Mountain Biking Around Poway

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Bicycles are permitted on all the multiple-use trails of Poway, except those inside the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve.

A 25-page Poway Trail Guide is available for $2.00 at the Lake Poway Park information center. It is of limited use because it shows only the approximate locations of most trails. To find out exactly where the trails are, you have to explore. But at least it tells you where to look.

In some places, a riding and hiking trail is marked by a wooden post with images of a footprint and a horseshoe burned into its top.

The most challenging mountain bike rides in Poway are in the undeveloped areas east of Lake Poway. There are also quite a few unpaved roads in the undeveloped north end of town. The tour described here is much easier, and runs close to and through residential areas. It does include an optional side trip to the Twin Peaks, the most scenic spot in this part of Poway.

There is some residential development in progress bewteen Cloudcroft Dr. and Old Coach Road in northern Poway. This route has been modified to go around the construction area.

A little path between Old Winery Road and Glen Arven Lane is also threatened by development. This route has also been modified to avoid that path.

Updates Added September 4, 2003

The residential development between Cloudcroft Dr. and Old Coach Road in northern Poway is finished, or nearly so. The area is a gated community with private streets.

There is not as much undeveloped land in northern Poway as there used to be, but the northern portions of Stoneridge and Old Coach Trails are still open for mountain biking. The South Poway Trail, which is not included in this ride, has been incorporated into the much longer Trans County Trail, which is part of the longer Sea to Sea Trail. For information see www.seatoseatrail.org.

The part of Stoneridge Trail that runs parallel to Valle Verde Road to Old Winery Road is now a well-beaten path, probably because more people live in the area now.

The little path between Old Winery Road and Glen Arven Lane is still there!

Riders must stay on Tam-O-Shanter Drive, because the off-road route described in an earlier version has been obliterated and made inaccessible by construction.

