more stats
3,617 ft
Distance
150 ft
Climb
-170 ft
Descent
00:06:18
Avg time
-20 ft
Altitude change
289 ft
Altitude min
402 ft
Altitude max
401 ft
Altitude start
381 ft
Altitude end
-0.558%
Grade
-21.534%
Grade max
24.079%
Grade min
1,759 ft
Distance climb
1,703 ft
Distance down
155 ft
Distance flat
00:06:18
Avg time

The Appendix Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Winter Fat Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Los Peñasquitos Canyon
    San Diego, California
  • AKA
    Cobbles Appendix, Colostomy
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (3 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    100 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 95 in E-Biking
    • 55 in Trail Running
    • 70 in Hiking
    • 5 in Winter Fat Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #25486 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #3192 in E-Biking
    • #148695 in Trail Running
    • #117982 in Hiking
    • #3163 in Winter Fat Biking
  • State Ranking
    #672 in Mountain Biking · California [+]
    • #85 in E-Biking
    • #7,675 in Trail Running
    • #6,567 in Hiking
    • #33 in Winter Fat Biking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC, Fat
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • Land Owner
    City of San Diego

Newly built by SDMBA and a good addition to the PQ area. Multiple fast sections with lots of small bumps to catch air off of. Fun in either direction.

ADAPTIVE MTB INFO
Rating aMTB3 - Major Obstacles Exist - Narrow Camber - Support Rider Needed

Access Info

The north trailhead is accessed from Little McGonicle Ranch Road. The south/east trailhead is across Carmel Mountain Road from the Cobbles trail. There is a tunnel under the road for easy access.

Disclaimer

Adaptive MTB - Support Rider Needed

Tags

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 9 rides
  • 13 miles average
6 Months
  • 244 rides
  • 17 miles avg distance
All
  • 2,097 rides
  • Last: Oct 21, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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March
April
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October
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update trails status or condition

The Appendix Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jul 7, 2026 @ 7:03am (America/Tijuana)
Jul 7, 2026
Apr 8, 2026 @ 7:53am (America/Los_Angeles)
Apr 8, 2026
Running great today!
Feb 27, 2026 @ 8:49am (America/Los_Angeles)
Feb 27, 2026
Running great today!
Jan 14, 2026 @ 9:47am (America/Los_Angeles)
Jan 14, 2026
Running great today!
Jan 6, 2026 @ 1:08pm (America/Los_Angeles)
Jan 6, 2026
Still wet and muddy from the torrential rains. 3-4 days before everything dries out.
more »
Status:
on Jul 7, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.35 (14 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (11,156)
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      Directions to the-appendix trailhead (32.939345, -117.182061)

      Photos

      11 more »
      mtb
      61 |
      Apr 7, 2025 @ 6:18am
      Apr 7, 2025
      mtb
      59 |
      Nov 8, 2024 @ 11:31am
      Nov 8, 2024
      mtb
      50 |
      Nov 8, 2024 @ 11:31am
      Nov 8, 2024
      mtb
      59 |
      Nov 8, 2024 @ 11:31am
      Nov 8, 2024

      Videos

      5 more »
      San Diego Mountain Bike Trail Review for...
      mtb
      15:53 | 49 | Oct 3, 2025 , San Diego
      San Diego Beginner and Intermediate MTB trail...
      mtb
      13:05 | 139 | Jul 10, 2024 , San Diego
      MTB bike bell, use it
      mtb
      0:17 | 125 | Jun 10, 2024 , San Diego
      North PQ Area Trails | Los Peñasquitos | San...
      mtb
      4:25 | 296 | Mar 19, 2022 , San Diego

      Routes with this trail

      ★ 5.0 • 43 miles • 2,953 ft • 18 • Shuttled •
      In his wonderful book, Oh, The Places You'll Go!, it's doubtful that the beloved Dr. Seuss had mountain...
      ★ 3.5 • 23 miles • 1,957 ft • 61 • Loop •
      This route through Los Penasquitos Canyon and Del Mar Mesa hits some of the most popular trails in the...
      ★ 5.0 • 24 miles • 2,166 ft • 26 • Point to Point •
      This is the 2024 Half Archipelago Ridge put on by SDMBA . Check out https://archride.sdmba.com/ for more...
      4.5 ★★★★★
      14 Ratings
      5 ★ 57%
      4 ★ 36%
      3 ★ 7%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      5 Reviews & Comments

      BenLow2019 BenLow2019
      Tight, twisted, punchy ups and downs. Great when you’re legs are fresh. Good all the time.
      Drew12345678911
      Not very fun it was super loose and there were many blind corners with no berms and was very overgrown
      budgetmtb budgetmtb
      Would recommend starting at the tunnel/ cobbles and ride clockwise. More fun that way.

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      • By The-dirt-farmerTF Pro & contributors
      • #60133 - 4,670 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is The Appendix located?
      The Appendix is located in Los Peñasquitos Canyon, San Diego, California, United States. It is part of the Los Peñasquitos Canyon trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 32.93935, -117.18206.
      ▼ How hard is The Appendix?
      The Appendix is rated as Blue difficulty. The average grade is 0.558%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for The Appendix?
      The Appendix has 150 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 170 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 289 ft to 402 ft.
      ▼ Is The Appendix a point to point trail?
      The Appendix is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is The Appendix?
      The Appendix is 3,617 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on The Appendix?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on The Appendix. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride The Appendix?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride The Appendix are:
      • May (143 activities)
      • April (139 activities)
      • July (118 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access The Appendix? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to The Appendix are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride The Appendix?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 6 minutes to ride The Appendix. The trail is 3,617 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is The Appendix?
      The Appendix is a very popular trail. There have been 11,140 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 11,156 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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