Cycling Fort Ross Road East
Ride 9.5 miles gaining 2,165’ at 3% average grade.
Photo: Mt. St. Helena upper center.
The east side of Fort Ross Road (beginning in Cazadero) is much milder than it's big brother Fort Ross West (#6 on the Tri-County list - 2.4 miles at 10.9% average grade). The 5.2 mile initial climb is followed by a 1.5 miles 523' descent, followed by roughly 1 mile of flat riding, ending with a 1.4 mile 8.1% punch to the intersection of Meyers Grade and Fort Ross Roads.
You just never know what you’ll run into in the West County . . .
. . . full disclosure - that is a cut out, not the real deal.
Start in Cazadero
3 options - Fort Ross Road (left), King Ridge (straight), Old Caz (right)
Like so many of the Sonoma West County climbs, we are surrounded by redwood forest and shaded by tree canopy cover nearly the entire climb. This is a good option for long Sonoma County rides on hot days. There is a nice, nearly private, loop that begins in Cazadero travelling west on Fort Ross Road and finishes travelling southeast on Kings Ridge back to Cazadero which is plotted here - MAP.
This climb is highly recommended for its rural and forested charm. The roadway surface is rough and narrow, but there is very little traffic along the climb - this is a safe ride. Cazadero, population 350, has a rough deli/market and an AWESOME Bakery - Raymond's Bakery - come for the ride, stay for the danish! Raymond's is a MUST.
Steepest ¼ mile begins at mile
TOUR OF CALIFORNIA - FORT ROSS ROAD
Peter Sagan (SVK) outsprints the field
Santa Rosa, Stage 1 2012 Tour of California
Photo: Kent Porter / Press Democrat 2012
Fort Ross Road has been featured once in the Tour of California:
That’s a wrap!!