Reference to the City of Angels generally brings to mind Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, starlets, smog, gridlock, Disney, and urban sprawl.  However, a ring of national forest and recreational areas surround the Los Angeles basin, offering up prime mountain biking.  To the northwest are the Santa Monica mountains and recreational area.  The Angeles National Forest, containing the San Gabriel Mountain range, is to the north.  The San Bernardino National Forest and mountain range is to the east, and the Cleveland National Forest and Santa Ana mountains are southeast.  The San Juan Trail is located in the Cleveland National Forest, about 12 miles east of San Juan Capistrano.  The trail hits you with climbing right off the bat - you'll encounter a series of tight switchbacks the first mile.  However, they are entertaining to try and the trail between switchbacks is enjoyable.  After the switchback climbs, there are long sections of sweet smooth-ish singletrack and beautiful views interspersed with a few very short sections of exposure.  At mile 6.5 you'll reach an intersection - great place to take in a snack and the view.  From there, it's about 5 miles to the campground.  This section of singletrack is rockier, although nothing too gnarly.  It also has some descending (just remember, you have to climb it to get home), and you travel through three low-lying areas where there is poison oak.  If you are allergic, Tecnu is great stuff.  At about 11.5 miles (from the start), you'll take an offshoot trail to the left to the campground.  If you continue onward instead of taking the offshoot, you'll wind up in a parking lot and can descend down the road to the campground.  There is a bathroom and water spigot at the campground.

TO TRAILHEAD: From I-5 in San Juan Capistrano, take Ortega Hwy (74) east about 12 miles. Turn left on Camp Road. There is a sign for the Lazy R Ranch. Go down the road for about 1/2 mile to a large dirt parking lot in the trees on your left. There is a bathroom and picnic table, but no water. The trail is right beside the road. Please note: you need a Forest Service Adventure Pass to park. Please see http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/ap/ for more info on this pass (e.g., where to purchase).