Santa Monica Mountains e-bike tour: Beginner trails

Ride at your own pace through sycamore forests and coastal ridges

An electric mountain bike tour in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles where you ride premium Husqvarna, Specialized or Haibike e-bikes on beginner-friendly fire roads with an optional single-track option, guided by a certified instructor. Both routes run side-by-side so mixed-ability groups stay together while each rider picks their own challenge, and the route passes panoramic Pacific Ocean views before stopping at the Nike Missile Control site, a Cold War relic you'll explore on foot.

Step-by-step itinerary

Electric mountain bike tour in Santa Monica

• Ride through sycamore forests
• Cross springtime creeks
• Choose beginner or Ridgeline route
• Enjoy panoramic ocean and mountain views
• Stop at Nike Missile Control site
• Explore Cold War relic

The experience

The Santa Monica Mountains trail system lets you choose your line as you ride. The beginner fire road is wide and rolling. The Ridgeline Roller Coaster single track runs parallel so you can switch between them without splitting the group. Premium electric bikes handle the climbs, so you focus on the terrain and the views instead of the pedal power. Sycamore forests open onto ridges with sweeping sight lines across the Pacific and the Los Angeles Basin, and springtime creeks cross the route depending on the season.

The Nike Missile Control site anchors the ride: a concrete relic from the Cold War that sits on the ridgeline. You'll stop there to walk around and take in what it was built to do, then head back down the same trails. A certified guide leads the whole group and carries water and snacks. You get a helmet, eyewear and protective pads along with the bike. No prior mountain biking experience is required, though a moderate fitness level helps with the climbing and the terrain.

What’s included

• 2025 Specialized Kenevo Expert electric mountain bike.
• protective pads, helmet and eyewear.
• bottled water and snacks.
• certified mountain bike guide.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:00, 14:00 and 17:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (12 to 75 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by LifeRush Adventures

Is this one for you?Two hours is long enough to climb to the ridgeline, explore the missile site and descend without eating the rest of your day. If you want a longer ride or a different trail system, look for a full-day Santa Monica Mountains option. If you're fitting this into a morning or afternoon in Los Angeles, this window works.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can I ride the Santa Monica Mountains trail if I've never mountain biked before?

Yes. The beginner fire road is the main route, and the optional single-track Ridgeline Roller Coaster runs alongside it so you can pick whichever suits you as you go. A certified guide leads the group and no experience is needed, though moderate fitness helps with the climbs.

What are the views like on this Santa Monica Mountains ride?

The trail opens onto panoramic ridges with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and the Los Angeles Basin, framed by rolling hills and wide-open canyon views. You'll see the natural coastal mountain ecosystem as you climb and descend through sycamore forests.

What happens at the Nike Missile Control site?

The Nike Missile Control site is a Cold War relic on the ridgeline where the route stops. You'll get off the bikes and walk around to explore the concrete structure and learn what it was built to do during the Cold War era.

What bikes and gear do I get on this tour?

You ride a 2025 Specialized Kenevo Expert electric mountain bike, and the tour provides a helmet, eyewear, protective pads, bottled water and snacks. The guide is certified and leads in English or Spanish.