Maricopa Highway (CA-33)
CA-33 between Ojai and Maricopa climbs immediately out of the Ojai Valley through Wheeler Gorge — a narrow canyon of twisted sedimentary rock layers with hand-blasted road tunnels — before cresting the spine of Pine Mountain at roughly 5,000 feet in Los Padres National Forest. The summit reveals a dramatic transition: lush Ojai canyons give way to the vast, high-desert Cuyama Valley stretching north. The road blends technical mountain switchbacks with fast ridgeline straights across an 80-mile stretch designated as the Jacinto Reyes National Forest Scenic Byway through its Ojai-to-Maricopa segment. Gas is available in Ojai and Maricopa; there are no services in between.
What you'll hit along the way.
Rider-verified stops, overlooks, fuel, and the corners worth knowing about — in the order you'll meet them.
Ojai
A small arts-oriented town at the foot of the Los Padres National Forest, good for fuel, food, and a look around before heading into the mountains.
Wheeler Springs
A quiet roadside community where the highway begins climbing into the narrowing canyon alongside Matilija Creek.
Halfway Station Bar and Cafe
A remote roadside stop roughly midway through the route, offering a meal and a rest in otherwise sparse high-country terrain.
Ventucopa
A small settlement near the route's northern end where the landscape opens into broad ranchland and the highway meets the Cuyama Valley.
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Runs are rider-logged & GPS-traced in the app
Ride your own ride — times are rider-logged & GPS-traced, never a race on public roads.
Shot by the riders who've run it.
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