# Summit Rd. legality



## sometimerider (Sep 21, 2007)

Certain parts of Summit Rd., on the ridge between Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, have been questionable regarding whether they are legal to ride. In the past, some property owners have harassed road users - claiming they didn't have the right to be there.

The route at issue includes some or all of highlighted path here. (Note: even though Google Maps calls some of the road "Mt. Madonna Rd./Summit Rd.", that is not correct. It is called simply "Summit Rd." Mt. Madonna Rd. does share some of Summit Rd. for only a short section (a section that might actually be called "Pole Line Rd.) to the SE of the area I'm describing.)

As this article describes, the issue has actually been decided in the courts. In summary, while portions are private, public usage (including on bicycles) is allowed. And while there may be some gates along the way, they should never be locked. 

(There is also the issue of how safe it is to do the dirt portion on road bikes. I'll let those who have actually ridden it comment on that. But I do know that many road riders have gotten through safely.)


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