The way points of this bicycle route:
This ride is the new single tract in Calabasis which opened around April of 2007. The trails are not signed. Use "google" and type in Venturacountytrails.org. Then type in Calabiasis trails. I used the map from the site to do this ride. From this map I took trails2,7,8,13,4,3 and junction 2 back to the start. Its a pretty tough ride. It took me a little over 3 hours to ride just 13.2 miles. The climbing is not too difficult. You got about 5 major climbs each averaging about 400 feet. The downside of this single tract is the tightness of the switchbacks. I had to walk each one of them because they were so tight. Believe me there are a lot of them and thats a pain in the ass. the scenery is not too bad. Nothing fantastic but you have some nice views looking across the Ventura Freeway into Las VIrgines open space and when you reach the peaks on the other side looking south you have a nice view of Calabasis peak and all the housing built in Calabasis. The ride starts at the dog park just a mile south on the left hand side down Las Virgines when you exit the freeway. There is plenty of parking in the park. The trail starts at the northern part of the park and waists no time climbing 450 feet. At .6 miles there is a junction . Stay to yourleft and continue climbing. At 1.1 miles there is a junction . Veer to your left. Its a good idea here to somehow mark the trail here with an arrow on the ground facing downhill from the trail you just came up. You will meet up with this trail on your way back. At about 2.3 miles after a nice descent do not take the trail to your left. It will drop you down to the Freeway. Instead stay to your right and descend some stairs to the bottom. You will come to a fireroad. Bear right and continue climbing again. This is Gun Club Road. This is the only fireroad on this ride. At the end of the fireroad you will come to some construction for new housing. This is around the 4 mile point. The single tract is a little difficlut to find. Look to your left at the end of the fireroad and you should see it. If not there is a little park on your left. Go to the highest point in this tiny park and look to hyour left and down. You should see the single tract now. Back tract a little and join up with the single tract. You will start descending here. At this point you are at #8 on the map the so called "Calabasis Crest Trail" even though the trail is not signed.At the bottom of the descent you will cross over a wooden bridge and now you got a nice 500 foot climb with a bunch of those loosy unrideable switchbacks. Have fun. At about the 7 mile point after a nice 300 foot descent you reach Calabasis Parkway. Cross the street and I guess this starts #13 "Calabasis-Cold Creek Connector Trail. You got a nice 500 foot climb here again with the nasty switchbacks. You peak out at the high point at 7.8 miles at 1695 feet. From here you have a nice view looking to the south at Calabasis peak and the surrounding hills and deveopment here. There is a nice little pine forest here. I think trail #13 ends at 8.6 mile point at of the descent from the highest peak in a housing development. The trail picks up in front of you across the street. This should be #4 on the map. You got a 200 foot climb on some loose stuff. Now at the 9 mile point and at the peak of the climb follow how the trail runs in the distance to your right. You will see a junction in the distance. When you reach this junction you will want to go right. Left will take you to Mulhulland Drive and Las Virgines. Don't want to go there. Know comes a crazy descent with about 6 really tight switchbacks for about .3 mile. I had too walk most of this part. Finally I think at 11.2 miles you reach the junction you saw at the 9 mile point. Veer to your right and at 12.2 mile point you will come to the junction which I told you to put a marker facing downhill. Turn left here and in another 1.1 miles of descending you will finally be back at the dog park. All in all its a nice xc ride,not my favorite because I had to dismount about 30 times because of the crappy switchbacks. Just bring plenty of water and have a brewski in your car at the end and all will be o-kay. Don't ride this on a hot day. If you attempt to ride the switchbacks be careful. One false move and your bike and body parts can end up down the bottom of a hill. Enjoy.
