BC-1 Ruta Forestal del Norte

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Unknown

Tenerife is a Spanish island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa featuring year-round riding. This route traverses the pine forest on the wetter north side of Tenerife high above the Atlantic Ocean and high below the summit of the el Teide volcano. It traverses a number of parks and protected areas. It's predominantly forest road/doubletrack, so the main difficulties are the overall length and the altitude if you're not acclimated.

Tenerife is a year-round riding destination and also offers excellent beaches. There are a number of guiding services available which also offer bike rental. There is no VAT (sales tax) in Tenerife.

The black lava rock can be hot. Bring plenty of water and don't count on water at the recreational areas.

There are a few signs and trail markers and not all of the routes are well-marked. This trail intersects with a lot of other roads and trails, so a GPS track or the MTB Project mobile app are essential.

The route starts from TF-24 where there is limited parking on the outskirts of the main city on the island, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It ends over 50 miles later in a remote area on the other side at TF-38. If you're shuttling this ride, consider that the western terminus offers no shade and the surface is black lava rock, so it can be quite hot. You might not want to wait there.

Along this route, you'll pass through the Valle de La Orotava as well as numerous washes. You'll pass the Chanajiga, la Caldera, la Tahona, el Lagar, las Havas, and Arenas Negras recreational areas which feature facilities (including bathrooms and usually water).

The trail is generally about one mile above the coast which you'll occasionally be able to see below you through breaks in the forest. You'll be able to see the neighboring islands of la Palma and la Gomera towards the end of the ride. In the second half of the ride as the forest becomes thinner, you'll also be able to see the summit of el Teide volcano which is almost a mile above you. Particularly in the eastern and central parts of the ride, you may find yourself above the clouds, or the clouds may surround you at times and you may not be able to see anything.

The western reaches of the trail are drier and pass through a region affected by volcanic eruptions during the last 300 years. This area features black sands and areas with minimal shade so it can become very hot in the direct sunlight.

The eastern end of the trail is more heavily used and offers a higher concentration of connecting trails. In the first six miles, the BC-1 route follows portions of the trails: el Acebiñal, Pista las Cateras, la Herradura, el Cerro, Cuatro Veredas, Pista de la Esperenza, Pista Cruz de Fune, Pista Fuente Fria, and Pista las Calderatas.

Then the route follows a few longer trails on which you can expect less traffic the rest of the way: Pista las Aguilillas, Pista Punta de la Pista, Pista las Tortillas (unfortunately there were no signs of actual tortillas on the trail!), Pista la Orotava, Pista di Mamio, Pista di Benijos, Pista Pino Llorón, Pista los Campeches, BC-1 Penultimate Segment, Pista Barranco de la Arena (Sand Ravine Trail), and finally the Pista Montaña Cascajo (Gravel Mountain Trail).

More details on selected trails can be found in the individual trail descriptions. There are also a number of optional spur trails connected to this route as well that run to points of interest.