Like Lennon and McCartney or peanut butter and chocolate, summer and hot weather usually go together around the West — so does hot weather and ice cream. Our local trails are great places to get away — they are usually tree-lined and offer a respite from the summer sun. What if you could put ice cream and trails together? These sweet pairings — trails and ice cream — make for a cool, tasty summer!

Introducing the Cycle California! Ice Cream Trail. We took a look at trails, bike paths, and bike lanes in urban areas, and found some that are near ice cream shops. Of course, like all listicles, this is not all-encompassing or all-inclusive. If you know of an ice cream shop near some nifty biking, let us know. We will update our ice cream trail as we hear about trails and ice cream shops near them. We begin our ice cream experience in southern Oregon.

Bear Creek Greenway outside Ashland, Oregon. Ready for some ice cream? Zoey's Cafe & All Natural Ice Cream has the cold stuff!

Bear Creek & Zoey’s Cafe

Oregon is known for its bike-friendly atmosphere and Ashland, Oregon, is known of course for its theater experience. Now, get to know Zoey’s Cafe & All Natural Ice Cream in Ashland.

Zoey’s Cafe has the very popular Jamaican chocolate rum flavor ice cream, along with other rich and creamy decadent treats. The shop is near Lithia Park and a short bike ride on city streets to the Bear Creek Greenway, a 20-mile north-south paved bike path beginning in Ashland and linking that town with Talent, Phoenix, and Medford, before ending in Central Point. Zoey’s Cafe & All Natural Ice Cream, 199 E. Main St., Ashland, 97520

Photo by Megan Markham from Pexels: Ice Cream Neon sign

Forest Trails, Violets & Cream

While not precisely on a bike trail or path, the town of Jacksonville, Oregon, has several trails nearby — one of which is Jacksonville Forest Trails — that are easily accessible from town. Jacksonville Forest has over 30 miles of multi-use trails in the Jackson Creek Watershed, a nature preserve. Down the street and around the corner is Violets and Cream, on Oregon St. For your aprés ride delight, Violets and Cream has 28 flavors of all-natural ice cream — the chances are good you can find a favorite ice cream or two. The town of Jacksonville itself has a vintage, 19th century vibe — very worth exploring the main street and window shopping after your bike ride and ice cream binge! Violets and Cream, 150 S. Oregon St., Jacksonville, 97530

Bizz Johnson & Frosty Mill

Dropping into Northern California, Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail in Susanville is a 25.4 mile-long rails-to-trails project, following the route of former Fernley and Lassen Railroad. The majority of the trail winds its way along the rugged Susan River Canyon. The trail itself has a gentle 3 percent grade and wide gravel surface. There is the parallel singletrack Southside Trail for those who like a more technical experience. For that after-ride treat, if soft serve ice cream is your jam, Frosty Mill deserves a visit. 605 Ash St., Susanville, 96130

Yuba Sutter Bike Path 
& Brocks

For a more urban experience, Yuba City is home to the Yuba-Sutter Bike Path. The path is flat, relatively short (indeed, the Yuba Sutter Bike Path is a commuter path from Yuba City to Sutter along the former Sacramento Northern Railway). The trail is about 4.65 miles one way, starting at Hooper Rd. in Tierra Buena and ending on Acacia Rd. in Sutter. From the 
bike path, the Sutter Buttes sit in the distance. From the Hooper Rd. end of the bike path, Brock’s Ice Cream Palace is located about 3 miles away. Once there, try out the triple chocolate. You rode your bike, you deserve the treat! Brock’s Ice Cream Palace, 990 Gray Ave., Yuba City, 95991

Osbourne Hill & Lazy Dog

Perhaps the trails around Grass Valley beckon. The area is occasionally overlooked by bikers looking for new places to explore. There are all kinds of trails for hiking and biking. Osbourne Hill Loop Trail in Empire Mine State Historic Park outside of Grass Valley, offers a climb on a fire road to fast downhill singletrack. Once you have experienced the exhilarating 
downhill, go back into town and have an ice cream at Lazy Dog Chocolateria. As the name implies, it has gourmet chocolates as well as ice cream bars and drumsticks. Lazy Dog Chocolateria, 
111 Mill St. Grass Valley, 95945

Flume Trail & Mourelatos

Nine-ish miles along Highway 28 from Tahoe Vista is the Flume Trail, Tahoe North’s most iconic trail ride. This ride has huge heights — the North Tahoe Business Association recommends that people who can’t handle heights should avoid the Flume Trail. Once you come down off the mountain, Tahoe Vista has the Mourelatos Cable Car Ice Cream Shop, AKA, North Lake Tahoe’s Original Ice Cream Shop. Goodies include Blue Bunny premium ice cream, espressos and coffee drinks, lemonade, and other sweets! Mourelatos Cable Car Ice Cream Shop, North Lake Tahoe, CA 6834 North Lake Blvd., Tahoe Vista, 96148

Kern River Parkway 
& Dewar’s

Another urban trail, albeit along one of 
California’s mighty rivers, is the Kern River Parkway Trail that flows through Bakersfield. It’s about 30 miles of paved path between Lake Ming and Enos Lane. Bakersfield gets hot in the summer, 
so when you’re ready to stop off for a cool drink, ice cream, or even a chocolate goody, you can hop onto surface streets to go to Dewar’s Candies & Ice Cream Parlor. The choices are amazing: taffy chews (Dewar’s has been making peanut butter-filled taffy since 1909), ice cream by the scoop, sundaes, ice cream sodas, floats, all types of cold treats! Dewar’s has been in the same location since the 1930s, so there’s an old-timey vibe, as well. Dewar’s Candies & Ice Cream Parlor, 1120 Eye St., Bakersfield, 93304

Once you come off the mountain, a stop for an ice cream float at Economy Drug & Old Fashioned Fountain is in order!

Ice Plant & an
 Old Fashioned Fountain

Let’s not forget Nevada! The Ice Plant trail has connectors that are accessible outside Ely, Nevada’s downtown. 
These trails include moderate climbs and more technical, free-flowing downhill. After you ride the trails, Economy Drug 
& Old Fashioned Fountain offers an old-time fountain experience. A pharmacy and 
soda fountain (somewhat like the old Woolworths), Economy Drug has ibuprophen to ease your aches and ice cream to satisfy your sweet tooth! They offer Farr premium ice cream by the scoop and espressos. Economy Drug & Old Fashioned Fountain, 696 E. Aultman Ave., Ely, 89301