- Ride Details
- Distance: 35 miles
- Summit Elevation: 3028′
- Total Ascent: 3200′
- Time: 2-4 hours
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Que Sheet: Download
The Lobster Body is an awesome sampler of the San Gabriel Mountains. It is a core part of the Lobster Ride, an epic journey that combines the Baldy Lifts and Crystal Lake Cafe routes. The Lobster Body does not include the long climbs to Baldy and Crystal Lake so it’s something that can be done in a morning.
You can start the ride anywhere on the loop and ride it in either direction, but we have our favorite. Parking just off the bottom of Glendora Mountain Road is the closest to home for us and going clockwise means you get a nice flat to downhill warmup before doing any climbing.
There’s about 400 feet of descent on the five miles you’ll ride along the base of the mountains on Sierra Madre Ave. Near the end of Sierra Madre, you’ll turn right on an access road (no cars) that’s labeled North Todd on the map. We’re not sure there’s a road sign so keep your eyes open for it. That access road will take you to the San Gabriel River Trail.
Turn right and head north on the SGRT. After a couple of miles you’ll drop onto San Gabriel Canyon Road, CA 39 which runs parallel to the trail. The next nine miles starts with a steady climb and then rolls. You’ll have great views of the Morris Dam and Reservoir and then the San Gabriel Dam and Reservoir.
After you pass the San Gabriel Dam, start to watch on your right for the pair of bald eagles that nest near the road. They are a bit tricky to find if you don’t know where to look, but you’ll see photographers with long lenses if they are nesting. They can point out the eagles and tell you what they have been doing for the last few hours.
When you reach the bridge at East Fork road, take a rest and snap a few photos. It’s a good time to celebrate not having to make the 15 mile, 4000 foot climb to Crystal Lake Cafe.
The ride on East Fork is a rolling five miles that parallels the east fork of the San Gabriel River. You’ll pass a shooting range and a young men’s prison before you reach Camp Williams about four miles into the canyon. There’s a cafe that’s open in the summer and some weekends. There’s a tap in a planter in the front so you can reliably get water here.
After a bit of rest and a snack, you’ll be ready for the longest climb of the day. Ride the last mile of East Fork and then take a sharp right onto Glendora Mountain Road. This five mile climb is affectionately known as Little GMR to distinguish it from the more travelled section of GMR on the other side of the mountain.
When you reach the top of Little GMR, you’ll be at the intersection of Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road known locally as the Baldy Y. You’ll be staying on Glendora Mountain Road, but it will require what amounts to a right turn.
There’s a little climb and then you’ll reach the shack where your descent really gets going. There’s one tiny hill near the beginning, but the rest is all smiles. Be careful of your speed and of cars, bikes, motorcycles and even skateboarders. Traffic is rarely bad, but be ready for anything. This section of the road is generally pretty clear, but you should still watch for rocks and debris. After nine miles of fun, you’ll be back at your car.