×
|
Rate it:
Tags:
Level: Advanced
Length: 15 mi (24.1 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Out & Back
Elevation: +1,657/ -1,750 ft
Total: 129 riders
Mountain Biking Noble Canyon
#12 of 1,004 mountain bike trails in California
Noble Canyon is considered to be one of the best down hill trails around Southern California. It is technically difficult with narrow single track, gnarly rocks and tight switchbacks. This ride takes you through three distinct ecosystems. You start out in alpine meadows and oak trees that transitions into typical Southern California chaparral and finally into the arid desert climate near the Anza-Borrego desert. At some times of the year you can start the ride will plenty of snow on the trail and by the end of the ride be in 85 degree desert heat. This is normally considered an advanced ride. This ride will be fun for intermediate riders but you will most likely find yourself doing some walking over and down obstacles. more info with pictures and video can be found Here: http://www.mountainbikebill.com/NobleCanyon.htm
First added by Acill on Jan 16, 2007. Last updated Apr 28, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: unknown
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: unknown
- Restrooms: unknown
- Fat bike grooming: unknown
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
For the Laguna - Noble combination ride: From San Diego, take I-8 east to the off ramp for Pine
Valley. Exit the highway and turn left. Travel
north for .3 miles to Old Highway 80. Turn right and travel about .3 miles and you will see the
General Store on your left. Park the shuttle car parking lot. With the other vehicle, continue on
east on Old Highway 80 to the intersection on Sunrise Highway. Turn left and go up the hill.
About 1/2 mile after entering the Laguna Recreation Area you will see a Wildlife Information
Kiosk off the right side of the road. Park somewhere along the side of the road here.
To just shuttle Noble Canyon: From San Diego, take I-8 east to the off ramp for Pine Valley. Exit
the highway and turn left. Travel north for .3
miles to Old Highway 80. Turn right and travel about .3 miles and you will see the General Store
on your left. Park the shuttle car parking lot. With the other vehicle, continue on east on Old
Highway 80 to the intersection on Sunrise Highway. Turn left and go up the hill. About 6 miles
after entering the Laguna Recreation Area you will see the Penny Pines/Noble Canyon trailhead
parking area. Park here.
If your are going to climb up from the lower trailhead: From San Diego, take I-8 east to the off
ramp for Pine Valley. Exit the highway and turn left. Travel north for .3 miles to Old Highway 80.
Turn left onto Old Highway 80 and travel about 1.2 miles to Pine Creek Road. Turn sharply right
onto Pine Creek Road and travel 1.6 miles to the trailhead parking on the left.
System trails (1)
Featured in
Its great.
| ThankGreat trail with a little bit of everything you could possibly want. Chunder, fast and flowy sections, long rock gardens, and enough climbing to keep you honest (assuming you don't shuttle to the top), it's all there through 3 distinct ecosystems. The majority of users are mountain bikers but you can and will run into hikers towards the bottom section so you need to pay attention while pinning it. Hands down the best trail in SoCal.
| ThankGreat trail - tree line meets desert; very cool. The route is a cross of buffalo creek co, Apex, co and Aliso Viejo park. How good is that !!! I would add this to any must do Cali bucket list. Bring Knee and elbow pads
| ThankDemanding ride that deserves the expert rating. Lots of rocky trail along the entire trip. Shuttle service now being offered by ALPINE RIDE SHOP. They do a bang up job!
| ThankOne of my most favorite rides anywhere, ever. Do the climb. Yeah, it's up a road, but it's worth the effort. Ride the stuff up top (Big Laguna). Then blast down Noble Canyon through forest, rocks, desert, more rocks. So fun!!!
| ThankThis is a dynamite trail! If you can work out the logistics of a shuttle, it is a tremendous amount of fun. It has everything from fast and flowy to totally gnarly. It also passes through three distinct life zones from the subalpine ponderosa forest up top through the deciduous forest in the middle to all out desert near the bottom. If you want more miles, make the climb without a shuttle, and/or add on some great cross country riding at the beginning on the Big Laguna Trail.
| ThankI could give this trail a 5 because it is hands down the best single MTB trail in all of San Diego County. However, compared to many others areas (Gooseberry, Sedona, Fruita), it pales in overall comparison. However, it's still a must-do in San Diego. It has some of everything from screaming fast single track to rock gardens to sketchy switchbacks and even some exposure thrown in to liven things up.
| ThankI haven't ridden this trail, but I just moved to the area and am looking to explore some solid DH trails. Hit me up if you are down to go check out Noble Canyon. I'm down to either climb or shuttle.
| ThankThis is the best ride I've found in southern CA, fun as a shuttle or loop, descending 3000' thru pine and oak forest to the desert.
| Thanki would love to ride this trail.I am intrestred in shuttling this trail becouse i am not big on climbing but love a good long downhill ride.If any one is intrested in showing me then please let me know.I will check reviews daily * Review edited 3/27/2012
| Thankas stated before, awesome trail. some really good DH. dont forget the day pass. drink lots of water cuz it can get really hot in the summer. but overall great trail.
| ThankFirst off, it's been 12 years since I've been. That being said: Amazing trail, we chose to "shuttle" via 2 vehicles. We parked on at the bottom and "lifted" our rides to the top. It's approx. a 13 mile downhill X-travaganza wit great singletrak, creek crossings and high desert. The last bit is very technical with a bit of climbing @ the end. Would love to get back!!! A++
| ThankThis trail has plenty of climbing, rocks and ST to keep everyone interested. We started at the Pine Valley TH and climbed up a rocky ST that left us with some fun DH before the real climbing started up the road and then up the rocky Indian Creek trail. From there it was another DH and with intermittent climbing up to the top parking area. Once at the top we hit some great ST that looped around and through the meadow area before coming back down the technical Noble Cyn with rocks, drops and exposure to keep everyone on their toes. Not a beginner ride as the entire loop, I walked some sections on Noble, some of the first ST and some on Indian Creek but the payoff was well worth the 27 mile loop. * Review edited 4/23/2012
| ThankThe premier ride In San Diego or perhaps in SoCal. Advanced riders will love it novices should think twice before attempting. Good technical trail with great buffed out sections and some really gnarly rock gardens with exposure. A must do.
| ThankIf you start from the bottom you have about 10 miles of some pretty steep climbing until you get to the top
| Thankwhere you drop down into Nobel Canyon. It gets really technical from there with some serious rocking single
track. Its a blast!
A great downhill ride with plenty of rocks and some smooth faster sections. Ride with a buddy or two and bring the med kit. Advanced only
| ThankNobel is one of my top 5 favorite trails. It is technically challenging, especially if you decide to climb up as well from the bottom of Pine Valley. If you do, be sure to take Indian Creek Trail as well which will meet Nobel at the top. Take plenty of water, tools and try to avoid the heat. We've had many a death-rides doing the full loop.
| Thank