Creekside Ride to Outhouse and back via Goat.

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

This ride includes a climb right out of the parking lot, but once you're on top of the ridge you get nice views and some fun trail segments mixed with an occasional gravel road. This ride includes some fun flowing downhill singletrack trails like Red Rock, Outhouse and Goat.

Watch for hikers and horses, especially on the trails closer to the parking lot as it can be very busy on weekends.

Head out of the Creekside Terrace Parking lot on Trail 30 (look for a shelter with a picnic table). This trail climbs fairly quickly. Look for a nice view of the Salinas valley. When the trail splits go either way as it rejoins again later (going right is a bit sandier but less climbing).

Cross the pavement (Old Reservation Rd) and immediately head up the Sandy Ridge Rd on the other side. It gets a bit steep here so choose your gear wisely. Look for Trail 25 to your right at the second turn in the road. Trail 25 gives you a little break as it flows along the hill side but then turns up the hill for some more climbing until you re-connect to Sandy Ridge Rd. Turn right and head up the ridge.

Look for Trail 33 to the left at the top of the next climb. Take Trail 33 and follow it around and along the top of the ridge while you take in more nice views of Salinas Valley. Follow the trail along the top of the cliff pass Trail 34 on your left and keep going straight onto Trail 26. Watch for a small drop followed by a deep sandy patch and then connect back onto Sandy Ridge Rd.

Go left on Sandy Ridge Rd for a bit and look for Trail 32 on the right. Trail 32 drops down through the oaks and has a couple rocky bits at the top and a steep eroded section that ends in a hard right between a couple trees. When you hit Engineer Canyon Rd at the bottom go straight across and onto Trail 35. Trail 35 gradually climbs up the ridge (fun climb) until it connects to the end of Manzanita Rd.

Take Manzanita Rd and look for Trail 76 to your right. After winding through the manzanita for awhile you'll connect back to Manzanita Rd.

Take a right on Manzanita Rd and keep riding - watch the loose gravel here. You'll pass Trail 39 (Fern Trail) on the left and then when the road makes a hard left bear to the right onto Trail 78 for another excursion out into the Manzanita. When you get back to the road, look for Trail 75 to your right and ride down through a bit of sand and up a rocky section back to the road.

Cross the road and continue on Trail 75. Look for some rocky bits and stay to the left. Near the end you will climb up a chute where the trail has eroded, leaving just enough room for your pedals. At the top of the chute go right and down a rutted rocky bit to Jacks Rd. Go straight across Jacks Rd to Three Sisters Rd (gravel) and get your speed up so you have some momentum to climb the first sister.

After climbing the first sister, look for Trail 42 (Red Rock) on the right and head down this cyborg trail (part man part machine) and see if you can tell which part is which. The lower section flows nicely through the Oaks and drops you down to the Public Lands day area.

When you hit Skyline Rd take a left and start climbing. Go past Trail 43 (Ewok) and keep going up what is called the Mini Grind until you see Trail 44 (Outhouse) on the left.

Take Trail 44 and wind along the hillside through grassland, Oaks and Manzanita. After a series of S-turns, you'll drop down onto Three Sisters Rd and go straight across onto Trail 41 (Goat Trail). There are great views on this trail and lots of flowers in March/April. After crossing through the fields, look for the trail to split near some Oak trees and take the right. Climb up the hill and then look for some fun fast downhill, but watch for the steep bits as they can be rutted.

At the bottom you will drop onto Oil Well Rd (gravel) and take a left. Continue past Station One Rd and look for Trail 72 on your right (looks like a road). Take this up the hill keeping to the left and climb up to the saddle above the parking lot where you started. As you crest the saddle look for Trail 31 off the the right.

Head down Trail 31 and and have some fun as it winds down the hill. There is a rutted off camber section about half way down and often hikers coming up. At the bottom you will hit Old Reservation Rd. Ride down the pavement to where you started.

This ride takes place on the old Fort Ord Army base now the Fort Ord National Monument. Think of the tens of thousands of soldiers that trained in this hills and valleys over the years the base was opened. For a bit of history follow this link: blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/hollist…