The Best MTB Ride in San Francisco

We start by going through the Presidio, taking dirt paths wherever available to reach Arguello, the cycling highway that connects the presidio to Golden Gate Park. Upon reaching the park, cut through the walking paths to the main throughfare. Practice your bunny-hopping up and down the curbs to the Kezar Dr crosswalk. If there are a lot of people walking across the road here, there is a small ramp built from asphalt up the curb you can ride. Travel across to Stanyan, making sure to high five the hands. Ride up Stanyan until you reach the wooden stairs that mark the formal entrance to the Sutro trails. 

Bike up the trail until you reach the two technical sections. The first one you just go around the left of the log through the rocks. The second presents two routes. I prefer the right because it is one technical move and if you put enough weight on your tires you have enough traction to get up the rock without incident. Continue along the trail, reveling in the opportunity to practice your uphill switchback skills in the heart of the second most densely populated city in the country. Exit the trail at Johnstone Dr, where you take a hard right up the hill until you reach E Ridge Trail. Halfway up you start to have gaps in the eucalyptus and can see the skyscrapers of downtown. After reaching the clearing at the summit of Mount Sutro, there are a multitude of ways to descend. All are pretty fun and lead to similar places, the one I choose is just my personal favorite. Make sure to turn onto the Clarendon Connector Trail, a flowy descent zig zagging through the trees down to the road. Cross Clarendon Ave to La Avanzada St. Turn right onto the Sutro Tower trail, a rooty and often muddy connector to twin peaks. This is a great trail, but it is often overgrown and the bushes intruding upon the trail are rather spiky so I recommend a long sleeve or bringing a pair of shears. If you want to avoid this, continue on La Avanzada and then turn left onto Palo Alto Ave. Cross Marview Way onto the Twin Peaks Connector Trail, ripping the short but steep climb up to Twin Peaks Blvd. Ride around the twin peaks, taking in some of the best views of the city. There are often skaters up here who are fun to watch attempt tricks on the concrete barriers lining the road. Take a hard left down a small trail, succesfully navigating the series of moderate drops made by waterbars placed across the trail. 

After the descent to the bottom of twin peaks, turn right back around and turn left onto Panorama Dr. This hill is annoyingly steep, but forgivingly short. Cross the street and hop the curb onto the trails that mark the next network of trails: Laguna Honda. These are the flowiest trails on this route, with purpose built berms and hard packed dirt. Stay left at the forks, and ride the intestinal trail that zig zags on itself until you are popped out onto Laguna Honda Blvd. Rip the road all the way back to Golden Gate Park. Navigate through the park, taking any deviations if you want to explore the rather tame singletrack in the park, until you end up back on Arguello. If you are lucky you can hit greens all the way to the Presidio. Take the road down to Moraga Ave. If you want an extra challenge, ride the long wooden staircase down to Barnard Ave. Amble through the enviable office park that takes you back to the Marina.