Cue Sheet

• 0.00 - Start at the Park and Ride lot on the northwest corner of Budwin Lane and Twin Peaks Road. (The lot is part of a church parking lot, so parking may be tight on Sunday mornings.) Ride north on Budwin Lane.
• 0.43 - At the north end of Budwin Lane, continue north on a dirt path that starts just above the street and slightly east of it. The dirt path enters a small meadow.
• 0.54 - Turn sharp left, go down to a small stream and then around the south end of a residential area to a dirt road under some power lines.
• 0.61 - Ride north on the dirt road under the power lines. The road runs between a residential area to your right and a partly undeveloped area to your left, and emerges on a paved street (Del Poniente Road).
• 0.82 - Cross Del Poniente Road and continue riding north on a somewhat narrower trail, which runs between residences, and intersects an east-west trail called Del Poniente Trail. (The trail straight ahead emerges on Lake Poway Road.)
• 1.07 - Turn left onto Del Poniente Trail and follow it almost precisely due west. The trail soon starts to descend.
• 1.21 - Cross Midland Road and Entrada. Keep going due west and downhill.
• 1.32 - Pass through a gap in the fence to your right. Keep going due west and downhill along a narrow path.
• 1.36 - Cross a small stream and start to ascend. Keep going due west.
• 1.58 - You may switch to a dirt road just south of the trail. If you stay on the trail, it joins the road just beyond the summit. Keep going due west and uphill.
• 1.73 - A rough dirt road off to your left leads toward Twin Peaks.
• SIDE TRIP: Follow the rough dirt road until it intersects another dirt road. Turn left and follow the road to its end, just northeast of Twin Peaks. Park your bike at the end of the road and follow a footpath up to the peak. Enjoy the view. Return to Del Poniente Trail by the same route. (There is some construction in this area, so the side trail might not be so easy to find.)
• 1.82 - Del Poniente Trail reaches its highest point. Enjoy the view, and then continue due west and downhill.
• 1.87 - There is another dirt road off to your left. It leads directly to a construction area. Continue due west on the trail. The trail along here is descends quite steeply and it is rough in some places, so be careful.
• 2.04 - Cross a small stream bed, which is usually dry.
• 2.15 - Descend along some small, tight switchbacks and cross another stream bed, which is usually dry or almost dry.
• 2.24 - Cross another streambed, which is usually dry.
• 2.32 - Turn right and ride around the edge of a residential area. (The trail straight ahead goes into the residential area.)
• 2.74 - Just before entering the Pomerado Hospital parking lot, turn right. (The trail straight ahead emerges in the southeast corner of the parking lot.)
• 2.82 - Cross a little wooden bridge over a drainage ditch. The trail goes up a short hill, and then descends fairly steeply.
• 2.99 - The trail emerges on a paved driveway behind an apartment complex. Turn right and follow the driveway.
• 3.14 - Turn right onto a narrow trail. Follow it downhill and approximately west until it emerges on Pomerado Road at the intersection with Bernardo Heights Parkway.
• 3.27 - Turn right and ride north in the bike lane on the east side of Pomerado Road.
• 3.95 - At the north end of the parking lot for the First Church of Christ Scientist, cross a small bridge and follow a dirt road north, crossing Avenida La Valencia. (If you miss the bridge, turn right on Avenida La Valencia, go one-half block east, and turn left onto the dirt road.)
• 4.26 - The road turns right and narrows to a path. Follow it along the bank of a eucalyptus-lined stream, which usually has water in it.
• 4.37 - Cross the stream and continue on the other bank.
• 4.56 - The trail turns left and then goes almost due north.
• 4.81 - The trail emerges on Espola Road next to the "Poway Events" sign. Cross Espola Road carefully, because there is no traffic light here. The continuation of the trail runs next to a narrow drainage ditch. There is a trail maker on it.
• SIDE TRIP: If you need a rest stop at this point, follow a dirt track along the north side of Espola Road approximately 0.2 miles east to Valle Verde Park, which has drinking fountains and rest rooms. Return by the same route.
• Follow the trail (Stoneridge Trail) north, then east, and then north again, and then east again. The last part is apparently shared with a driveway. The driveway emerges on Rock Road.
• 5.21 - Turn right on Rock Road and follow it north. There is a drainage ditch along the left side of the road.
• 5.69 - At the end of the drainage ditch, turn left into a dirt path. Follow the path north and then east. To the north, on a hill above you, are the playing fields for Chaparral School. This part of the trail is marked as a "nature trail" on the Poway Trail Guide, and there are remains of nature trail signs in some places.
• 5.52 - The trail emerges at the south end of Tannin Drive. Turn left and follow Tannin Drive north past Chaparral School.
• 5.69 - Just north of the school, turn left into a trail that runs along the north edge of the school grounds.
• 5.82 - The trail runs just north of the end of a cul-de-sac. Turn right and follow the trail uphill. The trail winds around the top of a small hill and goes down the other side. Stop from time to time to enjoy the views. The trail then levels out widens, to a dirt road, and runs through a residential area.
• 6.60 - The trail turns left. If you don't want to take a side trip, continue straight ahead and uphill on an access road.
• SIDE TRIP: Turn left on the trail and follow it to Old Winery Road. Turn left on Old Winery Road and follow it to the Bernardo Winery. Return by the same route.
• SHORTCUT: If you take the side trip and stay on Old Winery Road, you will find a small but well-worn path at the east end. Follow the path and very short side street (Glen Arven Lane) to St. Andrews Dr. Turn left on St. Andrews Dr. and resume the ride.
• 6.65 - The access road emerges on Valle Verde Road opposite Starmount Way.
• Go straight ahead on Starmount Way, and turn left onto St. Andrews Dr. Follow St. Andrews Dr. as it becomes Raton Lane and then Tam-O-Shanter Dr.
• UPDATE: The off-road route described here has been obliterated by construction. Stay on Tam-O-Shanter Drive.
  
