REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Directional trails (and specifically Fremont Older, Calero)

2865 Views 27 Replies 16 Participants Last post by rcrocha, Aug 1, 2021

form49b

Discussion Starter · Jul 15, 2021

During Covid, Midpen instituted directional trails for some of the trails at Fremont older, and County Parks did the same at Calero (Lisa Killough loop). I believe the Midpen restrictions were lifted as of 6/15 or so. I rode at Calero more recently and the trails were still directional so I'm not sure of County Parks' intentions.

I have been speaking to a bunch of equestrians recently about multi-user interaction and they uniformly liked the directional restrictions. I also rode (bikes) with some friends at Calero recently and we all spoke about how the directional restriction make the experience better as we weren't worried about some of the sections on the south side where there are fairly high speed, relatively flat sections with blind-ish corners.

I'm wondering what people think about this, in general or for these specific places. Did you like the directional restrictions? Would you prefer that they remain or be lifted? Do you have any comments on the bike/horse or bike/hiker (or even bike/bike) interactions with/without directional restrictions?

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sa12

· #2 · Jul 15, 2021

There's a few trails in my area that are now directional, and I'm a big fan.

Seems like a place like Calero could certainly benefit from directional trails on the main loop of Lisa/Cottle. Fewer panic braking situations as you round a somewhat blind corner and find someone else coming right at you.

Reactions: 1

BigLarry

· #3 · Jul 15, 2021

I suspect Calero will keep the current directional trails due to the very high traffic, and the tendency for racers to mix with newbies on that nice loop. (One hiker in our area mentioned they saw one racing biker pass them three times while on their hike!!!)

Another person in our area said Calero park was making a permanent sign for the loop. Just rumors at this point.

Reactions: 2

RBoardman

· #4 · Jul 15, 2021

Nearly everywhere I ride are directional trails, not because some sign says so, but because they are too steep to ride or even hike up. They should build a downhill directional trail directly next to U-conn in Santa Cruz, that would resolve a lot of conflict of people trying to come down that when 80% of people only use it as a climb. I think that would make every user group happier.

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bk_mtb

· #5 · Jul 15, 2021

Calero is my main ride specifically the counter clockwise loop.

I really like it being directional. It takes the guesswork out for interactions with most other bikes.

I would like it if the hikers also had to adhere to the ccw rule. Most don't - so you do have to watch out for them.

I've also seen a few mtb going the wrong way. It's a pretty big / jarring surprise when that happens.

Reactions: 1

Loll

· #6 · Jul 15, 2021

I like it at Calero, but for as long as I have been riding seven spring at Fremont Older I have ridden it in the opposite direction. I think the downhill is better, despite the speed limit. More importantly the uphill is better. The rhythm feels nicer and the trail is much smoother and more gradual.

Reactions: 2

rcrocha

· #7 · Jul 15, 2021

Loll said:
I like it at Calero, but for as long as I have been riding seven spring at Fremont Older I have ridden it in the opposite direction. I think the downhill is better, despite the speed limit. More importantly the uphill is better. The rhythm feels nicer and the trail is much smoother and more gradual.

That is the same way for me. The descent in the other dirtection is much better and I would rather climb up in the shade. I usually only ride in the am so it doesn't matter that much but I have ridden it only once since covid because I don't like that direction.

form49b

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 15, 2021

RBoardman said:
Nearly everywhere I ride are directional trails, not because some sign says so, but because they are too steep to ride or even hike up. They should build a downhill directional trail directly next to U-conn in Santa Cruz, that would resolve a lot of conflict of people trying to come down that when 80% of people only use it as a climb. I think that would make every user group happier.

I thought there was some traction to do exactly this but I haven't heard anything recently.

Doesn't Matter

· #9 · Jul 15, 2021 (Edited)

Seems that, outside of COVID, Bay Area land managers aren't very creative in coming up with conflict management solutions. The one-way loop at Calero I wholeheartedly approve. As others mention, those blind corners can prove nasty if not taken with care. I am occasionally the "fast" XC race type guy, but I know the sections where I can put the pedal down and when to throttle back. And I'm always ringing my bell.

Leave the Bay Area and you see a lot of creativity when it comes to managing conflict (Tahoe/SLC odd/even days, directional trails, climbing-only trails, bypass trails, etc.).

Can you imagine a Tue/Thu bike-only day at any MidPen property? Neither can I. Can you imagine them dedicating large portions of their parking lots to the three equestrians per year who need to park their 800ft-long trailers to use their trails? I can.

And what about MidPen soliciting an outside contractor to manage a stable for horses at Bear Creek Redwoods? Woohoo. No complaints from area residents about extra horse trailer traffic there, yet extra-traffic complaints shut down the bike park County Parks wanted to build at Black Rd/35.

Fortunately, I live in San Jose so my taxes don't fund dumb MidPen moves. At least Santa Clara OSA and County Parks does more for cyclists with their limited funding.

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Reactions: 1

abeckstead

· #10 · Jul 15, 2021

California land managers don't even seem to give a damn about user conflicts. I'm in favor of some directional and/or user specific trails, pretty much everywhere. New trails being built are steep and fast... which is a perfect recipe for user conflicts between bikes and foot/uphill/traffic. Peak Covid times out on the trails was reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeefukkkkkkindickulous. I'm not saying every trail in a park should be directional/user specific... but at least come up a with a logical approach to get users to navigate these trail systems with less potential for conflicts.

Reactions: 1

Yeety

· #11 · Jul 15, 2021

form49b said:
I thought there was some traction to do exactly this but I haven't heard anything recently.

