Shelter Cove Mountain Biking- Paradise Royale Loop

Looking for a wild ride that will make you feel like a true mountain biking royalty? Look no further than the Paradise Royale Loop! With over 25 miles of optimized trails that were literally designed to make you feel like a biking god, you'll feel like you're ruling over the rugged Lost Coast landscape from the heights of Queen Peak.

Don't be a fool and miss out on the best part of the ride- make sure you take the clockwise direction for an epic descent that seems to go on forever. And if you really want the complete Lost Coast experience, combine the loop with the Pacific Rim trail and let your biking skills take you to new heights (and lows).

Just be sure to bring your sense of adventure and a willingness to push yourself- the Fools Paradise climb will challenge even the bravest bikers. But trust us, the reward of that flowy descent will make it all worth it.

Ready to ride like royalty? Head west from US101 towards Shelter Cove/King Range NCA, then turn onto King Peak Road and follow it for 2 miles to the trailhead and parking. And if you need any more convincing, just remember that this trail system was designed with the help of the International Mountain Bicycling Association- you know it's going to be good!

Directions to the trailhead and parking: From US101, take the Redway/Garberville exit, then head west towards Shelter Cove/King Range NCA. Go 20 miles, pass the BLM office on the left, then further on up the hill, turn right onto a dirt road (King Peak Road). Go 2 miles to the trailhead and parking.

The Paradise Royale Loop is best ridden clockwise to take advantage of a long, flowy descent on the east side of the loop.

From Tolkan Campground, ride north hugging the contours on a gradual rolling descent to Bear Creek. Cross the bridge and then settle into a demanding climb (nicknamed Fools Paradise). This portion of the ride reveals the rugged Lost Coast landscape as it travels through big, dense forest with extremely steep side slopes, exposure and very narrow trail.

Your reward after such a challenging section of trail is an exciting, flowy descent. For many, it's the highlight of the loop with a descent that seems to go on for eternity!

As the descent begins to level out, you'll pass an intersection that connects to the Pacific Rim trail. Continue straight to finish the downhill and cross another bridge over Bear Creek . From there, pedal up a moderate climb out of the valley. The route parallels the road as it turns north for the final stretch to Tolkan Campground.

Beginning in 2005, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) partnered with the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) as well as mountain biking advocates and clubs, to create an environmentally sustainable, challenging mountain bike trail system in the Paradise Ridge area of the King Range National Conservation Area.
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