Trails LA County showcases over five hundred miles of stunningly diverse trails across the county and many of these trails are available for you to enjoy on your bike. It’s easy to filter for mountain biking accessible trails on our website or you can download the Trails LA County app to your smartphone, which also allows for trail filtering as well as providing accurate trail maps, up-to-date closure info, and offline mapping make it easy to have a safe and fun outing on the trail.
On multi-use trails, you will likely encounter equestrians and hikers, some with dogs or small children. Other trail users, especially horses, dogs and kids can be startled by other fast-moving trail users, especially from behind. To ensure an enjoyable day out for everyone, remember to be aware and courteous when sharing the multi-use trails and keep in mind your responsibility on the trail:
Sharing the trail requires mountain bikers to yield to all other trail users as well as yielding to other cyclists when traveling downhill.
- When passing be sure to greet fellow trail users, slow down, and pass slowly. Be prepared to react to surprised trail users you may encounter.
- Make eye contact with equestrians, ask for the best way to pass, and only pass after the equestrian gives you the okay to avoid spooking the horse.
Safety Guidelines for Mountain Bikers
- Carry first aid supplies. Learn to recognize and avoid poison oak, rattlesnakes, ticks, and bees.
- When riding alone, tell someone where you are going. Avoid traveling alone in remote areas.
- Expect surprised trail users. Fast moving bikes can startle others, especially when approaching from behind, or coming around a blind turn. Limited visibility around corners and curves should be a signal to slow down to the speed of hikers, the slowest trail users.
- Use a bike bell or other audible cues. The best way to help minimize risk for surprised hikers and equestrians is not to surprise them in the first place. A well-timed “ding” of a bike bell can help keep everyone safe. Move at a safe speed. Observe the 15-mph speed limit; 5 mph when passing. Excessive speed is unsafe on multi-use trails, and can lead to injury or worse. All users must use good judgment and be aware that there are other users on the trail who may be going slower than they are.
