I love Garland ranch. There are several different walking trails. They have a visitor center and…read morebathrooms. Make sure you have on good hiking shoes and bring sunblock and water on warm days. Bring your dog or come solo, the beauty of nature is always so peaceful here. Our kiddos definitely enjoyed getting out to enjoy the area, we will return!

Wonderful park to explore and hike if you are ever in the Carmel Valley area. Plenty of parking…read moreboth on the street as well as in a designated parking lot. Much of the area in the lower section is flat and easy to walk around, however, there are also some trails with steeper elevation climbs for those who want to get more of a scenic view of the area. Cool historic barn is easy to get to and on hotter days you will definitely want to take some water as some of the trails are exposed to the sun. There is a public bathroom area by the visitor center.

Chris was a great guide. He took us on an awesome run. 1000ft of climbing and a super fun downhill…read more Tons of fun.

I really enjoyed the lesson. Definitely feel like I learnt a bunch of new things and corrected at…read moreleast one major mistake.

I wish they had a bathroom. Everything else was cool. Did the Fir Trail and Tafoni Trail to the…read moreSandstone Formation and tacked on the vista point which was about 3.5 miles total. Be careful crossing the street to get to the trail. The main El Corte de Madera area has restrooms and it's just a 5 minute drive away.

Lovely hike with lots of shade. This would be wonderful in warm weather too. Our goal was to visit…read morethe Tafoni sandstone structure. We parked our car at Skeggs Pt. Parking lot. We hiked along the Tafoni trail to get to the sandstone structure and returned to the car via the higher Fir trail. This was an easier hike exiting the park.

If you're reading this, there's a high probability you are residing in the Milky Way galaxy. But,…read morehave you seen it? Really, let me ask again, have you actually viewed your galaxy? Chances are that you haven't. Light pollution blocks 99% of Americans from viewing the Milky Way; about 80% of the USA is light polluted. However, some countries in Asia are 100% light polluted; in fact, the residents of some of those countries have a hard time adapting their vision to darkness. On a recent night, after researching dark skies and making some calculations, I photographed the Milky Way here at Panoche Hills. This place is downright amazing if you're into stargazing, astrophotography, or getting off the grid. I stood there, alone, in awe seeing shooting stars, meteorites, a billion stars, and the elusive Milky Way. The views here are stellar (yay pun) but you will need to be ready for a journey because it is not easy to get here. I recommend coming in from the northern route due to the roads being in better shape. I stood there around midnight alone and it did cross my mind, "Yikes, what if something happens no one will find me." Darkness, stars, and owls flying around staring at you can be a tad scary for a city-dweller. The longer I was out there the more serene and wondrous it all became. Seeing the Milky Way rise puts things into perspective that is hard to describe; it must be experienced. Before you can see the Milky Way, however, you're going to need to do some research. Even a half-moon can hide it. Be aware that we're in the northern hemisphere so it will not be visible all year. There are a few other places in California to view it like this but for me this was the easiest to get to. If you come, I would not recommend coming alone like I did (hey I like adventure). Bring water and flashlight. Also, keep in mind cell phone service is nil unless you get lucky; but, assume you will be out of contact with the world. I hear this is an excellent place to view the perseid meteor shower and I might come back in August for that. The good news is that Mercy hot springs is less than a mile south so if some real emergency happens they are there.

From the owner: Bureau of Land Management is a land management agency providing public access for recreation and…read moreeducation while preserving natural and cultural resources.

I had a great time riding with Dave. I had been told by several people not to ride solo in Santa…read moreCruz, and they were all right. The trails around UCSC are a maze, but Dave knows them incredibly well and even had a hand in building them. It was more like riding with a buddy than a guide. I highly recommend that you book Dave if you want to have a great mtnb experience!

I hugely enjoyed my four-hour "Lifts" Clinic with Dave Robinson of The Ride Guides. I'm not a…read morenatural athlete on a mountain bike, but that didn't seem to matter to Dave. His show of certainty about my abilities--and his joy of teaching, had this 73 year old guy bouncing around a field, lifting wheels, and feeling just thrilled that I could have some fun on this clumbering machine with big wheels. I saw that he seemed to find out who each of us were, and then he did this Yoda-thing for her, for him, and for me. This was a day so well spent. Thanks, Dave.

Tony really knows his bikes! And is very personable. What else would one want in a business?…read more We dropped by just to check out his shop and say hello, and Tony gave us a kind, top notch tour of his shop and the bikes in there, from amazing older ones to modern ones. And of his other interesting antiques and cars. His shop is neat and well organized, has a great area for a band and a coffee bar. His passion for bikes old and new shows through. I'd definitely return here for my biking needs and would highly recommend Tony and his shop.

Tony Z. is a fantastic mountain bike guide with an encyclopedic knowledge of the trails around…read moreSanta Cruz. I asked for a bike rental and shuttle up Nisene Marks SP. Cyclepath Outfitters took me on a 20-mile ride that I'll never forget. They over-delivered the fun. Anyone looking for a mountain bike tour near Santa Cruz should enlist Tony Z. & Cyclepath Outfitters as their source for information, gear and guidance.

