Cottle Trail

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

Trail leads through some remote areas with poor cell coverage. Carry tools and spares. Those connecting to Rancho Cañada del Oro should make sure they have sufficient energy to loop back home.

As of 2022, there are official park signs that the Lisa Killough Trail is now one-way in the counter-clockwise direction, which means the Cottle Trail must be ridden as a return to the parking lot and the description should be considered in the opposite order (written for north to south).

This trail makes the east side of the main bike legal loop in Rancho San Vicente/Calero County parks. Riders starting from the main park entrance on McKean Road can take Cottle Trail south until it meets Lisa Killough Trail. At that point, it's possible to use Lisa Killough Trail to go back to the parking lot (a total loop of about eight miles), or continue on Cottle Trail until it meets Chisnantuck Peak Trail and ride all the way south to Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve.

The first segment (from the park entrance to Lisa Killough Trail) has four miles of a very gentle grade, mostly made of fire roads (and double-wide singletrack). There are nice views of the Calero Reservoir about halfway down the trail (it's hard to miss). The trail has tree coverage of about 50%, so plan accordingly during the warm months of the year.

From the Lisa Killough Trail junction down, the trail gradually becomes a typical South Bay fire road climb, ending at Chisnantuck Peak Trail. People who prefer a longer ride may wish to connect to Rancho Cañada del Oro for a much longer (and more strenuous) ride.

Note, the last 0.5 miles to Chisnantuck Peak Trail has a steep fire road climb (17% grade at times).