With its warm weather, California is the ideal place to go off-road riding, especially in the winter months. There is no shortage of tracks in this sunny state, and there a plenty of events for riders of all skill levels taking place year round. Visit Menifee, in Southern California, known as California’s “southern capital of motocross” and the birthplace of Mike Metzger (the “godfather” of FMX). Off-road riding is so popular in California that there are a number of companies specializing in motocross vacations.

CALIFORNIA: QUICK FACTS

Population: 38,802,500

Capital: Sacramento

Currency: USD $

WHERE TO RIDE

Barona MX Track ­ Ramona, CA
This track features a National style motocross track with 40 ft doubles, 90 ft tables, and a large 110 double. There is also a peewee track.

Cahuilla Creek Motocross ­ Anza, CA
Located in Southern California, Cahuilla Creek has three professionally maintained tracks to suit any riding level.

E­Street MX ­ Marysville, CA
A track with a soil base of sand and loam. The main track changes often, so you won’t get bored. Suits all skill levels.

Milestone Ranch MX Park ­ Riverside, CA
Milestone Ranch is a 55 acre park with seven tracks for a range of skill levels. Night riding available on certain tracks.

Glen Helen Raceway ­ San Bernardino, CA
Set against a mountainside, Glen Helen stretches over 256 acres in the area of Devore.

Tulare Cycle Park ­ Tulare, CA
This park includes a 11⁄4 mile motocross track, as well as a 1⁄4 flat track.

Club Moto Motocross Park ­ Livermore, CA
This park includes both natural terrain and a man-­made obstacle motocross GP track, as well as beginner and peewee tracks. Night riding is also available.

MMX Racing Motocross Tracks ­ Marysville, CA
A 20 acre facility right next to the Yuba River. The terrain is a mixture of sand and loam and features wide jumps.

Lake Elsinore Motocross Park ­ Lake Elsinore, CA
This park features four different tracks for all skill levels. It reopened in 2012 after a complete redesign.

Cal City MX Park ­ California City, CA
The tracks are made up of sand, decomposed granite, and clay. The main track has jumps from 10­-110 ft.

A few more places worth mentioning:

Perris Raceway ­ Perris, CA

Competitive Edge MX Park ­ Hesperia, CA

Argyll MX Park ­ Dixon, CA

MX126 ­ Piru, CA

Mammoth Motocross ­ Mammoth Lakes, CA

AV Motoplex Motocross Ride Park ­ Lancaster, CA

Hangtown Motocross Track ­ Rancho Cordova, CA

WHERE TO SHOP

Motocross Giant
Camarillo Retail Outlet Store/Headquarters
4690 Calle Carga
Camarillo, CA 93012

Global Moto Outlet
7801 Canoga Ave
Canoga Park, CA 91304

BTO Sports
600 Via Alondra
Camarillo, CA 93012

Cycle Depot
1644 Colorado Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90041

MotoWorld
315 N Magnolia Ave.
El Cajon, CA 92020

Del Amo Motor Sports
Redondo Beach
2500 Marine Avenue
Redondo Beach, CA 90278

Cycle Gear
Multiple Locations

GP Motorcycles
3617 India Street, Ste. B
San Diego, CA 92103

Escondido Cycle Centre
1415 Montiel Road
Escondido, CA 92026

RIDERS FROM CALIFORNIA

David Bailey – Bailey has won many many championships and titles including the 250cc Supercross and National Championships in 1983, four Motocross des Nations titles. He was injured in 1987 while riding and was left paralyzed from the waist down. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.

Josh Grant – Grant’s rookie year started in 2004, where he came in tenth overall in the Motocross Lites series. His riding only improved from there. In 2009, Grant won the AMA Supercross season opener, and made it onto a few more podiums from there.

Zach Osborne – Though Osborne is not technically from California, he spends most of his time there now. Titles include: 2014 ­ 5th AMA SX, Oakland; 2014 ­ 3rd AMA SX, Phoenix; 2014: ­3rd AMA SX, Anaheim 1.

Mike Metzger – Metzger rides Freestyle Motocross and is known as the “Godfather of Freestyle Motocross.” He has been the first to successfully pull of many stunt jumps like back­to­back flips, and was one of the first to start doing basics like heel clickers and can cans. He even appeared in the 2002 video game, Freekstyle.

EVENTS

California Enduro Series

2015 California Enduro Rides

AMA Sanctioned Events – California

USEFUL LINKS

American Motorcyclist Association

ProRide.com

California Enduro Riders Association

MOTOCROSS VACATIONSS

MX Vacations Southern California

California Motocross Holidays

So Cal MX Vacations

Race So Cal

Ride California