Discovery Day: The Equestrian Trails

May 03, 2026

Discovery Day: The Equestrian Trails

I wasn't expecting quite so much water to be falling out of the grey sky this morning. Many [most?] people might take that as a cue to spend more time at indoor projects - i do need to finish scraping the bathroom walls to get on with the repainting efforts - but, to cyclists, such notions are largely anathema; the thought of giving up an, otherwise, perfectly good weekend day might even verge on being in some way painful to some of us. With that in mind, i took the drizzle as an opportunity to explore something i had discovered only an hour of so earlier this very morning while out walking the dog - the equestrian trails of north Claremont. Yes, it has taken more than twenty-three years residence in this town to explore the series of linked trails north of Baseline. I have known of, and frequently still ride similar trails in nearby Rancho Cucamonga, Alta Loma and San Antonio Heights, but the ones of Claremont have been an undiscovered mystery all this time.

Anyway, this little bit of intercity exploration began by riding up to June Vail Park. Dedicated in 1978, the park includes the city's only public equestrian ring; i seriously doubt that the ring sees much use these days, but it is still well maintained. This is where the trail system begins, the trail heading south from the equestrian ring. This first segment passes alongside the Western Christian School to a water facility where it bends to the right. If you follow the trail around what i am guessing is a well pumping station it continues south - i didn't realize this at the time, and it is the only section i didn't ride. Instead, i continued past until reaching the next junction and turned south (left) there. This leg of the trail system takes you to Marlboro Court - the only remaining equestrian properties in this area of the city are along Marlboro. A little backtracking after that took me out to Grand Avenue. The trail continues directly across Grand but from the street looks like it ends at a white gate. It doesn't, but instead turns south again, a long stretch that goes all the say down to Baseline. Part way down this leg of the trail, a resident whose property backs up to the route and, apparently does not think it should be used by the riff-raff public has allowed agave to grow nearly all the way across the trail, and seems to find some satisfaction in throwing all his dogs' crap over the fence. Okaaaaay then. Anway, there is one more junction just before reaching Baseline. Turning onto that trail leg again dumps you out at Grand and, if you were to head north on Grand past just one house you would see the end of the trail segment that i did not take, the one heading south from the water pumping facility.

I can't say as this discovery makes much difference to anyone riding a mountain bike and heading up to the Wilderness Park or out into the wash. It is certainly not the most direct, but as an occasional alternative, as a way to maximize time on dirt rather than pavement, there is some potential to it.