Hah, there won't be any traction at UC until the next rainy season

Reactions: 2

form49b

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 15, 2021

Does anyone know of a trail system that alternates directions on different days on some trails? Would Fremont Older fans accept that (just for the trails that were temporarily directional)? Is it too complicated?

BigLarry

· #13 · Jul 16, 2021

Regardless of trail direction, one should never ride beyond your ability to stop for surprise trail obstacles. Even if that means ruining the fun on a fast downhill corner. One way trails are mostly irrelevant to being safe. It just helps in Calero due to the dangerous mix of families, newbie bikers, and race bikers.

It's not just bikes going the other direction. It could be hikers, children (I've even seen strollers on the Calero loop), someone stopped for the view, a tree or rock across the trail. At Calero, I've seen a big rattlesnake right in the middle of Cottle Trail, I finally got the snake to slither off with a spray from my water bottle.

Just a couple days ago at the adjacent Quicksilver park, I turned a fast downhill corner towards the Mockingbird exit, and was up the butt of a big brown mountain lion. He was a big as my front wheel, with his long tail dragging on the road. I stopped about 50 feet behind him and he turned and gave me an annoyed look before sauntering into the woods, politely letting me know it was OK for me to pass. I tried to get a picture, but he strolled behind a bush just as I got my camera set.

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Empty_Beer

· #14 · Jul 16, 2021

7

form49b said:
Does anyone know of a trail system that alternates directions on different days on some trails? Would Fremont Older fans accept that (just for the trails that were temporarily directional)? Is it too complicated?

Some pix I've seen on social media (of places NOT in California that I have never visited).

The only directional trail I know of in NorCal is at Hidden Falls (Auburn, CA)... seems to work fine without complaints from mtb'ers who want to rip down it (Creekside Trail).

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Reactions: 5

RoscoP

· #15 · Jul 16, 2021

My feeling is single direction is reduced access and we should cede nothing unless more trails are built.

Reactions: 2

Tyrone Shoelaces

· #16 · Jul 16, 2021

RoscoP said:
My feeling is single direction is reduced access and we should cede nothing unless more trails are built.

Interesting thought....I can't say I ever thought of it quite that way.

When I was living in Denmark, every MTB specific trail in my vicinity (5 awesome forests within a 45 minute drive or train ride), was directional. And it was AWESOME. Never once did I have the desire to 'poach' in the other direction, and seemingly neither did anyone else as I'd never see anyone coming the other way.

I never looked at it as "reduced access" as you state above, but rather "increased freedom". Increased freedom to ride as fast as I want or my ability allowed with never the worry of anyone coming the other way. In nearly 3 years of living there and riding a metric **** ton, there was never anyone or anything around a blind corner or coming the other way. It was glorious....can just turn the brain off (mostly lol) and ride. Never felt that I was missing out on anything by not being allowed to ride in the opposite direction.

NorCalTaz

· #17 · Jul 17, 2021

Liking lots of the solutions I am seeing here in regards to the signs. Granite Bay could use some of these, there are a few good DH trails (IE Blue Pipe DH) that some did not get the message about, rather than take a longer route back to the top to go to a nearby secret? trail, they would be sometimes be going up in groups. The only way I found to avoid the frustration was to hit the trails very early in the day

Signs like those could be a big help... oh ya, dealing with the FSRA would make the difficult, impossible - Cheers

form49b

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jul 17, 2021

BigLarry said:
Regardless of trail direction, one should never ride beyond your ability to stop for surprise trail obstacles. Even if that means ruining the fun on a fast downhill corner. One way trails are mostly irrelevant to being safe. It just helps in Calero due to the dangerous mix of families, newbie bikers, and race bikers.

I don't disagree with the first part (that riders should be able to stop) but I don't see how it follows that directional trails are mostly irrelevant to being safe. For a given blind corner assuming similar trails on either side, the approaching speed is potentially doubled. Normal human behavior is going to guarantee that this is less safe.

In any case, it's often not really safety that is the difference but user experience. I've never actually had a close call at Calero but I've had plenty of cases where my experience was degraded just by worrying whether there was someone speeding toward me around a blind corner. Riding the directional trail just put my mind at ease because I knew worst case I only needed to stop for someone who wasn't moving.

Reactions: 1

bk_mtb

· #19 · Jul 17, 2021

BigLarry said:
Just a couple days ago at the adjacent Quicksilver park, I turned a fast downhill corner towards the Mockingbird exit, and was up the butt of a big brown mountain lion.

I had a similar encounter at Calero with a coyote. I came at a quick pace around a corner. It was a rare day. The parking lot was empty (maybe 5 or 6 cars at san vicente).

Right where lisa turns fun for the initial decent to cottle. Came around the corner - saw what I thought was someone's off leash dog at first. He was so still and had a "what now" kinda look on his face. I had to brake pretty hard but i had time because I was going a reasonable speed. I yelled at him something like "move coyote" and he finally yielded about 6ft off the trail not scared at all.

So yeah long story short gotta keep those eyes peeled. I've had numerous encounters with big groups of turkeys. Also came around a corner once to find a huge cow. All at calero.

Reactions: 1

Whiterabbitt

· #20 · Jul 20, 2021

I don’t like the directional at calero on the fire road. First half single track to the crossroad, sure. I don’t care either way, one way is fine.

but going clockwise to shortcut to the crossroad is nice when I want to ride canada del oro from Calero.

last time I did that ride the signboard was down (it was up at the start of LK counter clockwise, just not the exit) and we got yelled at by Karen coming up the fire road. Admittedly we were booking it down. On the opposide side of the road. And cleared Karen by 12 feet. And she could see us coming from 50 yards away.

Sometimes I think I am a Karen magnet. The problem with looking dorky is everyone thinks they can **** with you.

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