The regular "front" loop is roughly 10 miles with just about 1000 feet of climbing. Friends of China Camp (FOCC) has groomed the trails a lot over the past few years. But what many people don't know is there are a plethora of trails, ranging from leg burning fire roads to technical singletrack on the "backside" or Dominican side. It gets the "Dominican" tag from most of the lower trail heads start near Dominican College in North San Rafeal.
The Dominican trail systems are neither legal or illegal, I would call them "gray". I have never personally been stopped or reprimanded for riding these trails and I haven't heard of anyone else having issue, and these are very heavily travelled.
If you find yourself looking for a more challenging ride and you are in the San Rafeal area you can access these trails from both the front "normal" side of China Camp or the Backside near Dominican. If you find Locus Drive near Dominican College and follow it until it ends you will be at the Gold Hill fire road trail head. From hear you can climb to the top or as the locals call it the "nike site". From the front side you can make your regular climb, once you get to the third bridge take a right and go up "echo trail". You will come to a paved road, make a left and enjoy a leg burning climb to the nike site.
Nike site is the highest point at china camp and is the most central point for all the trail systems. From here the exploring is endless, and I do mean endless, rumor has it there is an April fools ride that takes place in China Camp and Dominican that lasts all day and if you can complete it when all is said and done you will have climbed over 10k and not repeated many trails.
Here are a few of my favorite personal loops;
1.) Reverse China Camp w/ 7-11 Kicker:
When I want to get some extra climbing in and only have an hour or so I will ride the front side loop counter clockwise, climb echo and take a right on the paved road. You will see a small trail jet up a hill on your right, take this, you will pop out next to a bench and right in front of you is one of my favorite singletrack trails in Marin, the infamous 7-eleven trail. take a left and keep your bike pointed down hill, you will pop out next to ...you guessed it, 7-Eleven. Ride the road back to where you parked, you will get around 1100 feet of climbing and 10 miles of riding as well as some fun semi-technical, fast singletrack.
2.) Goldhill/Hitlers Revenge Loop:
When you only have an hour and you want some technical singletrack you can't go wrong with this loop. Starting at the Gold Hill Fire road trail head climb to the top. Once you reach the Nike site keep going about 100 yards, you will see Scettrini Fire rd. head up this for 20 yards and when you get to the top look to the right, you will see a little hill, ride up and this is the start of Hitlers Super D trail. This trail is by no means a trail for a beginner or someone who doesn't enjoy rocky, steep, rutted trails. Most people I talk to would give this a black diamond rating, with that said I am sure there are many people who would laugh at that, I personally think rating trails is tough because it really depends on the riders ability, but anyways, I think everyone would agree this trail isn't "easy", and if you choose to ride it in the summer when its dry and loose it can be down right scary. So once you get down Hitlers Super D, and you will know when you reach the bottom, you might actually get off your bike, kiss the dirt or have a friend pry your fingers from your grips and take a picture of your perma-grins, from here you cross the fire road and you will see a little singletrack, and I do mean little, there is a hairpin turn to the right or you can go straight. When I am short on time I go straight, this is Quercus Trail, it is an up and down narrow singletrack that will take you back to Goldhill Fire Road. If you take the hairpin to the right you will be on "super skinny/Canary", and yes it is SUPER SKINNY in some spots. You will follow this until you hit another trail, go left and you will be headed back to Gold Hill Fire rd.
Anyways, there are so many trails and possible loops it is impossible to go over them here. I highly recommend you do some google earth/Strava/Friend research or ride with someone who knows the area if it is your first time, a wrong turn could end up causing some miserable climbs but all in all the area is pretty compact and you will most likely find your way out.
I think these trails are some of my personal favorite, and this is mostly because of all the different types of rides I can go on in one area, short and easy, long and hard, technical singletrack, leg burning climbing, you name it.
If you have questions don't be afraid to leave me some comments. Who knows I am always down to meet up and ride!
