Working on cleaning up the site and looking at this review I realized just how far I have come. I need to come back and do another review of this trail for a couple reasons. Firstly the trail itself has changed significantly, there has been a lot of work done on the upper trails and they are much better maintained and heavily ridden now. Also, the photo's are not the best I have taken and there are some nicer looking sections that I can take. Finally my riding and perspective has changed quite a bit since this time so I need to get a new look at this trail.

One thing has certainly changed and that is my perception of this trail is vastly changed over time. I really have started to like this place and think it is underated by a lot of local riders.

Overview

• Type of trail : Out and Back
• Distance : 10 miles
• Climbing Distance : ~500'
• Difficulty : 4 (scale of 1-10
• Trail Type : 5% Fireroad+, 95% Singletrack
• Cardio : Mild
• Time to ride : HOT in the summer, I recommend fall through spring this is a wet weather ride

Summary

The Coyote Point trail is also called Area 51 because it looks like the landscape is from another planet. Harsh looking rocks, baren ground strange plant life (Ok manzanita) and most of all this trail that seems to be hacked into the hillside like some sort of scar in the landscape. Currently the trail looks even more alien because most of the trail is recovering from a wildfire that swept through about 2 years ago.

Beginners find this trail intimidating because it is built into the side of a steep hill and the drop offs to the side are steep. There are actually two trails in this area. The upper trail is fairly advanced with steep climbs over loose rocks and switchbacks. If you stick to the lower rim trail it is pretty mellow, with mostly low grade climbs and with fairly easy to avoid obsticals.

Currently the trail is showing signs of neglect. Over the last winter the trails have gotten considerably more difficult due to erosion. Additionally the upper trail is nearly dissapearing under a carpet of star thistle and foxtail. The rutting on lower trail actually makes it a bit more of a challenging.

My overall impression of this trail is that it has most of the elements of a fun trail but misses the mark somehow. The lower trails are fun but not very difficult and there are no real climbs (or descents). The upper trails are challenging, but not very FUN. When you work hard to get up a hill there needs to be some sort of reward. There is only one downhill which is at all memorable, it's challenging and a lot of fun, but it's too short. The switchbacks bother me because they have poor (and IMO dangerous) transitions. There are also sections where the trail curves straight downhill for no apparent reason only to immediately straighten and turn back uphill steeply.

Trailhead Lake Hogan is located about 30 minutes East of Stockton on Hiway 26 just outside of the Valley Springs. Take Hiway 26 East from Stockton into Valley Springs and turn right onto Hiway 12 and follow Hiway 12 for about 1/4 mile to Lime Creek road. Turn right onto Lime creek and follow Lime creek for approximately 1/4 mile to St. Petersburg. Turn right onto St. Petersburg and stay on it until you see the campground on the left. Go past the Acorn West camp area and turn left into the next driveway, then left again and park in the small parking area (you should go right past the bathrooms and the camp host). At the north end of the parking area there is a small gravel road. Take the gravel road to the other camp area and follow the trails and roads through the camp area along the shore of the lake. After you pass through the camp area there is a gate across the service road (usually closed). The entrance to the upper trail is on the left just past the gate. The entrance to the lower trail is a little further just past the crest of the hill. The lower trail is significantly easier than the upper trail and involves very little climbing.

Liz Takes the Curve The review on MTBR warns strongly against beginning riders riding this trail, but this is the trail I cut my teeth on, and you can see in this picture my oldest daughter Liz is doing just fine. Certainly she walked a bit, but most of the trail is flat with big rocks. I think the big problem beginners have with this place is the hard landing and the steep hillside you fall down if you goof.

Rocky Drop This is a tough little technical section you need to climb fairly early in the ride. It's tough to get up (especially with all the star thistle lining the trails) without a little momentum. Today I walked up it. It's a fun drop to talk on the way out though.

Liz Takes the Curve The lower trail at cruises along, hugging the hillsides. In the background of the picture you can see the trail rippling along the hillside. The lower section is very fun and doable for beginners.

Liz Enjoying Lake Hogan's Colors The red color in the hills is picked up by the reflection in the lake.

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