Landmark
Cheeseboro Canyon / Ranch Center junction
A distinct trail junction for the oak-valley ride turnaround.
On GPX. This is a navigation landmark, not Sulphur Springs or a café. Keep the junction clear.
A prepared trail outing / Agoura Hills
Cheeseboro Canyon: oak valley return
Open slopes, oak shade and shared trail.
Trade the paved corridors for a canyon outing, with an early turnaround if the surface or the day asks for it.
- A good fit if
- You have a mountain bike and can manage loose ground and descending.
- Keep in mind
- Carry water. Trail conditions, heat and fire restrictions can change this outing substantially.
See all 1 photographs See the path, the setting and the stops. These are archival photos; dates and context are shown below. Photographers, dates & licenses
- Distance / return included
- 4.8 mi
- Estimated riding
- 50-80 min
- Suggested outing
- 2-3 hours
- Difficulty
- Demanding
- Units
Your starting point
Cheeseboro Canyon Trail above the main parking area
Cheeseboro Canyon Trail above the main parking area — join the path at the mapped point. Street, parking and rental approaches are separate. The track returns here.
Exact GPX start. The pin is not a verified parking space, rental counter or approach route.
- Bicycle
- Mountain bike
- Allow for the outing
- 180 min + travel / pickup
- Surface
- Dirt trail / fire-road corridor
- Need a bicycle?
- Explore the rental directory
The ride
A dirt-road day in the canyon.
Trade the paved corridors for a canyon outing, with an early turnaround if the surface or the day asks for it.
Begin at the Cheeseboro trailhead area off Chesebro Road and follow the selected canyon corridor to the Ranch Center Trail junction. The different spellings belong to local place and road names; check the actual start pin before travelling. The NPS map distinguishes the main canyon route from numerous side trails, and this download does not include Simi Peak or a longer Palo Comado loop.
Expect dirt rather than beach-path riding. Surface grip, ruts and small obstacles can change after weather or maintenance, and descending deserves as much attention as climbing. Use a suitable mountain bike, control your speed and give hikers and horses priority. Dismount when needed instead of treating the estimated riding time as a target to meet.
The Ranch Center Trail junction is the turnaround, not a drinking-water supply or a promise of access to Sulphur Springs. The National Park Service warns about the lack of water and unreliable mobile reception in this area. Carry enough for the full return, save navigation before arrival and check current park and fire notices. Do not continue through a closed gate because an older photograph or a downloaded track shows a way through.
Know the shape of your day
Your ride at a glance.
- Surface
- Dirt trail / fire-road corridor
- Sharing the way
- Hikers and horses; changing grip
- Ground elevation
- 307-377 m
- Format
- Out & back
Distance along the planned track4.8 mi total
Start0.0 mi
Turnaround2.4 mi
Back at the start4.8 mi
Ground elevation is the lowest-to-highest sampled terrain, not total climbing gain. Access, surface and traffic are not live-verified.
Editorial route assessment
Demanding demands
- Physical effort
- High
- Handling & attention
- Mixed-trail skills
- Outing allowance
- 180 min + your approach
Carry water. Trail conditions, heat and fire restrictions can change this outing substantially.
Relative to this route collection, not a certified trail grade. No safety or opening guarantee. How we assess difficulty.
Does this fit your day?Know where you are going
The route, mapped.
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Planned route Waypoints PlacesReport a map issue
Terrain at a glance
Dirt trail / fire-road corridor
The dashed line marks the turnaround. The vertical scale varies by route: compare the numbers, not just the shape. USGS NED ground model via OpenTopoData, about 10 m resolution; not a surveyed riding surface or a climbing-gain measurement.
How to use this GPX
- Download the file to your phone or bike computer.
- Import it into a navigation app that accepts GPX tracks. Check the start, complete return and direction before leaving.
- Save the app’s map for offline use if supported. The GPX file contains the track, not an offline street map.
- Keep a way to get home. Signs, closures and your judgment take priority over the line on screen.
Shop approaches and walking detours are not included. This is a planned track, not a recorded or field-verified ride.
Make time for the stops
Along the way.
- 10.0 mifrom the start
Cheeseboro Canyon Trail above the main parking area
On the mapped route. Planned, not field-ridden.
Waypoint on Google Maps - 22.4 mifrom the start
Cheeseboro Canyon / Ranch Center Trail junction
On the mapped route. Planned, not field-ridden.
Waypoint on Google Maps -
4.8 mifull out & back
Back where you began
Turn at the last named waypoint and follow the mapped return. The downloaded track includes the return to the start.
Make room for a stop
Places along this ride.
Choose a permitted place completely off the riding line for your break. No exact on-track cafe has been verified for this new guide; bring your own drink and snack rather than depending on a business being open.
Pins identify researched places, not tested approaches or live opening status. Read the place guide before leaving the route. Photographs appear only when the place and reuse permission are established.
Places, surfaces & useful landmarks
The ride in photographs.
Archival photographs, not current conditions. Viewpoints and off-track stops are identified below; they do not prove today's access.
Photo coverage is limited. These archival views do not document every junction or the complete riding surface. Use the route map and current signs for navigation.
Hikers in Cheeseboro Canyon
Hikers in the Cheeseboro Canyon trail network in February 2018. Give walkers and horses room. This nearby canyon scene does not establish the width or current condition of every part of the GPX.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area , 2018. Public domain .
The useful details
Plan a little. Enjoy a lot.
Start & finish
Cheeseboro Canyon Trail above the main parking area — join the path at the mapped point. Street, parking and rental approaches are separate. The track returns here.
Bike choice
Use a suitable mountain bike, check brakes and tires, and be prepared to walk difficult sections.
Before leaving
Mountain-bike skills and your own water are essential to this plan. Check NPS alerts, fire restrictions and trail conditions before travelling.
Leave some margin
Allow up to 180 minutes for the outing, plus travel and bike collection. This is a planning estimate, not a recorded ride time.
Water, facilities & a place to pause
Bring water, a snack, a charged phone and puncture supplies. No open cafe, working water fountain or available rental at the start is guaranteed by this guide. Check the official visitor information for facility hours.
Bring a suitable bike. A rental in the same area may not match this route or its start.
Explore the rental directoryTake the route with you
Your ride. Your pace.
Cheeseboro Canyon: oak valley return / 4.8 mi / out & back
GPX 1.1 with 417 track points and named places.
Planned geometry, without fabricated ride times or elevation readings.
A few things worth knowing
Before you set off.
Is the GPX a recorded ride?
No. It is a planned track assembled from connected OpenStreetMap roads and bicycle-permitted paths. Each file is a full loop or an out-and-back, with named waypoints. We have not field-ridden it or checked same-day closures.
What is included in the distance?
The measured map geometry for one complete described outing, returning to the selected start. Rental-shop approaches, walking detours and extra laps are excluded. GPS devices may calculate a slightly different distance.
Can I use an e-bike?
These guides are for ordinary pedal bicycles. Check the exact bicycle class, local jurisdiction, park rules and posted signs; permissions differ by location and trail. An e-bike rental offer is not proof that a route allows it.
Does a route file prove the way is open?
No. Check the official access links on the guide before leaving. A closure, flood warning or posted restriction overrides the download; never bypass a barrier to follow a track.
What should I bring?
Water, sun protection, a helmet, a lock, a charged phone and the downloaded track. Check brakes and tire pressure. Allow extra time for collecting and returning a rental.
From other riders
Reader comments, reviewed before publication. They are not verified access reports; check dates and current signs.
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