Westlake Village road bike routes

Hidden Valley

Distance: 18.1
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: +/– 960

This chill ride into the gently rolling countryside nestled in the hills of Thousand Oaks is great for newer riders, or anyone looking for a mellow outing. You’ll be on the picket-fence-lined Potrero Road just minutes after leaving Westlake Village, and then it’s a straight shot into the lavish enclave of Hidden Valley, with grand estates, castle-like homes, and equestrian ranches. Loop around Hidden Valley Road, past ranchland said to have once been owned by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and head back the way you came. Start and finish at Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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Encinal Canyon

Distance: 18.6
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation: +/– 3014

Encinal Canyon is widely considered the easiest ascent from the Pacific Coast Highway, but it's nothing to sneeze at. At a little more than eight miles with sustained stretches averaging between five and six percent, it’s an excellent location to build climbing endurance. And the views? Spectacular. Start at the top and descend first, or vice versa. Either way, you’ll enjoy a staggering backdrop of rugged sandstone cliffs, ocean panoramas, and chaparral-studded hillside.

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Malibu Lake Loop

Distance: 20.3
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Elevation: +/– 1188.5

A ride doesn’t have to be epic to be bookended by two of the area’s best food stops. Take in the stunning lake views at Boccaccio’s, then head out of Westlake toward Cornell as suburban neighborhoods give way to rolling ranchlands and preserved open space just a few miles outside of town. You’ll ride through the northwest portion of Malibu Creek State Park, past the Paramount Ranch, then along the shores of Lake Malibou, a sparkling reservoir and popular film location with more than 100 movie credits. Loop toward the 1890s town of Cornell, home of The Old Place restaurant, an iconic rustic outpost with a simple menu of oak-grilled dishes. Start and finish at Boccaccio’s in Westlake Village.

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Latigo Canyon

Distance: 21.7
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation: +/– 3107

At 9.2 miles, Latigo is one of the longest climbs in the Santa Monica Mountains. Start on Pacific Coast Highway and wind your way up Latigo Canyon Road. It might be easy to zone out. The full climb averages four percent, but tight switchbacks with steep grades will get your attention, so will the breathtaking ocean vistas, rugged mountain-scape, and occasional glimpses of the asphalt ribbon snaking behind you. At the top, swing onto Kanan Dume Road, then Newton, before looping back for the twisty descent down Latigo. Some of those turns are tight and the road is popular with motorists, so descend accordingly.

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Rock Store Loop

Distance: 22.5
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation: +/– 2031

This popular local training route includes the infamous Rock Store climb, 2.3 miles with an average grade of 7.5 percent (and some steep ramps), which has appeared in the Amgen Tour of California. You’ll head out of Westlake into the Saratoga Hills and Mulholland Highway, where you’ll pass the Paramount Ranch, the 1890s town of Cornell with its Old West vibe, and Rock Store (watch for cars and motorcycles!), before looping past Lake Eleanor and back toward town. Start and finish at The Stonehaus.

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Lake Loop with Kanan Road Climb

Distance: 25.3
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Elevation: +/– 1499.9

An excellent route for a lunchtime outing or a chill weekend morning. The roads are mostly wide, tree-lined boulevards with designated bike lanes and there are no major climbs. Enjoy the tranquil water views around Westlake Lake before spinning past the equestrian ranches of Old Agoura Hills. You’ll eventually reach Kanan Road, a long gradual incline (around five miles at two percent) to Westlake Boulevard, then back to the shop.

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North Ranch Loop

Distance: 23.3
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: +/– 1350.8

This is the perfect weekend morning spin when you want some extra climbing but don’t have all day. Head out of Westlake Village on Agoura, then swing right onto Chesebro for a nice little warm-up climb to the top, and then back down. It’s not super steep, but it will wake up your legs. Climb gradually through Agoura Hills toward Oak Park, onto the tree-lined Kanan Road and into Thousand Oaks. You’ll eventually pass the newly designated Sapwi Trails Community Park before descending back into Westlake Village.

