Arnold Rim Trail
Arnold, Hwy 4 corridor, Stanislaus NF · near Arnold · Gold Country & Central Valley
Mountain Biking
At a glance
- Skill level
- advanced
- Trail miles
- ~17 mi built (out-and-back or shuttle); ~35 mi loop planned
- Elevation
- ~2,851 ft gain; ridge/rim riding ~4,000–5,000 ft
- Best season
- May–October (higher elevation; snow-free later, cooler than the low foothills)
Worth knowing
- Good for a first timer
- No
Mountain Biking detail
- Ride types
- xc · all-mountain · enduro
- Signature trails
- Arnold Rim Trail · Top of the World · The Beast
- Ebike
- No
- Ebike note
- Mixed USFS + private-easement land; e-bike status not clearly designated — assume restricted on non-motorized singletrack and stay on signed routes.
- Intl tip
- A cooler, higher ridge ride (~4,000 ft) with big canyon-rim views — an advanced, technical trail with the infamous 'Beast' hike-a-bike. Stay on signed routes (mixed public/private land). May–October; bring your own bike.
The guide
The Arnold Rim Trail is the Highway 4 corridor's rising star — a lush, IMBA-built ridge trail that traces the rim above the Sta…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Arnold Rim Trail — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 38.256, -120.352