Lower Rock Creek Trail

Discussion in 'Trails' started by Mikie, Sep 16, 2015.


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  1. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    [map=37.480493,-118.602997]View Map[/map]

    Lower Rock Creek Trail is a 7.7 mile point to point singletrack located on Lower Rock Creek Road just south of Tom's Place off Highway 395, north of Bishop. This is a great trail that can be a shuttle ride, an out and back, or a loop using Lower Rock Creek Road as a return to the trailhead. Climbing the road instead of the trail is much longer and you have a false summit to deal with. I have found it to get very hot on the road climb. I recommend climbing the trail even though the lower section has a lot of hike-a-bike technical in a few locations. Although specifically designated as a mountain bike trail, you will find hikers, fisherman, runners, and dog walkers on the trail. So make sure you have a bike bell and pay attention.

    My suggestion is to drive to the bottom and start at the lower trailhead in the town of Paradise and do an out and back. The lower trailhead is also on Lower Rock Creek Road. There you will find a nice paved parking lot, a very well built pergola, picnic benches under the pergola, and a sign board with some great information on the history of the area. Directly to the east are some private homes and just to the east of that is the lower trailhead. A split rail fence runs along the beginning of the trail. All of this is in a horseshoe turn (the green dot on the map) on Lower Rock Creek Road. It's a real class act.

    lower.rock.creek.jpg
    LRCT is broken down into 3 sections starting from the lower trailhead on Lower Rock Creek Road and ending just off of Highway 395. Each section starts and stops where it crosses Lower Rock Creek Road. Section 1 and section 3 are the longest sections. Section 1 is the super chunky (in places) section. Sections 2 and 3 are very smooth, fast, and flowy with only some very minor chunk. The entire trail hugs Lower Rock Creek and is very pretty. You are in a deep cut canyon so there are not any vista views, but there are some cool 6 to 8 foot wide wooden bridges with no railing that cross the creek several times. Setting up a shuttle at both ends will be timely if you are looking to make a single run but can be done. This is a great trail, but it is not a destination trail. But it is well worth a stop on the way or way back from Mammoth or Tahoe!

    Other great imtbtrails Ride Reports:
    http://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/rock-creek-2017.6168/
    http://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/lower-rock-creek-trail.4971/
    http://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/rr-lower-rock-creek-trail.5105/

    Lower Trailhead...nice!


    Trailhead is well marked.




    The lower section is the chunky section. It's the largest section of 3 that crosses the road. Get through this on the climb it gets easier. Also gives you a heads up on what you will encounter on the way back down.


    You can see the fast and flowy off in the distance.
     
    Tom the Bomb, rojomas and hill^billy like this.
  2. AKAKTM

    AKAKTM Well-Known Member

    Location:
    SCV
    Name:
    Tony A
    This is a beautiful ride that just comes to an end too soon. I leave always wanting more.
     
    rojomas, hill^billy and Mikie like this.
  3. GregMiester

    GregMiester Member

    Location:
    La Verne
    Name:
    Greg
    Current Bike:
    2014 Giant XTC Advanced 2
    We are heading up to French Camp tomorrow, going to do a little fishing at Crowley and biking. Can't wait to check this place out! Any details, tips, or advice about riding here Mikie?
     
    Mikie likes this.
  4. rojomas

    rojomas Member

    Location:
    Kookamongus
    Name:
    Oxx
    Current Bike:
    Carbon Intense Tracer 275
    Seriously!
    I'm thinking I need to try to do it as an out and back to get my fill.
     
  5. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Hey GregMiester,
    If you are in the area, certainly LRC. But Mammoth is your next stop. There are two other trails near Tom's Place but not any kind of destination. Check out MTBProject.com...
     
    GregMiester likes this.
  6. GregMiester

    GregMiester Member

    Location:
    La Verne
    Name:
    Greg
    Current Bike:
    2014 Giant XTC Advanced 2
    The biking was a bit of an after thought for this weekend but we decided why not try a ride while there. Might check out Mammoth if we have time as well. Thanks for the link!
     
    Mikie likes this.
  7. LLPoolJ

    LLPoolJ iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Moreno Valley
    Name:
    James Johnson
    Current Bike:
    Specy Epic, Stumpu and Enduro
    Going up to June lake on the 26TH for our annual family fishing tourney, going to hit this with the boy on the way home. Super excited!
     
