toolbear

Back from surveying the lower reaches of Trabuco Creek - the East and West Trabuco Creek Trails - and have some questions.


Looking at the county regional trails map, Google Earth, etc., it would appear that you can do a ride from the bottom of Trabuco Creek in SJC to Rancho SM at least. Is there an established route? This would be on horse/hiker/mountain biker multipurpose trails.

The county map shows that type of trail starting at the top of O'Neill Park and descending the creek to the ridge above San Juan C, where it looks like a short hop will put you on SJC's Trabuco Ridge Trail, thence down to I-5, under same and a bit of Class II to the top of the existing East Trabuco Creek Trail at the bottom of the stable district. (There does not appear to be a connection from Oso St. to the bottom of the stable district.)

From there it is good blacktop trail to the confluence of Trabuco and San Juan Creeks at Descanso Park a mile down.

Back up the line, I lose the trail line around the golf course above Oso Parkway. The trail over into the next drainage was easy to trace, but there is a mile of confusion before the Trabuco Ck trail can be seen again.

If you have BTDT, want to tell about it?

sd_mike

I've followed the Arroyo Trabuco from I-5 to Live Oak Park, on a cyclocross bike. It is a bit difficult to follow in places, but is open and traversable. Stay WEST from I-5 to Crown Valley Pkwy, mostly EAST north of there, but the trail is easier to follow north of Crown Valley.

toolbear

I've got a FSRxc, so I should be OK bikewise. Route finding...? The track I am looking at stays fairly high on the eastern side of the watershed and appears to end just over the line from the top of the SJC Trabuco Ridge Tr. If runs along the flank of Ladera Ranch, then down to cross under Crown Valley Pkwy.

From there it appears to follow a sewer or water line route to Oso Pkwy. Confusion above Oso. The obvious route takes you over into the Tiejas Ck drainage. From the top end there appears to be a blacktop bike trail on the western flank of Rancho SM. Below that is a dirt trail that runs along the same flank down to the bottom of the golf course. Then back into confusion.

I should start at the top at RSM and start working south in sections. However, it's time to migrate to the NorthWet, so this is on the fall/winter list. How are the ticks out there in summer? Have been warned about poison oak.

However, I will work on the routing between now and then. If I survey it for RTC, the next guy can just download the GPS file, print out the map and go do it.

Rumpled

Except for maybe some construction on the concrete of sections in SJC, Trabuco Creek can be ridden for essentially it's entire length by a MTB or possibly a CX. Below 5 by about Alipaz it is all concrete.

Here's a link to one of my rides from a bit below Oso to a bit north of the Tijeras Creek Golf Course. Arroyo Vista in RSM is a good TH - no facilities, just free street parking and a signed entrance. This section has a near warren of trails with lots of creek crossings.
https://www.geoladders.com/gmap_displ...37&walk_thru=1

North of that map, you go up to O'Neill Park and then can cross Live Oak up to the Holy Jim TH and follow the Trabuco Creek Trail to Main Divide near its' source.

toolbear

Except for maybe some construction on the concrete of sections in SJC, Trabuco Creek can be ridden for essentially it's entire length by a MTB or possibly a CX. Below 5 by about Alipaz it is all concrete.

@@@

Should be down there tomorrow to see about the section from Oso Rd. up to the I-5 underpass and beyond. It looks like a spur off the west bank trail fords the creek by the stables and joins that route.

Is there a fence at the top of the Trabuco Ridge Trail or a junction with the county trail?

toobspunk

Trabuco leads to Holy Jim Canyon, there are some off paths that will take you up to the top of saddleback, and paths from there the lead to the inland empire area. I believe most of the other canyon trails(silverado, modjeska), there are connector trails that will put you up and over saddleback as well.
As for being rideable, I have no clue.
Black Star is dirt and rideable. Silverado is paved and used to be a major route to the top. Modjeska is dirt, and not sure about being rideable. Holy Jim(Trabuco) is dirt and I am pretty sure rideable. Saddleback mostly follows fire roads and I am pretty sure is rideable.

Six jours

Silverado is paved up to Maple Springs Road, which is also paved for much of the way. The pavement gets progressively worse and progressively steeper, with half a dozen water crossings, and finally makes a U-turn, turns into dirt, and lunges for the top. It's a very pleasant ride; I do it on my road bike with fat tires. A cross bike would work nicely. Bring enough food and water for three or four hours.