The best cycling routes around Taft

Taft, California, offers a variety of touring cycling routes, primarily characterized by flat terrain and paved trails. You'll find local greenways like the Downtown loop and loop trails that often follow urban green spaces. The area is suitable for relaxed rides with minimal elevation changes, offering options for different ability levels, from easy family rides to more challenging long-distance routes.

Yes, Taft has family-friendly options. The Discovery Trail, a two-mile class one greenbelt trail within the city limits, is an easy, flat loop suitable for families. It features rest areas, water fountains, and restroom facilities, and offers a chance to learn about the city's oil history through various artworks along the path.

Both the Taft Rails to Trails and the Discovery Trail within Taft's city limits offer amenities. The Taft Rails to Trails includes benches and water fountains, some with dog basins. The Discovery Trail also provides rest areas, water fountains, and restroom facilities, making them convenient for cyclists.

Taft's cycling routes offer glimpses into its rich oil history. Along the Taft Rails to Trails, you can find displays related to the area's past, including an oilman memorial and oil equipment. The Discovery Trail also features various artworks depicting the city's oil history and passes the Oil Workers Monument, continuing to the West Kern Oil Museum.

The Taft Rails to Trails is a good option for cyclists with dogs. It features amenities like water fountains, some of which include dog basins, making it convenient for pet owners to enjoy a ride with their companions.

While Taft itself has local trails, there are future plans to extend the Taft Rails to Trails westward towards Fellows and southeast towards Maricopa, which will connect to more of the surrounding historic oil region and offer longer touring possibilities. Additionally, the wider Kern County area is developing its bike route network, including the Kern River Parkway Trail in Bakersfield, about an hour away, which offers a significant 35.6-mile ride.

Spring is a particularly popular time for outdoor activities in the region, as wildflowers like California poppies and lupines often blanket the hillsides after a wet winter. The varied terrain of Kern County, from dry brush to green hills, can be enjoyed across different seasons, but checking local weather conditions before your ride is always recommended.

Approximately an hour's drive southwest of Taft, near Maricopa, is the Wind Wolves Preserve. While primarily for hiking, this vast preserve offers stunning landscapes, including rolling grasslands and oak-studded hills, and opportunities for wildlife viewing, such as tule elk, mule deer, and various bird species. It's a significant natural attraction for those willing to venture a bit further from Taft's immediate cycling paths.

There are over 15 touring cycling routes available in and around Taft, offering a range of experiences. These include 9 easy routes, 6 moderate routes, and 3 difficult routes, catering to various skill levels and preferences.

The touring cycling routes in Taft are highly rated by the komoot community, with an average score of 5.0 stars. Cyclists often appreciate the flat terrain and accessible paved paths, which make for enjoyable and relaxed rides through the local area.

Yes, Taft offers several loop trails suitable for touring cyclists. The Discovery Trail is an easy, flat loop within the city limits, perfect for a leisurely ride. Additionally, routes like the Kissimmee Loop Trail and the Little Econ Greenway and Lake Underhill Path Loop provide scenic loop options through urban green spaces and alongside water bodies.

Touring cycling routes in Taft are predominantly flat, making them ideal for relaxed rides. The terrain consists mainly of paved trails and greenways, with minimal elevation changes. You'll experience a mix of developed areas interspersed with natural corridors, offering varied scenery within the San Joaquin Valley.