Find a Biking Utopia in Siskiyou County

Northern California’s Siskiyou County is one of the most popular biking destinations in the world. From relaxed rides with stellar views, to rugged mountain biking adventures, there’s a bike ride for everyone in the area.

Filled with Mount Shasta views, small-town vibes, great local bike shops and high-alpine rides, the wide-open space in Siskiyou County can give any bike rider the outdoor experience they’re looking for.

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For biking enthusiasts, there are so many reasons to visit Siskiyou for a biking adventure. With sunny season ahead of us, here are four of the best biking events this year in Siskyou County:

The Art of Survival Century

The Art of Survival Century Bike Ride is a 3-day celebration of biking in Tulelake, California during Memorial Day weekend. The event offers a Century (100 mile), Metric Century (62 mile), 45 mile, 20 mile mountain bike route and a 25 mile family friendly route. This year will also offer and Gravel and Grinder Mix with routes of 74 mile, 53 mile and 8 mile family friendly. This year, California Highway Patrol will again host a Bicycle Rodeo event on both days for the children to learn bicycle safety.

Learn more about the Art of Survival Century

Siskiyou Scenic Bicycle Tour

The Siskiyou Century is being revived as the Siskiyou Scenic Bicycle Tour and will take place on May 4th, 2019. The ride will feature an 81-mile loop around Irongate and Copco Lakes, with 9.2 miles of gravel in various spots along the route. There will also be many all pavement routes, 69, 38, 21 and 8 mile routes. The rides will all start and finish at Upper Greenhorn Park in Yreka. There will be a great meal at the end of the ride with beverages and music to cap off your day.

The 2 long rides will start at 8am, all others at 10am. Camping available at the park for $15/night. Multiple rest stops and sag wagons on all routes. The 81 mile route has 4,692 ft. of elevation gain.

Learn more about the Siskiyou Scenic Bicycle Tour

Castle Crags Century

This truly is a century ride with just the right amount of everything! On June 22, 2019, ejoy incredible views of some of nature’s finest scenery as you ride this fabulous route through Siskiyou County. Five ride options will be offered this year: Super Century, Full Century, Mountain Metric Century, Valley Metric Century and a Half-Metric Century. The rides will follow one or both of two loops – one to the south of Mt. Shasta and one to the north.

All rides start and end in the beautiful Mount Shasta City park.  Here, the headwaters of the Sacramento River emerge from the base of Mount Shasta in it’s purest and clearest form. You will be treated to some of the purest and best tasting drinking water the world has to offer. Bring a jug with you and fill up for later. With grass and shady trees, relax along the river in this heavenly location and enjoy what we hope is one of the most enjoyable bike rides you ever experience.

Learn more about the Castle Crags Century

Humbug Hurry-Up

The Humbug Hurry-Up, presented by the Jefferson Mountain Bike Association, is the premiere mountain biking race in Siskiyou County and will take place June 22, 2019. The race begins in Upper Greenhorn Park in Yreka and offers a Beginner Course (5 miles), Sport Course (15 miles) and Expert Course (20 miles).

Learn more about the Humbug Hurry-Up

If events are your thing, there are also a ton of great rides that you can do on your own. Here are 11 incredible biking adventures you can find in Siskiyou County:

Lake Siskiyou Loop

Nestled at the foot of the Trinity Divide and enjoying outstanding views of Mount Shasta, Lake Siskiyou is one of the prettiest reservoirs in Northern California. The lake is one of the premier features of Mount Shasta City, a community that boasts cornucopia of outdoor attractions.

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McCloud to Mt. Shasta Loop

This route starts and ends in McCloud. The suggested direction is to ride out 89 (watch for fast traffic) to Mt Shasta Blvd and then up Old McCloud (FS 31). That way you get to enjoy the fast and smooth downhill on 89 into Mt Shasta and then climb up the bumpy and in places, deteriorating Old McCloud/Forest Service 31. This ride is mostly good road with just a 2 – 4 miles of Old McCloud being rough road and gravel in a few places where it has fallen apart.

