The San Gabriel Mountains rise from the desert of Southern California to 11,500 feet. With a yearlong drought turning many of the region’s trails into dust bowls, the mountains offer a welcome respite from the heat. There are dozens, if not hundreds of trails lacing these craggy peaks, but one of the best is the Santa Ana River trail.

Starting at nearly 7,000 feet, the S.A.R.T offers some of the finest drool-inducing singletrack in the area. It runs along Route 38 southeast of Lake Big Bear and can be ridden as an up-and-back or a shuttle, which still offers riders a beautiful 12-mile-long ribbon of dirt.

For the first few miles, the trail clings to a series of long ridges, offering dozens of tight turns and some off-camber ridgeline riding. The occasional slow-speed, exposed corners, however, are broken up by long, high-speed sections of trail. Fast, sweeping corners lead riders around the ridges’ natural contours.

Lower down, pines turn to manzanitas, the trail straightens out and speeds increase. A few stream crossings keep things interesting, but the trail is not overly technically challenging. Still, its corners, exposure, off-camber turns and oddly places rocks demand constant attention.

Although the trail runs downhill most of the time, there are some small climbs, especially toward the bottom. But just as the legs settle into the rhythmic ups and downs, the trail ends, leaving riders with wide smiles—and a 2-mile fireroad climb back to the car. - Alan Davis