The longest route at The Pacific Race last May was a 100 km stage called Numu with 1,600 meters of climbing. Surfside Trail, one of the trails inside Hacienda Pinilla, runs 1.2 miles and climbs 37 feet. Both numbers describe riding at Hacienda Pinilla. The second one is closer to an ordinary morning here.
More than 1,500 cyclists came for the race on May 1 and 2, 2026. Outside race weekend, the network works differently. It is a dense set of short, varied trails through dry forest and along the coast, and riders link them into loops. Bike Craft, the operator by the tennis courts, sets its guided tours at about two hours, timed to finish before the midday sun. The Costa Rica Tourism Board calls November a transition month on the Pacific coast, with the dry season running December through March. That makes the next few weeks a good time to learn the network one short trail at a time.
A network measured in short pieces
The network's total length depends on who is counting. Hacienda Pinilla describes more than 45 kilometers of trails across the cattle ranch, the resort, forest and coastline. Bike Craft's 2026 guide puts the figure at 47 kilometers of single track. Trailforks lists 26 miles, about 42 kilometers, spread across 23 mountain bike trails, and classifies the terrain mainly as cross-country. Trail databases and operators often count connectors and spurs differently, which likely explains the spread.
Divide roughly 42 to 47 kilometers by 23 trails and the average trail comes out at about two kilometers. The trails with published figures fit that pattern:
| Trail | Length or drop | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Surfside | 1.2 miles, 37 ft of climbing | Dry forest out to the Pacific and the Little Hawaii surf break |
| Vistamar | 1.5 miles, 65 ft of climbing | Starts in woods, ends at raised beach and ocean views |
| Heartwood | 126 ft of descent | Downhill-focused enduro singletrack with a 35 ft Guanacaste log feature |
The climbing figures are small. Surfside and Vistamar together climb about 100 feet. The Serpent Long Route at The Pacific Race climbed 1,300 meters over 90 kilometers. The variety on the everyday network comes from terrain and scenery more than elevation, and that is why a short loop can cover a lot of it.
Building a morning loop
Because the trails are short, a ride is a sequence. Bike Craft sorts the network into four types of riding.
- Enduro and technical: drops, rock gardens and technical descents
- Cross-country: flowing routes through large roots and tropical forest
- Coastal: trails with direct Pacific views, which the guide singles out for golden hour
- Family friendly: wider, flatter paths suited to children as young as two
A two-hour loop can draw from more than one of these. Vistamar starts in woods and climbs to ocean views. Surfside crosses dry forest to the water at Little Hawaii. Heartwood adds a short technical descent for riders who want one. Bike Craft's guide names El Cedro and Jaguarundi as two of the network's best-known sections, and it describes them as the kind of trails a two-hour private tour can cover before midday.
Hacienda Pinilla also mentions kilometers of bike-friendly farm roads around the trail system. They give an easier option for a family ride or for linking trails without singletrack in between.
Starting at Bike Craft by the tennis courts
The documented trail access is next to Hacienda Pinilla's tennis courts, where Bike Craft has its shop. Trailforks marks the parking lot beside the shop as network access. Hacienda Pinilla's own mountain biking page sends bookings to Bike Craft, confirms that rentals are available, and lists hours of 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
Bike Craft offers mountain bike and e-bike rentals, repairs and guided tours. Its main brand is Transition, and it also carries models from Evil, Norco, Specialized and Scott, plus carbon e-bikes. The shop's guide recommends the e-bikes for handling the Guanacaste heat and covering the full network. Rental bikes have to stay on Hacienda Pinilla property. The shop says any rider is welcome to visit and ride the network, not only guests. Its family rides last one to two hours, and its private tours run about two.
Owners who bring their own bikes can use the shop for service. Bike Craft's mechanics deal with the dust, heat and salt air of the coast. The guide warns that the local "Moon Dust" can wear out a drivetrain.
What changes between green season and dry season
The Tourism Board's calendar puts the Pacific rainy season from May through October, with most rain falling in the afternoon and early evening. Through October, then, mornings are the drier part of the day. The 6 a.m. start of the booking hours listed on Hacienda Pinilla's mountain biking page and Bike Craft's two-hour tours fit that schedule.
When the rain stops, the problem changes from wet trails to dust and heat. Bike Craft's guide gives three tips that apply here:
- Hydration: at least two liters of water with electrolytes for a two-hour ride
- Eye protection: good eyewear against fine dust on the fast sections
- Tire pressure: set for terrain that runs from loose sand to hardpack, adjusted to the rider's weight and style
During the transition, conditions are harder to predict. Trailforks marks Surfside and Heartwood as rideable in rain, but that is a database setting, not a live report. The same site listed the Hacienda Pinilla network as "Caution" as of August 1, 2026, without saying why. That status is now two months old. Before riding after a heavy rain, the most reliable check is the shop at the trailhead.
The race as a stretched version of the network
The Pacific Race strings the same coastline into much longer routes. In 2026, the Coyoche Short Route ran 60 km with 650 meters of climbing, and the Serpent Long Route ran 90 km with 1,300 meters, both on May 2. The two-day stage race added Numu on May 1, at 100 km and 1,600 meters, before Serpent on day two.
The 2026 edition was the race's second. It was recognized as an Esencial Costa Rica event and received the Blue Ecological Flag for its waste management and environmental practices. According to Hacienda Pinilla, it also brought more hotel bookings, restaurant visits and local business across Guanacaste. Over the two days, the program included family activities and entertainment alongside the racing.
Hacienda Pinilla has said the event is building toward a 2027 edition. As of early October 2026, the race's site lists only the 2026 dates. For anyone thinking about entering, the short trails near home are where to put in the miles. A 90 km route is made of the same kind of terrain as the two-hour loop from the tennis courts.
The slower way through the same country
The bike network is not the only trail system in the community. Hacienda Pinilla's stables run guided horseback rides on 16 kilometers of trails and along nearby beaches, daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each ride includes a shuttle, a guide, water and a helmet. Trailforks also tags parts of the bike network for hiking and trail running. The JW Marriott Guanacaste advertises bicycle tours on four trails through a natural reserve.
Hacienda Pinilla's mountain biking page says the community has hosted national competitions on these trails, including Guanaride and an Easter Week MTB event. With bookings taken daily from 6 a.m., trails like Surfside, Vistamar and Heartwood work for an ordinary morning ride as well as for those event weekends.
At One Hacienda Pinilla, homes sit inside this same 4,500-acre setting. Bike parking and EV charging are part of the private homeowner amenities, and the trails start a short ride away. If you'd like to see how a homesite connects to the trailhead by the tennis courts, schedule a showing and ride part of the network with us.
