Bike Bucolic

Road Bike Cornell in Agoura Hills

Horses are still a common mode of transport in Cornell near Agoura Hills, but there's another popular means for getting around this landscape filled with ranches, wineries, and preening peacocks roaming freely. Cyclists prize the area for its golden beauty and tough hill climbs. For a scenic roll with some cardio challenges and a tasty reward, do a 13.5-mile bike loop that starts and finishes at the Old Place, a saloon-style restaurant that's been around for generations (celebrities like Steve McQueen frequented the place in the 70s). From the Old Place you'll pedal southeast on Mulholland Drive and turn left on Cornell Road, where brown hills and towering oaks dominate the countryside. Cornell Road hits Kanan Road; go left. After 3 miles on Kanan, the pavement begins to steadily incline: you'll be working those legs for another 3 miles, gaining 1,000 feet in elevation. Take a breather at Rocky Oaks Park and stroll around the park's pond, surrounded by hillside vineyards. Back in the saddle, it's all downhill. Go east on Mulholland Drive to return to the Old Place, a former post-office building dating to the 19th century. Service at the bar—a 30-foot piece of wood salvaged from a Virginia City saloon—is first come, first served. Order one of their classics, like bone-in ribeye, or come for breakfast and fill up on blue cornmeal flapjacks. Cornell comforts.

This is a 13.5-mile (round-trip) bike ride. Here is a map of the route. The Old Place Restaurant, (818) 706-9001, is located at 29983 Mulholland Hwy. in Agoura Hills. The restaurant is open for dinner from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays; on Saturdays and Sundays, breakfast is served from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and lunch from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The restaurant is small, and it's advised to refer to their website for seating and reservation info. 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

    View
  3. Bucks Up!

    Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

    View
  4. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Bear Hug

    This 5.5-mile loop through Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park explores one of the newest segments of the acclaimed Bay Area Ridge Trail, one redolent with trees ranging from madrone and manzanita to buckeye and blue elderberry (with a bubbly post-hike bonus).

    View
  2. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

    View
  3. A Rose in the Pines

    A crackling fire, a bottle of wine, a bubbling Jacuzzi tub with a waterfall … now the big question: Marvin Gaye tunes or not? In the morning (ahem) it's breakfast in bed and a leis

    View
  4. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

    View