Santa Ana River Trail
Santa Ana River Trail
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Scenic ride through the San Bernardino Mountains, perfect for beginners into spectacular mountain views without the rougher terrain.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
37 reviews
Excellent
20
Very good
7
Average
6
Poor
3
Terrible
1
Getaway5232
Jerusalem, Israel1 contribution
I'm from Israel and we don't have this kind trails at home so it was something for me to check. I was curios to ride the Santa Ana river trail, I got a recommendation to ride it from a bike shop in Big bear and I learned about it through the web, in real life it's one of the best single tracks I've ridden. It's long, beautiful mostly downhill trail that I enjoyed. It demands a good technical skill but not such as described on the web. The biggest disadvantage of the ride are the flies (or mosquitoes) that are attracted to the eyes or sunglasses, and while going uphill manage to stick to the eyes and face. It was a pleasure to spend a day there, mostly in the shade and with some water crossings. I recommend the trail to all bicycle riders who love challenging rides. Don't forget that you'll have to make it uphill after reaching the river (starting at the Angelus Oaks).
Written 31 August 2003
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EnduranceCyclist
Socal41 contributions
Feb 2011
The two reviews of the SART before this one refer to unpaved mountian bike sections up in the mountains. There are also two long paved sections between San Bernardino and Huntington Beach with a surface road section through Norco (because Norco won't let Parks and Recreation link the two parts).
The map on this page refers to the paved section which starts at the Quality Inn at 1750 South Waterman Avenue in San Bernardino. There are seven parking spaces in their parking lot that are dedicated to trail riders. The hotel seems pretty cool about you using their parking though - thanks Quality Inn.
The trail is mainly flat with small risers and follows the path of the Santa Ana river towards Norco. The Martha McLean/Anza Narrows park is at mile 12 and has restrooms and water. The trail ends at mile 19.5 on Arlington and you can ride into Norco or turn around here. There is a 1/4 mile dirt section at about mile 17 in the Hidden Valley Recreational Area. It starts up again about 12 miles later at Green River Road just south of Corona and continues about 30 miles to Huntington Beach. From San Bernardino to the beach and back is 126 miles.
The trail is moderately used by recreational cyclists and walkers. The beach end is considerably busier than the Inland end. It's in good condition except for a few spots where it has been washed out by heavy rain and not repaired. There is little shade which makes it hot in the summer and there are transients living in the woods between it and the river which makes it iffy at night if you're on your own. However, I've never had any problems. During Santa Ana conditions you get a strong tailwind on the way to the coast but it's a killer headwind when you turn around.
The map on this page refers to the paved section which starts at the Quality Inn at 1750 South Waterman Avenue in San Bernardino. There are seven parking spaces in their parking lot that are dedicated to trail riders. The hotel seems pretty cool about you using their parking though - thanks Quality Inn.
The trail is mainly flat with small risers and follows the path of the Santa Ana river towards Norco. The Martha McLean/Anza Narrows park is at mile 12 and has restrooms and water. The trail ends at mile 19.5 on Arlington and you can ride into Norco or turn around here. There is a 1/4 mile dirt section at about mile 17 in the Hidden Valley Recreational Area. It starts up again about 12 miles later at Green River Road just south of Corona and continues about 30 miles to Huntington Beach. From San Bernardino to the beach and back is 126 miles.
The trail is moderately used by recreational cyclists and walkers. The beach end is considerably busier than the Inland end. It's in good condition except for a few spots where it has been washed out by heavy rain and not repaired. There is little shade which makes it hot in the summer and there are transients living in the woods between it and the river which makes it iffy at night if you're on your own. However, I've never had any problems. During Santa Ana conditions you get a strong tailwind on the way to the coast but it's a killer headwind when you turn around.
Written 8 February 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Experience10172
Redlands, CA1 contribution
I just got back from what I was told was a 9 mile roundtrip hike on a section of the SART that left out of South Fork campsite (off HWY 38 near Barton Flats) and continued past Heart Bar, a fire crew station, to a forest road, and eventually back out to the 38. It felt more like 6 miles... I'll have to look into that. Anyways, the weather was great (warm, slightly overcast with a nice breeze), the river was running in some areas, and we didn't see a SINGLE OTHER PERSON on the trail. And this was on a Sunday. Need I say more? Ponderosa and Jeffrey pine, black oak and white fir trees provided plenty of shade, and there were even some wildflowers in bloom (in OCTOBER!). Good times. I highly recommend it.
Written 5 October 2003
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eljuezcubano
Chino Hills, CA364 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
The ride from Green River to the beach used to be nice. Now, portions near Anaheim Stadium reminded me of a Mad Max movie. Trash on the bike path, loose dogs, and obviously high people walking out in front of you. Something has to be done to bring this great bike path to its prior state!
Written 28 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eric Newman
Wailuku, HI727 contributions
Apr 2017 • Solo
I have frequently cycled on the Santa Ana River Trail for many years but since January 2017 the homeless problem has made certain sections unsafe. Not just from bike-jackings and muggings, but dazed people walking out into the bike lanes abruptly without looking. There are 200 - 300 tents near the Honda Center, Angels Stadium, through Orangewood Ave., with commensurate trash and odors.
Written 26 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian
Placentia, CA13 contributions
Oct 2019
I was looking for a safe stretch of road to ride my new RadPowerBike (love those bikes!) and I didn't want to deal with traffic, lights, and cars. The Santa Ana river trail is the perfect solution. Two lanes wide, with great visibility in every direction. Its long enough - beach to the mountains... although I only did a 20 mile trek. What I wasn't expecting was the wildlife up around the Yorba Linda part of the trail. It was really fun to watch the various water birds as I rode by. At no point did I feel unsafe (I rode during the day). Highly recommended.
Written 10 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dianartimus
Highland, California, United States152 contributions
Feb 2018 • Friends
Sadly, not maintained at all and a Quarry Company came along and bulldozed a good portion of the east beginning of not only the trail but also the huge engraved boulder that was marking the trail. I was so upset when I saw what they had done, and I don't think they had any rights on the historic trail and granite boulder landmarker!
Written 14 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cojosurfer805
Pismo Beach, CA50 contributions
May 2018
I had an hour before my train and rode a few miles of the bike trail. By no means enough to make a solid review, but if you have a few minutes at the Anaheim ARTIC and you have a bike take the ride. The paved bike path is solid and in great condition. It varies from an old access road possibly to a typical bike path. Along this section near Angles Stadium don't expect sweeping vistas of a riparian habitat. 80 years ago probably a paradise, now pretty industrial with cyclone fencing and an engineered concrete river. However, when compared to Harbor or Ball Roads, this is a cyclists dream. Check it out.
Written 26 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
eljuezcubano
Chino Hills, CA364 contributions
May 2018 • Friends
The river trail is back! No more dodging people, animals, or chicken bones. The stretch near the Honda Center and the Big A have been returned to bikers, runners, and others who want to enjoy a safe place to exercise. Thank you!
Written 21 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard L
Corona, CA1,360 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
If you are looking for a place to ride with no car traffic this is the place to ride. The Orange County section begins near the Green River Golf Course in Corona. The northern section starts near Norco near the wildlife area and goes all the way to San Bernardino. There are several important things to know on this trail. 1. The trail is often closed on weekdays near Narrows Park due to construction. 2. This part of the trail has long sections where there is no access to roads. If you were to have a medical issue or mechanical issue you might be 2-5 miles from a road where you could get help. 3. The Santa Ana River itself is home to many homeless residents. Although, I have never had any issues I would not suggest a female rider using this trail alone.
Written 15 December 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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