  • 7.88 - Under some utility lines near 17642 Tam O'Shanter Drive, turn left onto a dirt road, which probably doesn't look very well traveled at this end. Follow it up a short, steep hill.
  • 8.06 - The dirt road crosses a narrow paved road near the top of the hill. Turn right and follow the paved road down to a gate next to a residential area. Go around the gate and continue on a short street (Boca Raton Lane).
  • SIDE TRIP: Turn left on the paved road and ride up to a water tank on a hill for a slightly better view of the area. Return by the same route.
  • 8.30 - Turn left onto Tam O'Shanter Dr.
• 8.49 - Turn right onto Cloudcroft Dr.
• 9.00 - Turn left onto Espola Rd.
• 9.37 - At the corner of Espola Rd. and Westling Ct. (which used to be part of Old Coach Road), turn right into a narrow drive. At this point the tour joins the route of the San Diego Aqueduct.
• 9.42 - The drive is blocked by a gate with a sign identifying the entrance to a San Diego County Water Authority facility. Turn left onto a dirt path.
• 9.66 - The trail veers to the right and joins a dirt road. Follow the dirt road in more or less the same direction.
• 10.00 - The dirt road emerges on Espola Road. Turn right and follow a trail on the west side of Espola Road (or ride at the edge of the road, if you prefer). The San Diego Aqueduct runs through a residential area on the east side of Espola Road.
• 10.32 - Turn left onto Lake Poway Road. (There is a traffic light at this corner.) There is a trail along the south side of Lake Poway Road, if you prefer to stay off the pavement.
• SIDE TRIP: If you need another rest stop, continue on Lake Poway Road to Lake Poway Park, where there are rest rooms, drinking fountains and a snack bar. Return by the same route.
• 10.44 - Turn right into a dirt road. At this point, the ride rejoins the route of the San Diego Aqueduct. Follow the road due south.
• 10.68 - Pay no attention to the locked gate with a San Diego Water Authority Sign on it. Go around the gate and continue south.
• 10.98 - Follow the bicycle tire tracks up a small hill and through a gap in the fence near a gate. On the other side of the gate, follow a dirt road.
• 11.07 - The dirt road passes between some kind of aqueduct structures, probably ventilation shafts, becomes paved, and descends.
• 11.16 - The road emerges on a two-lane highway (High Valley Road). (There is a trail a short distance west, but it is too steep for bicycles.) Cross High Valley Road and enter Crocker Road, a narrow paved road on the other side and a short distance to the west. Follow Crocker Road downhill. (There is a trail parallel to Crocker Road just west of it, but you will probably prefer to ride on the road because the trail apparently receives heavy equestrian use and is rather soft.)
• 11.29 - Crocker Road is blocked by a locked gate, but there is an opening to the right of the gate large enough for bicyclists (and also for horses). Continue following Crocker Road.
• 11.59 - Crocker Road crosses Golden Sunset Lane and becomes a dirt road again. Continue following Crocker Road.
• 11.72 Crocker Road jogs to the left. The San Diego Aqueduct veers away from the bike route here. Continue following Crocker Road.
• 11.82 - Crocker Road finally comes to an end on Mountain Road. Turn right and follow Mountain Road to Espola Road. (There is a dirt path going further south, but it is not part of this trip.)
• 12.14 - Cross Espola Road carefully, since there is no traffic light. (However, the area is marked as a horse crossing.) On the other side, enter another dirt path. Follow the path due west.
• 12.30 - There is another trail to the right. Keep going due west.
• 12.41 - Cross Tierra Bonita Road and continue to ride due west on a hill overlooking Twin Peaks Middle School to the south.
• 12.64 - After you pass the school, veer north and join a narrow alley that descends to Budwin Lane.
• 12.72 - Turn left onto Budwin Lane and follow it back down to the starting point.
• 13.03 - Back at the Park and Ride lot on the northwest corner of Budwin Lane and Twin Peaks Road.

Revised May 30, 1997
Last revised September 4, 2003