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Best San Diego Bike Rides

Looking for some great rides in the San Diego area?

We've put together a few of our favorites for road, gravel, and mountain biking.

Mountain Bike Rides Near San Diego

San Diego mountain bike rides

There are tons of great mountain bike trails in the San Diego area, but here are some of our favorites. 

You'll want to be riding a hardtail or full suspension mountain bike for these trails, as the terrain can get technical and rough.

Black Mountain Open Space

6.2 mi Mountain Bike Ride

Black Mountain Open Space is where our namesake is from! 

This close by mountain has a fair amount of loops, lollipops, and out-and-backs despite its small stature.

Noble Canyon

18.2 mi Mountain Bike Ride

Nobel Canyon is considered to be the best trail in San Diego. The technical and difficult 10-mile descent takes you on a tour through alpine meadows, oak trees, and dry desert. 

VARIATION: While many tackle the this loop as a singular ride, be sure to explore Big Laguna trails. Mt. Laguna hosts San Diego's best trail network!

Gravel Bike Rides Near San Diego

Gravel bike rides near San Diego

Gravel bike rides are tons of fun. It's the perfect mix of road bike speed and mountain bike scenery and solitude.

Here are a few of our favorite routes, but the beauty of gravel riding is exploring on your own and finding new roads, 4x4 tracks, singletrack, and service roads to enjoy.

Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve

22.6 mi Gravel Bike Ride / Mountain Bike Ride

Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve is an oasis nestled in-between Mira Mesa and Rancho Penasquitos. 

For gravel biking, head west through Mira Mesa and enter the canyon from the west entrance. 

While in the canyon, you can deviate from the route and explore the different trails. For mountain biking, Canyonside Community Park (east entrance) is the popular jump off.

Beeler Canyon

23.8 mi Gravel Bike Ride / Mountain Bike Ride

Welcome to our backyard! From hidden trails sandwiched between housing and business development, to county preservations, and even varied pavement, this route has a little bit of everything. 

For gravel riding, combine this route with the Penasquitos loop for more (s)miles. For mountain biking, park at the entrance to Beeler Canyon (either end) and explore Sycamore Canyon and Martha's Grove.

Road Bike Rides Near San Diego

Road bike rides near San Diego

There are plenty of great road bike rides around San Diego, and we've listed a few popular routes below.

Climbs with great views along with smooth, windy roads make these routes a blast for roadies and perfect for anyone who's visiting the area.

Torrey Pines State Beach

31.6 mi Road Bike Ride

If you're visiting San Diego's, riding the coastline is a must. 

Once you arrive to Torrey Pines State Beach, you can either stay on the main road to ascend SD's most climbed hill, or turn into the park for a more scenic route to the top. 

VARIATION: Once you hit the coast, head north on Pacific Coast Highway to traverse the coastline.

Highland Valley Road

39.5 mi Road Bike Ride

Highland Valley Road is one of San Diego's top five roads. 

The east county road, when traveling east to west, provides a fast, smooth, and rolling descent within the backdrop of SD's mountain vistas. 

WARNING: Portions of the 67 highway are narrow and with high-speed traffic.

Want to find more bike rides near San Diego?

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