen stevecolen
      Due to Covid, the path direction is reversed and one way. You can only go counter clockwise.
      fortyonethirty2
      Pretty easy. Flows pretty well. Easy enough for beginners, but still fun for experienced riders. Good one to bring the wife or GF. Lots of hikers, so it's better on weekdays and less popular times.
      heli2reg heli2reg
      Did South and North Loop with the kids - 9 and 12y! Kids used their eBikes (Class 1), which has been tremendous help! Fantastic experience for them and a good way to get started on some easy trail with only a very few technical challenges here and there.

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      Nearby Trails

      Johnson Ranch

      • By aoneal & contributors
      • #29907 - 1,814 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is North Loop located?
      North Loop is located in Johnson Ranch, San Luis Obispo, California, United States. It is part of the Johnson Ranch trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 35.22774, -120.69505.
      ▼ How hard is North Loop?
      North Loop is rated as Green difficulty. The average grade is 0.6%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for North Loop?
      North Loop has 232 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 189 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 137 ft to 317 ft.
      ▼ Is North Loop a point to point trail?
      North Loop is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is North Loop?
      North Loop is 1.3 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on North Loop?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on North Loop. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride North Loop?
      North Loop is best visited during: Year Round.
      ▼ How do I access North Loop? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to North Loop are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride North Loop?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 12 minutes to ride North Loop. The trail is 1.3 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is North Loop?
      North Loop is a very popular trail. There have been 2,360 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 2,753 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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