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Thousands Oaks Loop

Distance: 25.7
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: +/– 1259.8

Head out around Westlake Lake and along Lake Sherwood into the luxe celebrity and equestrian enclave of Hidden Valley. The route is flat for the first seven miles or so, then gets a little bumpy with a short but steady mile-and-a-half climb on Potrero Road around mile 11. You’ll get a sweeping view of Sycamore Canyon from Potrero Road as you approach the northeastern corner of Point Mugu State Park. Loop north, then east through Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks and back to Westlake Village.

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Sunset Hills

Distance: 30.5
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: +/– 1842.9

Explore the areas north of Westlake Village on this chill spin along wide, tree-lined boulevards through equestrian ranchland and scenic preserves like the Arroyo Conejo Open Space. You’ll pass California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks followed by Sunset Hills Country Club. You’ll ride by the entrance to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library (climb the driveway for an extra workout), then you’ll skirt the city of Simi Valley. Stop here for a snack, or loop toward Moorpark past Underwood Family Farms, local favorite for fresh-picked produce, then back to Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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Wildwood / Lynn Ranch / La Granada

Distance: 31.1
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: +/– 1836.6

This mellow route takes you through quiet residential neighborhoods (Wildwood, Lynn Ranch, La Granada) north of Westlake Village. You’ll travel wide, tree-lined boulevards with bike lanes and meandering suburban roadways past white-fenced equestrian ranches, the brand-new Sapwi Community Park (with restrooms, picnic areas, trails, and a pump track), then through Sunset Hills Country Club. Continue into the California Lutheran University campus toward the Arroyo Conejo Open Space, then loop back toward Westlake via Thousand Oaks. Start and finish at Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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Westlake through Moorpark and Simi Valley

Distance: 35
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: +/– 1940.2

Ride out of Westlake Village on wide boulevards with bike lanes through Thousand Oaks until suburbs give way to classic Conejo Valley views of wide-open grasslands and rolling hillsides studded with magnificent live oaks and the occasional towering palm. You’ll pass California Lutheran University, then Underwood Family Farms, before reaching Moorpark, where there are multiple snack stops. Between miles 8 and 9, you’ll descend a short but steep section known as Norwegian Grade, a historic stretch of road carved out by the area’s Norwegian settlers in the early 1900s. (Approached from the other direction, the mile-long climb with an average grade of five percent is a local favorite despite the nonexistent shoulder and tricky blind spots.) Loop east toward Simi Valley, then back to Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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Calabasas / Mulholland / Cornell

Distance: 38.6
Difficulty: Moderate/Hard
Elevation: +/– 2772.4

This scenic tour of Ventura and LA counties departs Westlake Village via Agoura Hills, then drops into Malibu Creek State Park on Cornell Road past Paramount Ranch. The majority of the climbing comes on Mulholland Highway just after King Gillette Ranch, with a detour onto Dry Creek Cold Canyon Road for the infamous 7-Minute Hill. The unspoken goal on this two-mile segment is to finish in, yep, under seven minutes (the current record holder, a former pro cyclist, clocked 5:21). In Calabasas, stop at cycling hangout Pedalers Fork before looping toward Hidden Hills, Agoura Hills, and finally back to Westlake. Start and finish at Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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Moorpark Loop

Distance: 40.2
Difficulty: Moderate/Hard
Elevation: +/– 2853.8

Expect lots of wide boulevards with bike lanes on this scenic spin through Ventura County to Moorpark. (Fun fact: In 2005, one of the oldest fossilized woolly mammoth skeletons ever discovered was excavated in Moorpark and is now on display at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.) The climbing isn’t super steep, but your legs will feel the long grind from Moorpark toward Thousand Oaks. The highlight of this excursion is Stonehaus Winery, where you can relax on the patio for a tasting and order from an Italian-inspired menu of charcuterie and wood-fired, thin-crust pizzas. Start and finish at Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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Piuma to Stunt Road

Distance: 44.3
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation: +/– 4658.8

Switchbacks and scenic views forever. Head out of Westlake on the Agoura Road bike lane, onto Cornell and then Mulholland, which you’ll follow as it twists and turns through Malibu Creek State Park past the Paramount and Reagan Ranches. Stop at King Gillette Ranch if you need to (restrooms!), then hang a hard right onto Cold Canyon. Once you reach Piuma, prepare to start climbing: The serpentine five miles averages 6.2 percent with multiple dramatic S-turns and ridiculous views. Descend to Schueren Road, hang a right and climb some more, and then the fun starts: a nine-mile descent down Stunt Road back to Mulholland. Detour to Pedalers Fork in Calabasas or continue the mapped route. Start and finish at Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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Simi Loop

