more stats
1,332 ft
Distance
-257 ft
Descent
00:03:04
Avg time
-257 ft
Altitude change
700 ft
Altitude min
957 ft
Altitude max
957 ft
Altitude start
699 ft
Altitude end
-19.3%
Grade
-60.6%
Grade max
-5.2%
Grade min
1,332 ft
Distance down
00:03:04
Avg time

Squirrel Cage Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Topanga State Park
    Santa Monica, California
  • AKA
    Sullivan Goat Track
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (2 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    85 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 80 in E-Biking
    • 75 in Trail Running
    • 5 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #41724 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #13094 in E-Biking
    • #120951 in Trail Running
    • #207620 in Hiking
  • State Ranking
    #1,203 in Mountain Biking · California [+]
    • #299 in E-Biking
    • #5,944 in Trail Running
    • #11,651 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM, XC
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
  • Ride in Rain
    Yes

Descends ~250' from the paved section of Sullivan Ridge Fireroad to Sullivan Canyon Fireroad/Trail. It starts between the top and bottom of the Nicholas Cage Trail (Rustic Ridge Trail) and is very steep and can be rutted.

Tags
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 13 miles average
6 Months
  • 56 rides
  • 32 miles avg distance
All
  • 450 rides
  • Last: Oct 8, 2026
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update trails status or condition

Squirrel Cage Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Oct 8, 2026 @ 12:08pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Oct 8, 2026
Like rolling on marbles! Some dicey ruts and holes too so watch your speed
Sep 19, 2026 @ 11:30am (America/Los_Angeles)
Sep 19, 2026
Loooooose
Jul 4, 2026 @ 7:18am (America/Los_Angeles)
Jul 4, 2026
Jul 4, 2026 @ 5:58am (America/Los_Angeles)
Jul 4, 2026
Running great! A little dry and loose but typical for this time of weather
Jun 14, 2026 @ 9:36am (America/Los_Angeles)
Jun 14, 2026
First time on it. No issues a lot of loose gravel and shale towards the bottom
more »
Status:
on Oct 8, 2026
Dry
Avg: 4.13 (9 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (4,884)
close
      Directions to squirrel-cage trailhead (34.080320, -118.514840)

      Photos

      4 more »
      mtb
      87 |
      Jun 2, 2023 @ 5:01pm
      Jun 2, 2023
      mtb
      160 |
      Jan 6, 2023 @ 2:20pm
      Jan 6, 2023
      report
      mtb
      187 |
      Dec 22, 2021 @ 5:37pm
      Dec 22, 2021
      report
      hike
      163 |
      Mar 5, 2020 @ 11:17am
      Mar 5, 2020

      Videos

      5 more »
      Sullivan Ridge Trail (Yoda, Jedi Jumps, Gape...
      mtb
      6:55 | 239 | Aug 17, 2022 , Santa Monica
      Squirrel Cage - Santa Monica Mountains
      mtb
      0:45 | 396 | Feb 22, 2022 , Santa Monica
      SQUIRREL CAGE : MTB
      mtb
      0:43 | 788 | Jun 25, 2020 , Santa Monica
      Half way done
      mtb
      0:26 | 20 | Feb 22, 2026 , Santa Monica

      Routes with this trail

      ★ 5.0 • 21 miles • 4,378 ft • 14 • Loop •
      A lot of the really fun enduro trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. The classics, and panic as that is a...
      ★ 3.0 • 13 miles • 2,805 ft • 19 • Loop •
      This is a loop of the most popular/fun enduro trails in Santa Monica. A 130-170mm bike would be ideal for...
      20 miles • 3,126 ft • 13 •
      Lots of climbing. Some fun berms. But ends with some great flow!
      4.2 ★★★★★
      9 Ratings
      5 ★ 44%
      4 ★ 44%
      3 ★
      2 ★ 11%
      1 ★

      9 Reviews & Comments

      Jcoriano89
      Blocked at the top but you can still get in by the side. It is completely ridable and not overgrown.
      jdgrimes jdgrimes
      CLOSED! Completely blocked at the top with closed signs due to Sullivan canyon construction
      jeffpete jeffpete
      The berms at the top are awesome with a ton of flow. Good mix with some tech segments scattered throughout. Be weary of hikers though. Despite it clearly not being a hiking trail they’ll still yell at you if you’re doing anything over 2mph.

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      • By roostriderTF Pro & contributors
      • #35335 - 4,917 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Squirrel Cage located?
      Squirrel Cage is located in Topanga State Park, Santa Monica, California, United States. It is part of the Topanga State Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 34.08032, -118.51484.
      ▼ How hard is Squirrel Cage?
      Squirrel Cage is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The average grade is 19.3%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Squirrel Cage?
      The trail has 257 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 700 ft to 957 ft.
      ▼ How long is Squirrel Cage?
      Squirrel Cage is 1,332 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Squirrel Cage?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Squirrel Cage. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Squirrel Cage?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Squirrel Cage are:
      • July (23 activities)
      • August (19 activities)
      • May (18 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Squirrel Cage? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Squirrel Cage are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Squirrel Cage?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 3 minutes to ride Squirrel Cage. The trail is 1,332 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Squirrel Cage?
      Squirrel Cage is a very popular trail. There have been 4,974 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 4,884 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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