Technical and not for beginners.
This ride starts at the upper trailhead at the winery. Park here, but don't enter the trails at this point. Ride out past the artist colony and past the cell tower and start at the gate.
Follow
Monarch Whistle all the way to
Chestnut Ridge Trail and drop down to the lower level from here. The drop is memorable. There's an elbow turn in the downhill that will test your riding skills! Then take the
New California trail, which is an epic rock garden from start to finish. It's hard to get much speed on this trail and it is super technical. Unlike any other trail in all of Spencer... but it is cool to have one like this around to keep us nimble.
That trail will terminate into
Ben's Run Trail, which you'll ride around to
Lobotomy.
Lobotomy is the best trail in the system and you may want to loop back onto
Ben's Run Trail and ride it again to try to beat your time. It is super flowy and fun. You'll drop down and cross the bridge over Ben's Run on
Ben's Run Trail and take a left to ride back up past the dam. Continue on around to
Black Walnut Trail where you'll ascend to
Monarch Whistle again. This ascent sucks. Worst part of the system and mother nature has made it such that without an excavator we simply couldn't find an easier climb in the place, but
Black Walnut Trail is easily the best climb back up.
Jocko's Strut is simply too steep and long (but is a super cool downhill if you ever want to try it). Take
Monarch Whistle back around and this time, instead of taking it all the way through, try riding
Tanner's Crossroads and then take a left onto
Chestnut Ridge Trail back to your car.
The old dam was built around 1910 and decommissioned in the 1950's. It was once the city water reservoir.
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