Santa Rosa Riding Recommendations

[austin_cycling]

I'm planning to be in Santa Rosa, CA for 11 days in late April - early May. Any recommendations on bicycle rentals in town, and local rides in the 20-60 mile range?

[dolface]

I can't help you with road riding but if you ride dirt Anndel-Trione park is a gem. Hit up https://www.trailhousesantarosa.com/ for a bike and route suggestions before, then food and libations after.

[jtakeda]

What kind of bike are you looking to rent? And also how many hours for that mileage?

Any specific views/ destinations you’re looking for?

[donevwil]

Too many options for the lack of info you offered, what are your preferences, priorities, goals? Distance? Climbing? Epic? Leisurely? Beautiful? Where in Santa Rosa, or the surrounding area, are you staying?

No input on bike rentals, sorry.

[lavi]

Check out portions of the Megahopper that Ted King put together. You can likely divide up the route into normal human proportions.

Video.

Route via ride with GPS. Download to your Garmin, and off you goooooo.

[EB]

If you're strictly looking for road riding, you should do this ride:

http://bestrides.org/kings-ridge/

If you're looking for a mixed terrain ride, definitely do Old Cazadero, e.g. https://gravelbikecalifornia.com/old-caz-gravel-guide/

For mountain biking there are lots of great options - Galen already mentioned the wonderful Trione-Annadel - there's also Moore Creek Park, Angwin, and Oat Hill Mine - all in Napa County but within an hour of Santa Rosa. If I had 11 days there to mountain bike I'd hit all of those plus Annadel. The demos available from Trail House are quality - I demoed a Yeti SB130 from there that was dialed.

[AngryScientist]

lots of really good riding in that area and the surround stuff. Unfortunately the last few years have really seen a reduction in the availability of high quality rental bikes, depending on what type of bike you are looking for. I know zero about mtb.

also depending on how many days you want to ride, 11 days would be really expensive to rent almost anything worth riding. you may consider bringing a bike with you as your best option.

[hampco]

It is frikking rugged out there... any ride including Willows Creek or Coleman Valley will be worthwhile, Kings Ridge and anything that gets you to Wild Flour Bakery at Freestone (they keep weird hours).

Nor Cal or Trail House may be good for rentals, I would ask for wide-ish tires and low gearing as the roads are rough and the hills are plenty steep. Lots of traffic, too, if you like that sort of thing.

Good luck!

[lavi]

Originally Posted by Eli Bingham

If you're strictly looking for road riding, you should do this ride:

http://bestrides.org/kings-ridge/

Damn. That route looks great. I need to get down to that area soon for some of these rides.

Any camp grounds around? I'm grungy and like to sleep in a tent.

[dolface]

Originally Posted by lavi

Damn. That route looks great. I need to get down to that area soon for some of these rides.

Any camp grounds around? I'm grungy and like to sleep in a tent.

https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/Vi...Regional-Park/

[calebrichardson]

Originally Posted by lavi

Damn. That route looks great. I need to get down to that area soon for some of these rides.

Any camp grounds around? I'm grungy and like to sleep in a tent.

In Santa Rosa you can stay at Spring Creek Campground, it is pretty nice and quiet, but you can still ride your bike into town to get coffee. A couple minutes from MTBing in Annadel, but a King Ridge loop is a tough 100mi day of riding from there.

You could also camp out at Pomo campground in Sonoma Coast State Park, really amazing location with great hiking as well. From there, King Ridge is more like a 60mi loop, and you can throw some gravel in the mix if you want to do dome other rides (Willow Creek Rd or Old Cazadero Rd).

A third option is Casini campground, which is also out near the coast. This is kind of a noisy RV type place, but I have slept in a tent there and it wasn't a total nightmare.

[Ozz]

There have been a couple prior previous threads about this area....do a search for "Santa Rosa" and they are pretty easy to find.

[lavi]

Originally Posted by calebrichardson

In Santa Rosa you can stay at Spring Creek Campground, it is pretty nice and quiet, but you can still ride your bike into town to get coffee. A couple minutes from MTBing in Annadel, but a King Ridge loop is a tough 100mi day of riding from there.

You could also camp out at Pomo campground in Sonoma Coast State Park, really amazing location with great hiking as well. From there, King Ridge is more like a 60mi loop, and you can throw some gravel in the mix if you want to do dome other rides (Willow Creek Rd or Old Cazadero Rd).

A third option is Casini campground, which is also out near the coast. This is kind of a noisy RV type place, but I have slept in a tent there and it wasn't a total nightmare.

Awesome! TY.

[klasse]

Some cool stuff around Lake Sonoma, which is where I think the Ironman 70.3 race starts from. The lake itself is freaking gorgeous. Then there is a mountain bike shop on the edge of town that has some old vintage Ibis hanging up, you may wanna drop by for a cup of coffee and shop talk.

[Look585]

Originally Posted by hampco

...anything that gets you to Wild Flour Bakery at Freestone (they keep weird hours).

Wild Flour is a gem. If it is closed (weird hours) or rammed with visitors (whenever it *is* open), roll down the street 100 yds to Freestone Artisan Cheese and enjoy the most spectacular savoury crepe in California. Egg, cheese and ham that will change your life.