Gravel cycling rocks. Here are 11 spots around L.A. that get you biking freely in nature

It isn’t always easy riding a bike around L.A. Streets weren’t designed with cyclists’ safety in mind and mountain biking trails can be intimidating for those not used to steep inclines.

That’s part of the reason more people are heading to the dirt. They’re embracing gravel riding — sometimes known as grinding — which is something of a cross between road riding and mountain biking that takes place on unpaved roads and trails.

“When I first got a mountain bike, I crashed so much on the trails,” recalled Isabel King, who took up gravel riding during the pandemic and is now a gravel racer in L.A. “A gravel bike ride is a great compromise where you can travel at a slower speed but still get a good workout. You are away from cars and can ride many of the roads you’d do on a trail run.”

The activity has been around since the invention of bicycles, which date to the early 1800s when hardly any roads were paved, but its popularity has grown significantly in the last decade. In Southern California, there are thousands of miles of fire roads suitable for pedaling.

Though just about any bike can ride on basic dirt paths, wider tires inflated to lower pressures are best for trickier terrain like unmaintained forest roads and loose sand. Sales of gravel bikes — which generally feature drop handlebars, lower gearing, more clearance, a longer wheel base and sturdier frames than road bikes — increased by more than 60% from February 2020 to February 2022, according to market research firm NPD Group.

Zachary Rynew is a longtime Los Angeles cycling advocate who runs the website Gravel Bike California, which details numerous gravel rides in the region. He has been pedaling two-wheelers since he was in grade school and says riding on gravel roads takes him back to when he was a kid. It also makes navigating L.A. more efficient. “I was commuting from the San Fernando Valley to UCLA and cut my driving time in half by doing gravel and going through Fryman Canyon Park, then Franklin Canyon,” he said.

Southern California, Rynew believes, has a ton of off-road opportunities. “You can make your own adventure on gravel in the Santa Monica Mountains to the San Gabriels and in the hills above Redlands and Chino,” he said. “I love the versatility around here.”

Before you head off the smooth pavement to try gravel cycling, be prepared: Plan out your route, carry a puncture kit and bring water, snacks and extra layers. “Even though gravel in L.A. seems close to civilization, you can still find yourself in some sticky situations,” said Cody Chouinard, a staff member at Luft bike shop in Venice. And start slow: Many people find gravel riding to be more challenging than road riding because of all the different muscle groups that are put to work. Your calves will likely be sore after a ride, sure, but so will your arms, back and core.

Also, whether you’re just getting started with gravel cycling or you’ve been doing it for a while, it’s smart to ride with friends. On various Thursdays in June, Luft leads a group ride on a 25-mile gravel loop through the Santa Monica Mountains. Your local bike shop also may be able to connect you with fellow gravel grinders.

Ready to get off the road? Here are 11 gravel rides around L.A. (some of which include pavement), as suggested by Rynew of Gravel Bike California. They’re listed by difficulty level, from the easiest to the most challenging, and each one links to a Ride With GPS map that you can study and customize.