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Chilao / Silver Moccasin Figure-8

Mountain Biking Trail

Moderate
14.76 mi
2,328 ft
A high altitude figure-8 ride high in the San Gabriels.

This figure-8 loop in the Chilao Flats area, incorporating the Silver Moccasin trail, is one of the highest-elevation rides in the San Gabriels near Los Angeles. While there aren’t any major climbs or descents, the entire ride takes place over 5,000 feet, with the peak elevation reaching almost 6,200 feet!

Since this loop is located so high in the mountains, you should always expect inclement weather and plan for the worst. While the weather in sunny Los Angeles may be beautiful as ever, riding at over 5,000 feet is a completely different story. Be sure to check the weather, start early in the day, and bail out of the weather looks like it’s changing. The high altitude of this ride also means that it has a shorter riding season than many other trails in the region. The upper reaches of the San Gabriels routinely receive snow in the winter, so plan accordingly.

Assuming you’ve planned your weather window properly, this sky-scraping ride will reward you with delightful singletrack and stunning views! According to [MountainBikeBill]( “this is a raw, untrammeled bit of goodness that requires your full attention as it is narrow, steep, and often quite brushy. It is not a fast ripper trail per se, but it does have its moments.”

Some sections of trail are buff and flowy, and others feature waterbar jumps and chunky rocks. While overall this trail is intermediate friendly, expect some of the rock gardens to pose a challenge!

Sources:
Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
Mt. Mooney Climb and DH (from Hwy 2 to Hwy 2)2.25 mi-394 ft-1.4%
Mt. Mooney climb from Hwy 20.63 mi213 ft6.0%
Angeles Crest Hwy Climb0.58 mi262 ft8.6%
Poodle Dog DH (Mt. Mooney to Hwy 2)1.41 mi-381 ft-5.1%
Northbound DH to visitors center0.59 mi-203 ft-6.3%
here we go!0.27 mi-187 ft-12.1%
Singletrack Sprint0.36 mi-161 ft-8.2%
Chilao-Mt Flats-Silver Moc. Loop7.34 mi988 ft0.0%
3N14 Proper3.28 mi577 ft3.3%
Forest Service Road 3 N14 Climb1.61 mi312 ft3.6%
Forest Service Road 3 N14 Climb0.97 mi436 ft8.4%
3N14 to Hillyer Trail0.27 mi92 ft6.4%
The Wall?0.60 mi233 ft6.6%
Hillyer Trail Climb to the Top0.85 mi302 ft6.6%
The wall!0.12 mi128 ft18.9%
Mt. Hillyer Descent into Horse Flats0.99 mi-479 ft-9.1%
Mt. Hillyer Full DH1.08 mi-512 ft-9.0%
Horse Flats to Parking1.10 mi-459 ft-7.9%
Silver Mocassin from Three-Points intersection and to Chilao Visitors Center0.88 mi-472 ft-10.1%
Silver Moc Switchbacks0.79 mi-404 ft-9.7%
Silver Moccasin - south from Chilao Visitors Center to Campground1.82 mi-410 ft-2.3%
Silver Mocassin rd to rd0.91 mi184 ft1.7%
Silver Moc Mini DH0.25 mi-108 ft-8.1%
Silver Moc descent from Chilao to East Fork0.61 mi-404 ft-12.4%