Santa Rosa Creek Road
Cambria, California
Road
30 miles | 1,260 ft elevation
From the little town of Cambria, you have hilly ascents to the east and coastal stretches to the west, and both offer picturesque views and great riding.
Starting from the hotel, you quickly reach the beginning of Santa Rosa Creek Rd, a charming country road that winds up into the hills. The grade is mostly mild and it’s so quiet that you’ll encounter more cyclists than cars.
At about 9 miles in (before “the wall”), turn around to head back into town and toward the coast. As you leave Cambria’s West Village, cross over Hwy 1 and take Moonstone Beach Dr (which runs parallel to Hwy 1) for sweeping views of the ocean. Continue onto Hwy 1 for as many miles as you like. The traffic picks up a bit but the bike lane is fairly wide the majority of the time.
When you’re ready, turn around and head back into town for a post-ride snack or coffee.
Hotel Recommendation
Creekside Inn – this newly renovated boutique hotel is a five-minute walk to downtown Cambria (East Village) and a ten-minute drive to the beach. The rooms are spacious and comfortable (lots of room for bikes and gear) and the proximity of the parking lot to the rooms make for easy loading and unloading.
Notes
Sections of Santa Rosa Creek Rd can be rough, so keep an eye out for potholes.
Bring layers as temperatures can vary between climbing inland and riding along the coast.
The town of Cambria is small and businesses close early, so plan accordingly.
For more route ideas from Cambria and surrounding areas, check out https://www.cyclecentralcoast.com. They are a great resource and have a variety of routes and recommendations!
cyclingjenny.com aims to provide content that is true and accurate as of the date of writing; however, the accuracy and judgement of the author is not guaranteed. cyclingjenny.com and its associates are in no way liable for personal injury, loss or damage to personal property, or any other such situation that should occur to individuals following the guides, routes and recommendations. Please review the full Terms & Disclaimer.