RIDE THE TOP 5 MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS IN REDDING, CA
If you’re into mountain biking, Redding, California is likely on your radar. If it isn’t, it should be!
Beautiful Redding is home to some of the best mountain biking trails in Northern California and the entire United States.
Whether you crave sheer speed, challenging twists and turns, breathtaking scenery, or a little of all three, this is your mountain biking hotbed.
When narrowing down the top five trails for mountain biking in Redding, CA, it is bound to get a little controversial and generate some debate! So we consulted some Redding mountain biking gurus, including Nathan Knudsen, to get their favorites.
Nate is the Executive Director of the Redding Trail Alliance, a trail stewardship non-profit he helped found in 2016, which focuses on building, maintaining, and promoting trails in the region.
He’s just one of several Redding mountain bike riders who has traveled far and wide, exploring the best trails the United States offers, but always drawn back to Redding.
Top 5 Mountain Bike Trails in the Redding Region
SNAIL TRAIL/ MULE MT. SUMMIT TRAIL – THE NEED FOR SPEED
If you feel the need for speed, the ironically named Snail Trail is your superhighway.
“It’s steep, so it can get insanely fast, like scary fast,” Nate told us.
“It makes the Snail Trail a little bit unique compared to some other flow trails, and while it creates more maintenance for us at Redding Trail Alliance, it’s one of the reasons people like it.
“I include the Mule Mt. Summit Trail [with Snail Trail] because they connect so you can view it as one long trail. By linking both together, you can net our longest sustained descent here in Redding.”
The two trails offer something for everyone, with lots of berms all the way to the bottom.
“It goes from a narrow old school, hand-built single track trail to a groomed, machine-built flow trail. So you get both of those experiences.”
Sending it on Enticer
ENTICER – HAPPY AS LARRY
The trail is named after the denim-wearing, mullet-adorned Canadian YouTube sensation Larry “I’m just gonna send it” Enticer.
The Enticer trail is featured on multiple YouTube channels such as BCPOV, BCXE, Kyle Warner, and Van Girl Yuka.
It is considered the original and premier bike park-style jump trail in Northern California on public land, and it set the precedent that others have since followed.
While The Enticer offers challenging advanced jumps, the optional lines mean people of all skill levels can ride and enjoy it.
Whether it’s step downs, massive berms, gap jumps, table tops, hips, or rollers, they’re all waiting for you on this downhill-only trail.
BRANDY CREEK – THE “ICE BOX”
Point your bike down the Ice Box, and you’re guaranteed to go home with a smile on your face.
The “Ice Box” is a Redding classic and used to be the ‘go to’ trail for the region, especially in the summertime. This trail’s cooler temperatures and rugged features helped give it its nickname.
Combined with the flowy Rich Gulch Trail, aka “Chimney,” locals will tell you that this trail offers the best ‘bang for your buck’ as far as distance, climbing, and how much fun you have coming downhill.
SALT CREEK TRAIL – A ROCKY ROAD
With spectacular scenery, the imposing Salt Creek Bridge, and situated within just a few minutes of Redding, this trail is a winner.
It’s another favorite for mountain bike riders because you’ve got an old-school, narrow, technical, hand-built single track, especially on the older portion. It’s also rocky, which adds to the challenge and entertainment.
Salt Creek Trail is just outside of Redding for super-easy access. It has numerous ride options, and it is equally fun whether you go up or down.
If you can take your eyes off the trail, you’ll see you’re following a beautiful gorge with large rocks and will come up to the 75-foot bridge spanning Salt Creek.
TOP OF THE WORLD/WEST SIDE TRAVERSE TRAIL – A POSTCARD OF REDDING
If you have yet to visit Redding and want the perfect overview, the West Side Trail is the trail for you.
The view from the Top of the World is one of the best views of Redding. You can see the famous Sundial Bridge, looming Mt. Shasta, Lassen Peak, Keswick Dam, as well as the train trestle.
You can rest your legs, sit on a bench, and take it all in.
The trip down doesn’t disappoint, either. The west side traverse trail is just a fast high-speed flowing trail, with nothing really challenging about it. But it’s one of the longer, sustained descents close to Redding, so you will enjoy the high speeds.
VISIT REDDING, CA MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS
There are now over 200 miles of Redding, CA bike trails of all degrees of difficulty, showcasing the beauty of the city and its surrounding countryside.
There are even a dozen climbs of up to 5,000 feet for mountain bike masochists. Since Redding sits at the foot of endless hills and mountains, your time on the bike can be as challenging as you want to make it—even a mountain bike masochist will leave here feeling satisfied.
Read more in our ultimate guide for mountain biking in Redding.