keith's bike page - Annadel
Updated Sat, Apr 7, 2007
Rough Go Trail 2001CONDITIONS - Saturday, April 7, 2007

After a mellow winter, State Parks with the CCC have redone N. Burma Trail. The rest of the trails are in great shape, not much mud but some still suffer from the scurge of Annadel's Geology...rocky and rutted!

This winter, the State Parks folks have put up new red markers to indicate illegal trails and have done some extensive rehab/cover up on these outlaw trails.
INFO

ANNADEL MAP

CONDITIONS

HISTORY

REHAB

ROUTES

LAKE ILLSANJO

SINGLE TRACK
Quarry Pit, Richardsons TrailABOUT ANNADEL STATE PARK

Annadel is located 1.5 hours North of San Franciso, CA. The park is 5,000 acres of forest and grasslands with 35 miles of trails, most of which are now single/double track trails. Annadel was used for quarrying basalt used in construction during the early parts of the 20th century, in San Franciso. Prior to becoming a State Park in 1971 the area was a large ranch. The name Annadel comes from "Annies Dell" whom the owner at the time came up with.

The riding conditions very from trail to trail. The soil generally contains lots of rocks especially on trails that are outside of the forest. Most of the trails have been converted to single track/double track.
RECENT TRAIL HISTORY

2007 - Big changes to N. Burma - Completely redone with the help of California Conservation Corps.

2003 - Canyon trail was bull dozed and graded. The famous "rock garden" was removed. Tons of road base gravel was brought in and put on top of the former "rock garden". The large rain runoff ruts were filled in. We will have to wait and see how the new Canyon holds up to winter rains. Richardson trail was cleaned up, ruts filled in etc.

2002 - Early 2002 saw more work on Lawndale. Appears most of the major work is done. There are several areas on the new trails that have not weathered the winter very well. Lower part of Marsh and S. Burma are pretty swampy.

2000/2001 Big changes...Marsh trail has been narrowed and re-routed in places and is now double track. There is also a new intersection with Upper Steve's. The old intersection has been eliminated to avoid a sensitive archeological site nearby. The new entrance to Upper Steve's is 100 yards downhill from where it used to be. Upper Steve's has been completely re-routed and meanders back and forth around the North side of Bennett Peak. It no longer goes to the top but instead hooks up with the new Ridge trail. The new Ridge trail has been relocated North of the old route that used to run along the Southern park boundary. The trail finally comes out onto the fire road on the South side of Ledson Marsh. These two new trails are incredible!

1998 - Spring $280,000 via grants to the rescue of Annadels worst trails - Rough Go, Spring Creek, Cobblestone/Orchard & South Burma. With the help of the California Conservation Corps and a private contractor equipped with a tracked backhoe, the existing trails have been demolished . Cobblestone & Orchard have been replaced with single track that follows more of the contour of the terrain and avoids most of the delicate meadows. Also helping out with trail construction is a hodge poge of volunteers made up of hikers, mountain bikers and other folks under the direction of park supervisors.

1997 Lots of changes have been going on in Annadel starting in 1997 with the construction of new multi-user trails - singletrack for the masses - hikers, horse folks and yes, mountain bikers. 1997 saw the construction of "The New Live Oak Trail" followed by "The New Orchard Trail". Both of theses trails were built to replace existing trails that ran through a meadow which was severely damaged by both poor construction, lack of maintenance and use. The new trails survived the wrath of the 1997/98 El Nino winter fairly well which dumped 54 inches of rain on the region. There are a few sections of each trail that required some follow up maintenance. Each trail is less than a mile long.
TRIP TO THE LAKE

This is one of the easiest rides in the park though not flat, the climbing you have to do makes up for the scenery at Lake Illsanjo.

Start at the intersection of Montgomery Drive & Channel Drive. Head up Channel 100 feet and go right through the yellow posts at the paved trail entrance. You are now entering Spring Lake Park. Go down the paved trail toward the lake and turn left at the "T" intersection. Stay on the paved trail as it winds around the parking area and swimming lagoon. Once past the stone bridge (don't go over it), the paved trail winds through some bushes, cross the concrete creek channel and turn left on the other side so that you are on the wide dirt road that follows along the right side of the concrete lined creek bed.

Follow this through the gate onto the start of Canyon Trail. Canyon winds along the right bank of the channel for aprox. 1/4 mile then crosses a large wooded bridge. The far side of the wood en bridge is the junction of Rough Go Trail (up the steep incline on your left) and Canyon Trail. Continue on Canyon Trail to the intersection off Spring Creek Trail. The shortest route to Lake Illsanjo is up Spring Creek Trail from here but it is also the steepest.

Lake Illsanjo Panorama 2001

For this ride, continue on Canyon Trail, over the bridge and up the moderate grade. You will get a brief rest and short downhill run before continuing up the rutted rocky fire road. Canyon then steepens climbs through a section affectionately called the "Rock Garden". From here on it is all down hill to the lake. At the intersection of Marsh & Canyon trails, continue to your left, downhill to the lake. Once you reach the "T" at the lake go left and the Dam is a short distance further. Alternate routes back are down Spring Creek which starts at the West side of the dam or continue over the dam and onto Rough Go.

SINGLE TRACK TOUR OF ANNADEL - 24 MILES

NEW Add Lawndale and Shultz into the loop now that they are both rebuilt and open!

This route will cover the largest area of the park including Lake Illsanjo, Buick Meadow and Ledson Marsh. This is close to 20 miles that is 90% single track.

Start on Channel Drive next to the flood control channel where vehicles are parked in the dirt are next to the road. Across from the parking area is the start of the new Cobblestone Trail and head up...up...and up. The trail winds through oak woodlands and grassy meadows. At the intersection of Cobblestone & Orchard Trail, stay left and take Orchard. Once you get through the technical rocky section 100 yards up, stay left on Orchard and enjoy the semi-downhill cruise through the forest. Follow Orchard to Rough Go and turn left. Stay on Rough Go to Lake Illsanjo and cross the dam.

Turn right onto Canyon and follow Canyon Trail to Marsh Trail. Turn left on Marsh which will be single track. Climb up to the intersection of Marsh and Steve's "S" Trail.

Turn right onto Steve's and keep climbing. This will take you to the new Ridge Trail single track for a down hill roller coaster through meadows and forest. Ridge will spit you out onto the backside of Ledson Marsh. Turn left on the fire road and follow it around the marsh. You know you are going the right way when you cross the new bridge over the over flow creek. Stay left as you go around the marsh, you will pass Lawndale Trail before heading up a short climb that leads to the "Outhouse".

The "Outhouse" marks the intersection of Two Quarry & Marsh. Turn left which keeps you on Marsh and back onto single track. This section of trail winds up a short moderate hill before easing off and following the land contour on the West side of Buick Meadow. This section will deposit you at the foot of Buick Meadow . This is the intersection of Marsh Trail and S. Burma Trail. Turn right onto S. Burma and climb the switch back up to the high point. Head on down the front side of S. Burma, once you reach the intersection of Richardson's Trail, turn right and continue up the short rise. Once over the rise look for N. Burma trail entrance on your left. Take N. Burma down. There will be a short climb before N. Burma drops down to Channel Trail at Channel Drive. Turn Left onto Channel Trial for the last 1/4 mile of single track before you exit onto Channel Drive at the ranger station and park entrance. Follow Channel Drive back to where you started, about 1/3 of a mile.