Went on early foggy morning hike. Hiked to Inspiration Point and then to Eagle Rock…read more It was a cold morning but much more enjoyable than the Summer heat. The trail to Inspiration Point had gradual climb that's not too long. Lush greens all around. Encountered a group of deer. Ground was not too soft so it was not too slippery or difficult that I felt comfortable with just trail runners on. Restroom at the start of the trail but none for at least another 5 miles. There were buildings that looked like restroom but were closed. Multiple parking lots at the main entrance to a few more inside the park. The trail to Eagle Rock had longer climb but not too bad. Nice view all around.

Rock the Block Alum…read moreRock Park is what many, myself included, consider to be *the* crown jewel of CSJ parks, and it's easy to see why. From the vast 730-acres of green space includes thirteen miles of trails that run the gamet of flat sojourns, to steep hikes to Eagle Rock. It's also California's oldest Muni park (1872) but has always served as land since 1777 when the Pueblo was established. The Good: *Variety of trails, as mentioned above, and they're mostly shaded. *Lots of history here as there's remnants of an old train trestle that used to run visitors up to a health spa of sorts. There's still remnants of the spa as you can see--and smell thanks to the sulfur springs. *Trails also connect to adjoining Sierra Vista OSP, and is part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail. *Sand volleyball courts *Playground *Reservable and non-reservable picnic tables *Restrooms *Six miles of Horse trails *Three miles of Bikes trails *Home to the YSi (Youth Science Institute), which I highly recommend to parents. They have a bunch of summer camps that are great ways to get kids to love nature. The Meh: *No dogs allowed *Lots of poison oak *Parking costs $6 *Cell service is spotty, at best. The Ugly: *Budget cuts, budget cuts, budget cuts... Thanks to the lack of caring by our leaders for our parks, this place is not as great as it once was. As there's several entrances that have been closed off for nearly thirty years! *I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet. As the (unofficial) Mr San José I find it very shameful and shall self-flagellate immediately. Conclusion: Not as great as it used to be, but still pretty damn amazing.

The person who reviewed this 11 years ago was spot on about the beauty of this trail. He biked it,…read morewhich was definitely a lot of climbing and I hiked it today. I'm surprised no one else has reviewed this beautiful trail. We chose this hike because it was so hot today inland-it turns out it was a good decision. The hike begins with climbing almost all the way to the of trail. However, there are sweeping views of the coast, Mount Tamalpais, and beyond. The most fascinating part was the abundance of sedimentary rock we were surrounded by- truly astounding. I had to look up the history of these rocks and learned this- we were looking at one of California's most famous geological features: radiolarian ribbon chert. The strata with the various colors was clearly visible & striking. Additionally we were impressed with the large concrete bunker complex (at the top of climb) Battery Townsley. It's the massive WWII gun battery perched above Fort Cronkhite and Rodeo Beach. I highly recommend this hike for those that enjoy spectacular, coastal views, history, and geology.

After you ride the Coastal View trail, you will want to sell your earthly goods and then donate the…read moreproceeds to the GGNRA and then devote yourself to mountain biking full time. Really, join me! We'll make it work! We'll live on thistles and spring water, and we'll dance with the butterflies! Oh, never mind, we need beer money...but do check out this trail...I pretty much guarantee you'll love it. Here's my loop: West Blithedale trailhead, up Old Railroad Grade to West Point Inn, past the Inn to Old Stage Road trail, down to Pantoll campground, (through the parking lots) to Coastal View trail, ride Coastal View all the way to Highway 1. Then turn left, ride carefully on Hwy 1 to the Pelican Inn, and have your friend guard the bikes while you get a pot of tea to drink out on the lawn. Then lug your tired rear up Diaz Ridge trail back to Mill Valley and don't hate on me for getting you to a place that's downhill from where you want to be. Alternate plan: Get your friend's husband, who has a truck, to pick you up. Say yes to hitchhikers 'cause that might be you one day and you think you know them maybe a little. But I guess I should review the trail itself: Coastal View is absolutely magnificent. The word 'magnificent' is not an exaggeration, which I am prone to, but not in this case. Single track (but not the scary next-to-a-cliff-you-might-die type of single track) that progresses from wooded bits near Pantoll, to an exposed path, to a Disney-couldn't-design-a-trail-that-looks-this-good segment that winds through some low trees (duck! you might get wet if it's misty), then out to views of the coast (or the fog, depending on your luck). Go with a friend so you can keep saying, "Oh my gosh! This is great! And there's no one on the trail!"* Tons of wildflowers in the spring and great photo ops if you're into that--I am always so blissed out that I forget about photos. Bonus photo op at Muir Beach overlook right off of Highway 1. *OK, you may see a few others on Coastal View trail. On my most recent ride, we saw a single runner (that's it!) from Pantoll to Hwy 1. That said, don't rush it, savor it. Look out for bunnies. PS Yes, you could hike this, too, but I never have. I'm sure it's just as nice on foot. PPS the only place you might lose your way is just past Pantoll, but watch for the signs and I think it is clear.