Distance: 45.8
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate
Elevation: +/– 2941.8

This route is an excellent weekend option with plenty of scenic rolling terrain and one significant climb. Head out of Westlake Village through Agoura Hills and into Calabasas, home to Pedalers Fork, a favorite local cycling hangout (reverse the route to stop here later in the ride). Continue through Hidden Hills and north toward Chatsworth where you'll reach Santa Susana Pass, a 2.5-mile twisting ascent through a dramatic rugged canyon landscape with an average grade of 4.3 percent and some steep spots. Just before the pass, you'll ride by the former Spahn Ranch of Manson family fame. Descent tree-lined Los Angeles Avenue past Corriganville where hundreds of old Westerns were shot, through Simi Valley, and back to Westlake. Start and finish at Trek Westlake Village.

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Beach Loop up Encinal

Distance: 51.9
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation: +/– 3639.5

The first half of this ride, with 35 mostly flat or downhill miles, is like a sightseeing tour of Ventura County. Head out through Hidden Valley, past the tranquil water of Lake Sherwood, and the rugged sandstone of Sycamore Canyon. Mountain views give way to farmland on the descent toward Oxnard. As you descend Pacific Coast Highway toward the coast, Point Mugu Rock will rise dramatically on your right with the ocean stretching behind it. Enjoy coastal views along PCH before winding your way up Encinal and Decker Canyon—8.5 miles with some very steep sections—before the final descent back to Westlake.

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Yerba Buena

Distance: 56.7
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation: +/– 4336.6

This is a gorgeous loop through the rolling hills and steep canyons of Ventura County, and features one of the area’s most popular climbs. At mile 34, you’ll hang a left off the Pacific Coast Highway onto Yerba Buena, eight miles at an average grade of 5.1 percent. Traffic is usually light, and breathtaking views of the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean will keep you distracted. Head back to Westlake via Lake Eleanor. Start and finish at Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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Deer Creek and Reverse Rock Store

Distance: 61
Difficulty: Moderate/Hard
Elevation: +/– 5087.8

This route provides a taste of all the best Ventura County has to offer: stunning ocean views, rolling hills and tranquil valleys, and just enough refueling options so you won’t feel like you’ve completely left civilization. There’s also plenty of climbing, including a steep 10-mile stretch up Deer Creek Road from the Pacific Coast Highway onto Yerba Buena. Prepare to be gobsmacked by the panoramic ocean vista below. And then there’s the Snake, an infamous serpentine two-mile descent on Mulholland Highway. Be warned: Be aware: The scenic beauty of this ride attracts drivers as well as cyclists, especially on weekends, so plan—and ride—accordingly. Start and finish at Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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Mulholland / Decker / Stunt / Piuma

Distance: 77.1
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation: +/– 9412.9

Get ready for a climbing extravaganza. This epic adventure in the Santa Monica Mountains will challenge you with every pedal stroke—and reward you with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, miles of remote country roads, and dramatic Malibu mountain sides. The route follows sections of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California and includes the infamous Rock Store climb on Mulholland Highway (2.3 miles with an average grade of 7.5 percent, including some steep ramps), the thrilling descent down Deer Creek, a combined Decker-Encinal super-climb (7.5 miles averaging nearly six percent that starts out crazy hard), and the swoopy Stunt Road descent. Start and finish at Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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Ojai Valley

Distance: 102.9
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation: +/– 5074.1

Canyons, cute towns, and coastline: This century-length blockbuster showcases some of the best riding in Ventura County. Start through the equestrian and celebrity enclave of Hidden Valley and descend to the coast via Oxnard, then into the surf town of Ventura. From there, climb gradually on car-free bike path all the way into Ojai with its charming gallery-filled town center. Descend from Ojai into Santa Paula (the self-proclaimed Citrus Capital of the World and former home to the late actor Steve McQueen) and the Santa Clara River Valley. Make sure to take in the rugged canyon and citrus grove vistas while you climb out of the valley, before descending to Moorpark and the final push back to Trek Bicycle Westlake Village.

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