This featured ride is from the Moto-Maps® Southern California booklet and was created and reported by the company’s founder, Keith Myers.

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This ride starts and ends in Santa Clarita, California and makes a 130 mile, figure-eight loop, through the mountains and canyons of the northwest section of Angeles National Forest.  The ride covers some pretty rural areas – and even though you will have places to stop for fuel along the way, it might be a good idea to top-off before you start the ride.

The ride begins on Bouquet Canyon Road – which I picked up at the intersection of Soledad Canyon Road – a short distance from Highway 14.  If you are coming from Interstate 5, you can take the Magic Mountain or Valencia Blvd. exits and make your way to Bouquet Canyon Road.

Heading out of Santa Clarita, you quickly leave the congestion of the city behind as you snake down Bouquet Canyon Road.  You get treated to some nice twisties through the wooded areas before the road opens up and reaches the Bouquet reservoir.  Right after the reservoir, take a left-hand turn onto Spunky Canyon Road.  Spunky Canyon Road is only a 5 ½ mile stretch before reaching San Francisquito Canyon Road but offers some nice views of the reservoir along the way.  Turn right onto San Francisquito Canyon Road and follow it for 3 miles before merging left onto Elizabeth Lake Road.  Elizabeth Lake Road is the junction point of the figure-eight loop and at this part of the ride, follow it for only 5.4 miles before turning left onto Lake Hughes Road.  Lake Hughes Rd. is a great 23 mile run of twisty turns and scenic vistas that runs through Elizabeth Lake Canyon as you head south towards Castaic Lake.

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After passing Castaic lake, look for Ridge Route Road and turn right. Ridge Route Road is one of the oldest highways in California and was originally built in 1915.  Most of the road (Old Ridge Route Rd.) is closed but this portion from Castaic to the Templin Hwy. intersection is still open and provides fantastic views of Castaic Lake on your right and Interstate I-5 on your left.  Follow Ridge Route Road until you intersect with the Templin Hwy. and then follow the Templin Hwy. to I-5 North.  I usually don’t like to include Interstates on my rides but this part of I-5 – sandwiched between the Angeles and Los Padres National Forests - offers some great scenery and a relaxing change of pace from the twisty narrow roads.  After about 16 miles on I-5, take the exit for route 138 East and follow it for 4 miles before turning right onto road N2 (Pine Canyon Road).  Pine Canyon Road is one of those great narrow roads that you can enjoy riding either fast or slow as it twists and turns its way back to Lake Hughes where it merges straight into Elizabeth Lake Road.

Moto-Maps, llc

You are now back at the cross-over of the figure-eight as you follow Elizabeth Lake Road to San Francisquito Canyon Road.  Turn right onto San Francisquito Canyon road and follow it south for its full length.  The road become narrow and twisty at points and also has some great views as you wind your way back into Santa Clarita and finish up the ride.

This ride is only 130 miles but can take all day depending on where you stop along the way.  I have also added several side trips and alternate roads so that you can make your own routes or take short-cuts or long-cuts along the way.  Enjoy – and Ride Safe.