They’re shuttles for Sequoia Mountain Adventures in Camp Nelson, a mountain bike shuttle company with rental bikes and a repair shop.
Their season opened in May and runs on weekends until about the end of October.
“Each year keeps getting busier and busier. We’ve seen a big bump up in our Web traffic and noticed also a lot more people scheduling reservations and even showing up day off,” Towfiq said. “We’re definitely busier each year.”
Camp Nelson is 12 miles east of Springville in Tulare County’s Giant Sequoia National Mountain. The national monument is administered by the U.S. Forest Service as part of the Sequoia National Forest.
Sequoia Mountain Adventures shuttles mountain bikers to five trails: Camp Nelson, Bear Creek Trail, Freeman Creek Trail, Summit Trail and the Needles Lockout Trail.
The Camp Nelson trail — the most popular of those available— is six-miles long and offers a ride through a Giant Sequoia Tree that was burned out years ago. Sequoia National Forest is one of the few places where you can ride among giant sequoia trees because riding on trails isn’t permitted inside Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.
Volunteers helped clear the Bear Creek Trail on Memorial Day weekend.
“We’ve started taking people on the Summit Trail, but it isn’t signed well enough for people to go on their own,” Towfiq said. “We’re hoping to get it to where people can use it on their own more frequently.”
Trails are available for beginners, as well as for their main market, the avid rider with their own equipment.
“We’ve had some interest from people who are new to mountain biking so we have those trails, rental bikes, rental helmets and more to accommodate them,” said Towfiq, who can arrange your ride according to experience.
It’s their fourth season providing shuttles and their second season of bikes rentals. A new fleet of high-end mountain bikes retailing up to $3,000 is ready for visitors.
Shuttle rides vary from $15 to $55 per person, depending on the number of riders and shuttles purchased. They use a van capable of carrying 14 riders and another able to carry six, both along with their bikes.
Adult rentals start at $45 and children rentals at $20.
A large portion of their visitors come from Los Angeles, San Francisco and the Central Coast.
“We want more of the same, people out here having fun. We like meeting new people, sharing the trails with them and having them enjoy their time up here,” he said. “Now with air conditioning, it’s easier to stay home and watch TV. I guess I’d like to see more people from the Valley come up. I would be nice to see more people from the Central Valley come up for mountain biking.”
They’re trails Towfiq says will change your life.
If you’d like to extend your mountain biking trip, Sequoia Mountain Rentals run by Margaret Towfiq has you covered.
Shidan and Margaret Towfiq rode the trail in the late 1990s and knew they wanted to live there. Now they couple own two businesses in the area.
Margaret Towfiq said it’s the first year they’ve had mountain bikers begin to stay at the 13 cabins and two motel rooms they have available to rent.
And if mountain biking isn’t your thing, she said things like hiking, fishing, star gazing and bird watching are also available a short distance from the cabins.
There are plenty of activities in the area, considering it’s such a small town, she added.
“Some of the rentals we have this year are for guys bringing up their wives. Their wives are getting the sequoia experience as well, going out of hikes or going out and riding bikes,” she said. “It’s turning into couple and family vacations too, instead of just the guys. They’re finding the cabins are comfortable and well-stocked. It’s been a good positive thing for the bikes that the cabins are available.”
SEQUOIA MOUNTAIN ADVENTURES
Where: 298 Linder Drive #3, Springville (about 63 miles from Visalia)
Website: www.SequoiaMountainAdventures.com or www.SeqMtnAdv.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/seqmtnadv
Contact: 762-2267 or ride@seqmtnadv.com
SEQUOIA MOUNTAIN RENTALS
Where: Camp Nelson
Website: www.SequoiaMountainRentals.com
Contact: 542-0812