San Ysidro - #SanYsidro

Socal - Santa Barbara County - Santa Barbara NickNames: #SanYsidro

If for some strange reason you want to try riding up San Ysidro, you can reach the base of the trail by exiting the 101 Freeway at San Ysidro Road. Head north about a mile to East Valley Road and turn right.Than turn left on Park Lane go a half mile and veer left onto East Mountain Drive which deadends at San Ysidro creek The right way to do this trail is from the top and you can access it from E. Camino Cielo.

3 Review(s)Login

• Trail UpdateXTRA Caution On Sat. 11/30-This Saturday (tomorrow) the 9 Trail Run will be happening on our front country trails. If you are out on the trails anytime on Saturday, please take extra extra caution by scanning the trail ahead of you, wearing a bell, and stopping for runners/other trail users well in advance.

  Posted:11/29/2002

• Trail UpdateSanta Barbara Trail Information:

  
  The Santa Barbara front country trails (Tunnel, ColdSprings, etc.) are in danger of being closed to mountain bikes. Recent events, which include irresponsible trail use by mountain bikers and the sabotage or booby trapping of trails by a group of anti-bicyclists are the grounds for these closures. Both of these events have gained the attention of the Forest Service and the media.

  If you ride here in Santa Barbara, there are some responsible use guidelines that we need you to follow. Your actions are judged by the other trail users and your actions will either help keep the trails open or help shut down your privilege to ride them.
  
  Trail Use Guidelines:
  - The Santa Barbara trails are Public Multi-use recreational trails. Be aware that there are other users on the trail. The SB trails are NOT race courses, do not treat them or ride them like race courses.
  - Always yield to other trail users. This means that you must come to a complete stop when encountering another trail user. Ask the other trail user to pass by or allow you to pass when it is safe for them.
  - Always use a bike bell. The purpose of a bike bell is to alert other trail users to your presence and take the surprise factor out of your encounter with them. The bell does not give you "right of way" or the license to race. Bells are available in the bell box at the top of Tunnel trail, at local SB bike shops, and at your local hardware or feed store.
  - Stay on designated trails. Do not shortcut switchbacks. Someone in the hiking community has been damaging our Los Padre Forest resources by cutting and opening illegal trails. Do your best to stay off these trails. The trails at the end of the powerline road off of ColdSprings and the trail off of the lower right hand switchback of ColdSprings are examples of illegal trails.
  - Allow trails to dry for a few days after rain. Riding wet or muddy trails may enhance and exaggerate the erosion caused by water.
  - Strengthen the trails that you ride and use, volunteer for trail maintenance events. Find upcoming maintenance events on the www.sbmtv.org website.
  * This may sound like a lot, but it only takes a little effort…
  
  !The trails are being sabotaged!
  For the last number of months, someone has been rolling large boulders onto the trails. Now in addition, 2' to 3' high rock walls are being built across the trail. Both the boulders and the walls seem to be placed on the trail with intent to injure mountain bike riders. We are worried that these booby traps may escalate to wire or more dangerous traps. Be careful going into blind corners as one of these booby traps may be set there for you. Be sure to scan the trail bed ahead for these traps. A small number of riders have already been injured.

  
  The Forest Service has called together a "Front Country Working Group" to address these issues. SBMTV is cooperating with the other user groups in this process to develop solutions for increased user safety and the reduction of user conflicts on the Santa Barbara trails.

  Chris Orr
  VP Trails, SBMTV
  Chris.orr@sbmtv.org
  www.sbmtv.org

  *Your posts to these trail review sites are being reviewed by the anti-bicyclist crowd. How do I know? Because they are using direct quotes from these reviews as ammunition in the push to ban bikes on SB trails…
  
  Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers from Santa Barbara, CA

  Posted:11/06/2002

• Trail UpdateSan Ysidro/Romero Loop-This is about a 17 mile loop we did consisting of a ride starting at the Romero Canyon trailhead off Bella Vista than riding up Romero to E. Camino Cielo and dropping down San Ysidro and riding the Romero connector back to Romero. Romero has been described well enough by yours truly and a number of other posters so for details on the ride up Romero go to that trailhead spot. Once up top of E. Camino Cielo hang a left and ride about 3 miles of pavement to the San Ysidro trailhead which is well marked. The pavement riding adds some climbing though nothing as taxing as the climb up Romero which is a solid upper intermediate grunt gaining about 2300'. We happened to run into a big contingent of Santa Barbara local riders and strangely none of them had been down San Ysidro. There were hardly any tire marks either as we started to head down San Ysidro which apparently is due to the conditions of the trail. San Ysidro is really 2 totally different trail types. Above the creek/waterfall area(ie, the top 2-2.5 miles) and below that area. The top part of San Ysidro on this day was extremely loose with plenty of ruts, tight switchback turns (including one very nasty lefthander requiring expert level ability)and steep descents. In some areas the trail becomes very narrow and off camber and one mistake can send you sliding off the side of the mountain--definitely not for the feint of heart and definitely not for beginners or intermediate level riders. Very steep, loose and rutted in the top half and brake sliding is basically inevitable in spots. Once you reach the creek and waterfall area the loose stuff basically disappears and it becomes a hucksters dream with lots of rock gardens,some very technical and tricky given how the rocks are located. There are some waterbars as well mixed in and the sceneary is really quite nice throughout this lower part. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and once you hang a left on the connector towards Romero things get ugly. This first section is a brutally steep climb for a good half to 3/4 mile--all of us agreed the steepness exceeds Hell Hill(in Sycamore Canyon) in spots. Once up top you can see another brutal stretch of powerline climbing but fortunately that can be avoided as I'll get to later. Now begins another singletrack section (you'll see a sign pointing directions to Romero)including some pretty technical spots and very sharp plants so watch out. There was also plenty of Poison oak around this trail area and lower San Ysidro. Eventually you come to a location where you can go left (and eventually have to do that 2nd big fireroad grunt) or right(Buena Vista Trail) which will take you down to Bella Vista and you can ride the pavement back to your cars. Since we are all strong climbers we chose to do the left route. This is a very nice singletrack climb which leads to the fireroad but by this time everyone's legs were hurting so there was hike a bike spots especially near the steeper switchbacks--and there are plenty of them as you climb out this canyon area. Finally after grinding up the fireroad section you'll get a series of steep uphills and very loose technical downhills (this ain't your grandma's fireroad by any stretch of the imagination). Eventually after one really step downhill your back to the main Roemro Canyon trail and a right takes you back to your car. This is a very grueling loop and if you take the left option we did(right would be the Buena Vista trail to Bella Vista Drive)your probably looking at a total elevation gain of 4000-4500' for the loop. Bring lots of grubb and water--you'll need it especially if the weather is warm.
  Ride rating: Advanced
  Ride distance: 17miles Elevation change: 4000'+
  Singletrack=50% Dirt Road=35% Paved Path=15%
  Dan from T.O. a Die-hard Enthusiast riding a Intense Tracer from Thousand Oaks

  Posted:05/25/2002