6 places in Southern California to try bikepacking, a rugged adventure on wheels
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Growing up, Daniel Connell loved bicycling on streets near his home in Cheviot Hills. In college, he began camping. But it wasn’t until he combined the two that his adventures really began.
Connell was bikepacking — backpacking by bike. Bikepackers are usually found off-road, pedaling up and down dirt trails and then finding sites to set up their tents and spend the night. With a bicycle, you can cover more terrain than by foot yet still access rugged trails closed off to cars.
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In his early days with the sport, Connell rode from Santa Barbara to Medellin, Colombia, on a 1980s mountain bike he bought for $100. He then pedaled from Egypt to South Africa with a couple of friends. Last year, he completed a “Triple Everest” in Santa Barbara, riding the equivalent of three trips up the globe’s tallest mountain, more than 87,000 vertical feet. He also rode nearly 3,000 miles from Canada to Mexico on a route that traverses the Rockies in a self-supported race called the Tour Divide. This summer, he plans to set off from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska on his bike and eventually end up at the tip of South America in Patagonia in an effort to break the world speed record for the 13,500-mile ride. Much of the lengthy pedal will be along the Pan American Highway.
“I feel focused, incredibly free and alive when I’m on my bike,” says Connell, known in the cycling world as “Dirty Dan,” whose adventures are sponsored by the Trek Bicycle Corp..
Interested in trying bikepacking? Connell says novices should have “at least some exposure to trail riding and camping in the wilderness.” He recommends starting small: load up your bike with gear and just practice pedaling with all that extra weight. (His own Trek Supercaliber cross-country mountain bike weighs 55 pounds when completely loaded.) And go with someone more experienced. You can find bikepacking groups on Facebook, Meetup, Reddit or by checking your local bike shop. Topanga Creek Outpost, Connell says, is focused almost entirely on bikepacking.
Connell believes that Los Angeles is a great place for bikepacking “as long as you’re willing to get outside of the city center and up into the hills away from the cars. Here are six rides he suggests in Southern California, most of which come from bikepacking.com, a website Connell calls an “online bikepacking Mecca.” Note that the markers on this map are rough starting points for the routes. For the exact locations, visit the route websites.
Catalina
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Connell calls this two-day tour of 22-mile-long Catalina Island the Los Angeles area’s “crown jewel of beginner bikepacking” because it’s almost free (aside from the ferry ride from San Pedro); it’s logically straightforward when it comes to camping; and it offers stunning views throughout.
The 40.8-mile route starts in Two Harbors, ends in Avalon, and you might even see breaching whales, island foxes and bison. The ride has a total elevation gain of 4,897 feet and a maximum uphill grade of 14.3% and downhill grade of 18.8%, so make sure your bike has good brakes. For camping reservations contact the Catalina Conservancy.
Connell’s pro tip: Be sure to pack binoculars in case you see whale spouts in the distance, which would not be uncommon.
Angeles National Park via the San Gabriel Mountains
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Located directly behind Pasadena, Connell says this 60-mile, two-day trip in Angeles National Forest will have you “dancing around” some of the highest parts of the San Gabriel Mountains at more than 5,000-plus feet, with great views of 10,069-foot Mt. Baldy. And even though it’s a short distance from the busy L.A. metropolis, he says the route provides solitude.
The Observer jaunt connects the Mt. Wilson Observatory with Mt. Lukens and offers miles of abandoned dirt roads, two-track and flowing single-track trails. The start up Chaney Trail is challenging, averaging a 10.8% grade — with some parts as steep as 16% — so you may find yourself walking your bike.
Connell’s pro tip: Wear shoes that you wouldn’t mind doing some hiking in, in case some of the steep climbs feel unrideable.
Joshua Tree
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Connell calls this an easy, two- to three-day nontechnical route that — at around 120 miles from Los Angeles — is worth the drive. Getting out into the vast landscape of Joshua Tree National Park, camping and experiencing a spectacular starry night sky is a delight, he adds.
This trip covers 80 miles and two-thirds of it is unpaved. It has a total climb of just 1,805 feet and reaches a high point of 4,500 feet. In addition to namesake Joshua trees and cacti, you might see bighorn sheep, coyotes, a desert tortoise and maybe a bobcat. Check ahead with the National Park Service on camping in Joshua Tree.
Connell’s pro tip: Pay close attention to weather forecasts as climate in the desert can change rapidly and with short notice. Hot days and very cold nights are not uncommon, so plan accordingly.
Ojai
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The Ojai Rim Loop is a relatively short (at 67 miles) and sometimes difficult ride around the scenic Ojai Valley with what Connell describes as “out-of-this-world views” primarily of the Topatopa Mountains to the east and Channel Islands out in the Pacific.
This overnight jaunt has a variety of dirt roads, single-track trails, some bike paths and a 6,700-foot halfway point at Hines Peak, which requires a three-mile hike on foot. The Loop is about 80 miles north of L.A. Be sure to bring extra water and expect to walk your bike on steeper sections.
Connell’s pro tip: Pack more food and water then you think you need. The terrain can be challenging, and it may take longer than you expect to get through this beauty of a route.
Southern Los Padres National Forest in Central California
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For a longer trip of four to five days, Connell says none can compare to the wilderness feel of the Tour de Los Padres route. “It’s for more advanced riders with rugged, varied terrain with steep climbs and creeks crossings,” he says.
It’s a proper backcountry experience but certainly should not be anyone’s first-ever bikepacking trip. The route has steep sections, covers 186 miles and has a total elevation gain of 18,500 feet on rough gravel and single-track trails. It begins in Frazier Park, a village in Kern County set at nearly 5,000 feet, and ends in Ventura, so you’ll need to arrange a shuttle.
Connell’s pro tip: Bring a satellite communication device such as a Spot device or a Garmin In-Reach. This is a wilderness experience with no cell service, and a satellite communication device can be a lifesaver if an unexpected issue arises, like a rattlesnake bite.
The “Escape LA” tour in November
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For something totally out there on the edge, the 311-mile, six-day Escape LA bikepacking tour starts and ends at the Santa Monica Pier. It has more than 44,000 feet of climbing. It was designed by Gregg Dunham, who organizes a “grand departure” each November for hardcore bikepackers who are also skilled mountain bikers familiar with technical terrain. Putting you deep into the wilderness, it is not for the faint of heart. “Whether you like dodging beachgoers on the oceanfront, climbing endless coastal canyons, going totally aero on a road section, ripping chunky singletrack, or traversing endless forest roads, this route has it,” the route’s website reads.
Connell’s pro tip: Prepare for this epic ride by spending time riding a loaded bicycle up steep climbs and down technical terrain. You don’t want this challenging route to be your first time learning those skills.
