If you are looking for great scenery and a great workout without all the technical difficulty of other trails, Northridge Loop is for you. The ridge runs east to west, with Ojai Valley on one side and Rose Valley on the other. The trail features amazing views of both valleys plus the Los Padres National Forest.

There are a total of 6 trail heads spread out over the 14.5 mile loop, so there are plenty of places to get on or off the trail. Hiking is permitting along all trails, so make sure you ride with caution and don't override your stopping power.

Skill level

While the overall trail is fine for beginners, two of the trail spurs, Gridley and Pratt, are much narrower and technical, so be sure to check the signage before choosing a trail.

While there are no steep drops or bombs on this trail, there are several areas of the trail that extend over bare rock. The paths are marked, but there are canyon areas that you should be aware of. Before starting any downhill section make sure you know the path!

Surface

Most of the lower trails are firebreak roads or other, wide access roads. As you climb, trails become single track and a bit more technical. There are patches of bare rock and loose rock is common on most downhill sections. If you choose to ascend via the Killabase Road trail head, the first quarter mile is mixture of paved path and gravel.