Gravel from the Westside means heading up the coast into the Santa Monica Mountains, where fire roads climb out of the Malibu canyons. Malibu Creek State Park and its Bulldog climb are the local benchmark, and the Zuma Ridge Motorway makes a longer, quieter day further west. Westside clubs that post gravel rides on RiderFinder are listed below.
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Where to ride gravel near Santa Monica
Malibu Creek State Park is the heart of it. Crags Road runs flat and wide along the creek past the old filming sites, an easy warm-up on dirt. Then the Bulldog Motorway turns uphill and climbs hard toward the ridge near Castro Peak, and the Mesa Peak and Puerco motorways carry you back down toward the coast. Strung together, that’s the Bulldog Loop: a long fire-road day, exposed and dry in summer, so carry plenty of water and go early.
Further west, the Zuma Ridge Motorway climbs a steady fire road up the spine between Zuma and Trancas canyons, starting near Busch Drive above Pacific Coast Highway. It’s quieter than Malibu Creek, with ocean views the whole way up. Both areas sit inside the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, where bikes stick to the fire roads and leave the narrow singletrack to hikers.
Check closures before you commit to a loop. The January 2025 Palisades Fire burned the hills above Pacific Palisades, and as of mid-2026 Topanga State Park was open only with restrictions, with the Rogers Road, Rustic Canyon and Temescal Canyon trails still closed. The Malibu-side parks reopened sooner, but red flag days shut the whole range, so read the California State Parks and Santa Monica Mountains notices the morning you ride.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I ride gravel near Santa Monica?
Up the coast in the Santa Monica Mountains. Malibu Creek State Park has bike-legal fire roads, including the flat Crags Road along the creek and the Bulldog Motorway climb above it. Further west, the Zuma Ridge Motorway climbs a long fire road from near PCH in Malibu.
What is the Bulldog Loop at Malibu Creek?
A classic fire-road loop out of Malibu Creek State Park. From the flat Crags Road, the Bulldog Motorway climbs steeply toward the ridge near Castro Peak, then the Mesa Peak and Puerco motorways descend back toward the coast. The climb is long and exposed, so carry water and start early in summer.
Are the trails above Pacific Palisades open after the Palisades Fire?
Not all of them. Under the California State Parks order effective June 12, 2026, Topanga State Park is open with restrictions, and the Rogers Road, Bent Arrow, Josepho Spur, Rustic Canyon and Temescal Canyon trails remain closed after the January 2025 fire. Check California State Parks and Santa Monica Mountains closure notices before riding from the Palisades side.
How do clubs end up on this page?
Clubs show up when they’ve posted a gravel ride on RiderFinder or Strava recently, or have one coming up. A name alone never gets a club listed, so the list tracks the rides clubs actually post on the Westside.