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Santa Clara Rim Trails
Mountain Biking Trail
Hard
7.41 mi
749 ft
Beautiful little-ridden singletrack in Santa Clara Preserve.
The so-called "rim trails" at Santa Clara Preserve don't see nearly as much bike traffic as the nearby Barrel Roll and Suicidal Tendencies trails, yet they're every bit as beautiful, and the singletrack is even narrower and more sinuous due to the reduced bike traffic. There are two reasons that these trails don't receive as much traffic. One: you need to ride a short stretch of dirt road to reach the singletrack, and thus it many people simply don't know the trails exist. And two: you must cross a short but steep canyon known as "Cove Wash" in order to reach the singletrack. This canyon is a hoot as you drop down into it, but many bikers will be forced to push their rigs to get back up the other side.
Regardless, after navigating the short stretch of dirt road and the steep canyon, you'll find yourself on the delightful rim trails. The lollipop loop route shown here follows Rim Reaper to Rim Rambler, Rim Rock, Rim Runner, Rim Rock again, Rim Rambler again, Rim Reaper again, and back to the trailhead via the Cove Wash crossing.
When you finally get to the goods, you'll find delightful bike-optimized singletrack that winds along the edges of the mesas, offering spectacular views in all directions. Some small rock gardens keep the riding interesting, but most of the singletrack is quite smooth and flowing. Even the rocky bits consist of embedded rock slabs that are easy to negotiate.
Be sure to savor your time on the far mesas, as the views are absolutely spectacular! The far southwestern corner of this ride leads to a stunning overlook, which provides the perfect mid-ride snack stop.
If this 7.4-mile lollipop route isn't enough for you, you can always choose to loop around the mesas an extra time before you head back. Or, add on Barrel Run or Suicidal Tendencies, which run in the other direction from the Cove Wash Trailhead. The choice is up to you! Written by Greg Heil
The so-called "rim trails" at Santa Clara Preserve don't see nearly as much bike traffic as the nearby Barrel Roll and Suicidal Tendencies trails, yet they're every bit as beautiful, and the singletrack is even narrower and more sinuous due to the reduced bike traffic. There are two reasons that these trails don't receive as much traffic. One: you need to ride a short stretch of dirt road to reach the singletrack, and thus it many people simply don't know the trails exist. And two: you must cross a short but steep canyon known as "Cove Wash" in order to reach the singletrack. This canyon is a hoot as you drop down into it, but many bikers will be forced to push their rigs to get back up the other side.
Regardless, after navigating the short stretch of dirt road and the steep canyon, you'll find yourself on the delightful rim trails. The lollipop loop route shown here follows Rim Reaper to Rim Rambler, Rim Rock, Rim Runner, Rim Rock again, Rim Rambler again, Rim Reaper again, and back to the trailhead via the Cove Wash crossing.
When you finally get to the goods, you'll find delightful bike-optimized singletrack that winds along the edges of the mesas, offering spectacular views in all directions. Some small rock gardens keep the riding interesting, but most of the singletrack is quite smooth and flowing. Even the rocky bits consist of embedded rock slabs that are easy to negotiate.
Be sure to savor your time on the far mesas, as the views are absolutely spectacular! The far southwestern corner of this ride leads to a stunning overlook, which provides the perfect mid-ride snack stop.
If this 7.4-mile lollipop route isn't enough for you, you can always choose to loop around the mesas an extra time before you head back. Or, add on Barrel Run or Suicidal Tendencies, which run in the other direction from the Cove Wash Trailhead. The choice is up to you! Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rim Loops CW from TH | 6.67 mi | 505 ft | 0.4% |
| wash to rim runner loops back to wash | 6.54 mi | -430 ft | 0.0% |
| keep feet on pedals! | 0.19 mi | 89 ft | 8.3% |
| Wake Up hill | 0.33 mi | 92 ft | 5.2% |
| Cove Wash to Jesus | 2.50 mi | 443 ft | 3.3% |
| Reaper Climb | 1.00 mi | 151 ft | 2.8% |
| Rim Runner Lollipop CW | 4.91 mi | -276 ft | -0.0% |
| Rim climb | 1.79 mi | 253 ft | 2.7% |
| Runner Rock Rim | 2.82 mi | -164 ft | -0.0% |
| Rim Runner (Clockwise) | 0.65 mi | 52 ft | 0.3% |
| clockwise rim rock section | 1.44 mi | -135 ft | -0.6% |
| Reaper Descent from loop | 1.27 mi | -177 ft | -2.6% |
| Reaper descent | 0.97 mi | -118 ft | -2.3% |
| Reaper descent after the top pedal | 0.78 mi | -108 ft | -2.6% |
| Rim Reaper (South to North) | 0.45 mi | -82 ft | -3.3% |
| Feel the burn | 0.23 mi | 95 ft | 7.6% |
| Cove Wash Road Climb | 0.24 mi | 102 ft | 7.8% |
| Takeoff Climb | 0.19 mi | 79 ft | 7.7% |