    Mikie and GregMiester like this.
  8. GregMiester

    GregMiester Member

    Location:
    La Verne
    Name:
    Greg
    Current Bike:
    2014 Giant XTC Advanced 2
    Got a chance to ride this trail on Friday after getting camp setup. It's a quick but sweet trail, very flowy and gradually ascending (we started at the bottom, went up to the top and then reversed it back to the truck. The fall colors are out now too and it's looking really nice up that way. Fishing at Crowley on Saturday was kind of weak, I got 4 bites, bro in law got skunked. The weather was bad in Mammoth so we didn't get to do any riding there.
    20151016_152202.jpg
    th_VID_55380528_122638.jpg
     
    Tom the Bomb, Mikie and UPSed like this.
  9. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Yeah GregMiester!
    It's a sweet little run. You were smart starting at the bottom and riding up then down with a vehicle at the bottom. I'm always staying at Tom's place and have to do the opposite. Riding the road back up is much harder than the trail as you have more miles and have to peak over a summit way higher than the trail.

    You did start all the way at the bottom, right? Heading down from your pic at the top, the trail crosses the road twice and then the longest section (last section) takes you to the very bottom where it dumps you on a curve and next to some houses. You got that in, right?

    First two sections are fast and flowy, the last has some sweet, sweet chunk!
    Glad you go it under tour belt!
     
    Tom the Bomb likes this.
  10. GregMiester

    GregMiester Member

    Location:
    La Verne
    Name:
    Greg
    Current Bike:
    2014 Giant XTC Advanced 2
    I don't remember seeing houses, we parked by a bridge in a dirt turnout where the trail meets the street the second time when heading down. I think we shorted ourselves...:thumbsdown:
    Screenshot_2015-10-18-18-05-01.png
     
  11. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Oh my, yes you did. I'm going to take blame for this one. I should have finished the initial post with a .gpx you hit the trail just over half way...

    I owe you 1) Epic 1) Lunch and at least 1) beer...

    I'll get this one finished up...
     
    GregMiester likes this.
  12. bigringrider101

    bigringrider101 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Winnetka CA
    Name:
    Berni Avila
    Current Bike:
    Jones Space Frame Ti truss for
    Yes, it looks like you missed the bottom part. The chunky stuff but you did the FUN part.

    ''
     
    Mikie and GregMiester like this.
  13. GregMiester

    GregMiester Member

    Location:
    La Verne
    Name:
    Greg
    Current Bike:
    2014 Giant XTC Advanced 2
    I'll get a chance to do this trail again next year. I might make it a 2 or 3 run ride because its just that enjoyable. I also want to try that 9 mile climb to the lake behind Toms Place. I've never driven that road even but it looks like it would be good for the legs and lungs!
     
    Mikie likes this.
  14. GregMiester

    GregMiester Member

    Location:
    La Verne
    Name:
    Greg
    Current Bike:
    2014 Giant XTC Advanced 2
    Im going to take you up on the epic one of these days, Golden Eagle...the name alone is Epic!
     
    Mikie likes this.
  15. LLPoolJ

    LLPoolJ iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Moreno Valley
    Name:
    James Johnson
    Current Bike:
    Specy Epic, Stumpu and Enduro
    Check. Got to ride this one. Parked at the bottom rode the pavement up into a strong headwind. Then enjoyed the fruits of our labor. The boy hooted and hollered more than ever. Can't wait to do it again next year.
     
    knucklebuster, GregMiester and Mikie like this.
  16. LLPoolJ

    LLPoolJ iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Moreno Valley
    Name:
    James Johnson
    Current Bike:
    Specy Epic, Stumpu and Enduro
    Someone kicked the sign loose. We attempted to fix it after a bit of fun.

    IMG_20151029_113216463.jpg
     
  17. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Haaaah! Nice! ^^^
     
    Tom the Bomb likes this.
  18. Varaxis

    Varaxis Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Perris
    Name:
    Dan Vu
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5c ('16 Yellow v1)
    You know some hiker/eq is gonna take that pic, without the context, and post it to support their stance against mtn bikers, for treating public property irresponsibly/inappropriately.
     
  19. LLPoolJ

    LLPoolJ iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Moreno Valley
    Name:
    James Johnson
    Current Bike:
    Specy Epic, Stumpu and Enduro
    Life is to short to worry about silly things like that. Been hearing it for 42 years and to my knowledge nothing has been closed for that reason. Enjoy life and be silly.
     
    DangerDirtyD, Tom the Bomb and Mikie like this.


As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?