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Greenhorn Park Trails

Greenhorn Park is one of the most beautiful and well used recreation areas in all of Siskiyou County. The newly signed trails offer hours of great mountain bike riding. Host to the Humbug Hurry-Up and many other local sporting events, Greenhorn is sure to have what you are looking for in outdoor recreation.

Learn more

Mt. Shasta Mountain Bike Park

Experience the Mt Shasta Mountain Bike Park, with trails designed to be enjoyed at all riding levels. Enjoy a unique and one of kind riding experience with 15 trails, a new Skills Park and a variety of new features, there will be live music and fun events going on all summer.

Learn more

Ft. Jones – Etna – Island Loop

Explore California’s best kept secret bike riding area. This destination has charming roads and high-alpine climbs with little traffic. Experience small town charm; refuel and relax at local coffee shops. Routes in Siskiyou County are as diverse as the geography and accommodate all riders from beginner to advanced and everyone in between.

Learn more

Mt. Shasta to Castle Lake

Explore California’s best kept secret bike riding area. This destination has charming roads and high-alpine climbs with little traffic. Experience small town charm; refuel and relax at local coffee shops. Routes in Siskiyou County are as diverse as the geography and accommodate all riders from beginner to advanced and everyone in between.

Learn more

China Grade Road – Happy Camp

This ride follows the Klamath River on the far side. This trip has a few elevation gains and descents. The first 1.7 miles offer good views over the old mill site on the river. The next 4.8 miles are on high cliffs and there is a great view over the “Muck-A-Muck” mine site. Continue the route as it follows the original path/road from Seiad Valley. Mile 7.8 is the entrance to a bird nesting area – It was once a large homestead.  The area is closed for nesting February into July.  Across the road are large limestone cliffs with several caves visible. China Grade Road turns to dirt at mile 9.2.  The road continues for approx. 20 miles with the first half very steep as it crosses the mountains and descends into Seiad Valley.

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Gateway Trail

Named the Gateway Trail because it offers access to the forest from town, the shared-use trail is open to mountain bikers, hikers, runners, dog walkers, and equestrians. The Trailhead and parking lot are nine-tenths of a mile past the Mount Shasta High School on the right of Everett Memorial Highway. Curving up the lower flank of Mount Shasta through open brush fields and conifer plantations, offering superb views of the Eddys, Castle Crags, Black Butte, and Mount Shasta, the Gateway Trail interconnects with other trails and roads providing about 10 miles of single-track and 10 miles of dirt roads for one to five hours of riding depending on route selection and ability.

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Lower Sisson – Callahan National Recreation Trail

The lower portion of the historic Sisson-Callahan National Recreation Trail is a multi-use trail that follows the scenic North Fork of the Sacramento River for 3.3 miles. The trail is single track with steep drop offs and rocky sections with cobbled rock and small boulders. Use caution. While most of the trail is challenging, some sections are packed pine needles and less difficult. There are no major intersections off the trail. Halfway down you come to an old road. Climb up for about 150 feet and watch for the trail to continue on your left. The end of the trail also becomes an old road.

Learn more

Yreka to Montague – Shasta Valley Loop

Explore California’s best kept secret bike riding area. This destination has charming roads and high-alpine climbs with little traffic. Experience small town charm; refuel and relax at local coffee shops. Routes in Siskiyou County are as diverse as the geography and accommodate all riders from beginner to advanced and everyone in between.

Learn more

Klamath River Trail Loop

The Klamath River Trail is a nine mile loop first that passes through an old growth forest of Douglas fir, pine, madrone, and numerous species of oak, then traverses the inner Gorge of the Klamath River. Highlights of the trail are old growth Klamath-Siskiyou mixed evergreen forest types, stunning views of the Klamath River gorge and Klamath River, the feeling of being perched on a ledge, and an epic adrenalin-inducing ride across the Klamath River inner Gorge on a narrow trail. This ride is for experienced mountain-bikers only. Novice riders can still enjoy the trail if they walk their bikes through the steep narrow parts of the trail which amount to about one mile. The trail loop starts at 960 feet elevation and has a gain/loss of 2,100 feet.

Learn more

For accommodations for your biking adventure in Siskiyou County, go here

Active NorCal

Telling the Stories of Northern California

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