Victory Lap

Bike Ride Around the Rose Bowl

Many champions have been crowned at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. In 2015, the Tour of California will pick its winners here, too. The final stage of the Tour concludes with several speedy 3.1-mile laps around the stadium and Brookside Golf Course. Should be exciting, right? Don't let the competition have all the fun. Preview the Tour’s inspired finish on a 9-mile ride that includes the lionized loop and an adjoining scenic street. Approach the bowl on the same road as the pros, following bike-friendly Arroyo Boulevard past lovely homes that overlook the Arroyo Seco. Tall oaks arching overhead form a photo-worthy canopy. Pass below the Arroyo Seco Bridge, an elegant concrete span on Highway 134, and cruise down to the Rose Bowl. Get set and go on a loop around the stadium and the adjacent golf course on a paved biking and walking lane that borders the roads. Pedal past long green fairways and catch views of the San Gabriels as you make your lap. A short climb back up Arroyo Boulevard is rewarded with a fun, fast, and winding ride to the finish. Coming up roses!

Begin from San Pascual Park (960 San Pascual Ave. in Los Angeles). Take San Pascual Ave. northeast for 0.4 mile and bear left up Arroyo Blvd. Go north for 2.5 miles and turn left onto the bike trail that loops around the Rose Bowl. Bike back on Arroyo Blvd. to San Pascual Park. Use the Arroyo Seco Trail Guide

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View
  2. Golden Gate's Blue Heron

    Golden Gate Park’s Blue Heron Lake is home to birds of many feathers, turtles lounging on rocks, visitors from afar, and locals who love this urban oasis in San Francisco. Try the "Boats and Breakfast" rowboat or pedal boat deal.

    View
  3. This Is Paradise

    Granite mountain-scape, superb sunset views, crystal lakes, and shoreline campsites … the trip to Paradise Lake in Tahoe National Forest lives up to its idyllic name.

    View
  4. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Walking the Los Angeles River Trail Through Frogtown

    Frogtown Strutter’s Stroll

    Don’t go dismissing the Los Angeles River as merely a 51-mile concrete channel. It’s a genuine urban artery that links real neighborhoods, and its riverside bike/ped paths endear i

    View
  2. Coming Up Roses

    Looking to spice up your hiking life? Give your partner a rose—Mount Rose! The 10-mile out-and-back peak hike goes up to one of the grandest views in all of Lake Tahoe. Get ready f

    View
  3. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

    View
  4. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View