more stats
1,509 ft
Distance
-306 ft
Descent
00:05:46
Avg time
-306 ft
Altitude change
1,597 ft
Altitude min
1,903 ft
Altitude max
1,903 ft
Altitude start
1,598 ft
Altitude end
-20.3%
Grade
-75.2%
Grade max
-2.7%
Grade min
1,509 ft
Distance down
00:05:46
Avg time

Widowmaker Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Topanga State Park
    Santa Monica, California
  • Difficulty Rating
    Double Black Diamond Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (2 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    55 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 60 in E-Biking
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 55 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #102515 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #59632 in E-Biking
    • #129637 in Trail Running
    • #98554 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes

Very steep ridge downhill. Not extremely technical, but very loose surface, average grade of over 25%, skinny in places, and high consequences. Not for the faint of heart.

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 2 rides
  • 24.3 km avg distance
All
  • 54 rides
  • Last: Sep 17, 2026
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Widowmaker Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jun 21, 2025 @ 12:45pm
Jun 21, 2025
 Easier than before, still fun. Very loose near the bottom.
Apr 5, 2025 @ 3:58am
Apr 5, 2025
 Wiped out by fire crews
Jun 22, 2024 @ 8:26am
Jun 22, 2024
Feb 18, 2024 @ 10:58am
Feb 18, 2024
 Deep ruts from the rains
Nov 3, 2021 @ 9:24am
Nov 3, 2021
 Running great! Yeah, there are some deep ruts but easily avoidable.
more »
Status:
on Jun 21, 2025
Variable
Avg: 4.08 (5 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to widowmaker-76407 trailhead (34.128530, -118.537870)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      No photos have been added for Widowmaker yet, add a photo.

      Videos

      3 more »
      Widowmaker - Santa Monica Mountains
      mtb
      0:59 | 397 | Oct 15, 2022 , Santa Monica
      WIDOW MAKER : MTB NOT SO CLEAN
      mtb
      2:16 | 681 | Jun 25, 2020 , Santa Monica
      Enduro Lap: Widow Maker, Santa Monica CA, 2015
      mtb
      2:39 | 945 | Dec 25, 2018 , Santa Monica
      4.2 ★★★★★
      5 Ratings
      5 ★ 40%
      4 ★ 40%
      3 ★ 20%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      8 Reviews & Comments

      doublenickelsclub
      This is a waste of time. Almost all shale, shake all the way down. Take the MG trail (trail sign is Gizmodo) about 3/4 down Farmer’s.
      jimmckenna23 jimmckenna23
      Not close to Double Black, where are these rating coming from. It’s about 500’ of steep loose rutted dirt downhill, no features, no rocks. Boring.
      thechrisfr thechrisfr
      I wouldn’t rate it a double black, but it’s a nice steep little trail. Monkey Spanker and Cookies are harder than this trail.

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      Nearby Trails

      Topanga State Park

      • By ersz & contributors
      • #76407 - 4,388 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Widowmaker located?
      Widowmaker 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 34.12853, -118.53787.
      ▼ How hard is Widowmaker?
      Widowmaker is rated as Double Black Diamond difficulty. The average grade is 20.3%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Widowmaker?
      The trail has 306 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 1,597 ft to 1,903 ft.
      ▼ Is Widowmaker a point to point trail?
      Widowmaker is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Widowmaker?
      Widowmaker is 1,509 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Widowmaker?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Widowmaker. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Widowmaker?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Widowmaker are:
      • September (4 activities)
      • March (3 activities)
      • May (2 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Widowmaker? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Widowmaker are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Widowmaker?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 5 minutes to ride Widowmaker. The trail is 1,509 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Widowmaker?
      Widowmaker is a moderately popular trail. There have been 514 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 527 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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