Guide · Updated 2026

The Best Bike Routes in Davis

Davis is flat, compact, and stitched together with car-free paths. That is the whole reason it gets called the most bike-friendly town in America. Here is how locals actually get around.

You do not really need a car in Davis, and most people who live here figure that out fast. The town is small, the land is table-flat, and a network of paths keeps you off the busy streets for most of a trip. If you are new, the trick is less about finding one perfect route and more about learning how the pieces connect. Below is the lay of the land, plus where to get the official map when you want turn-by-turn detail.

The greenbelts are the backbone

Davis is threaded with greenbelts: long, skinny parks with paved paths that run between neighborhoods, under the roads, and away from traffic. They are the reason a kid can bike to school and a commuter can cross town without stopping at a light. Once you learn which greenbelt runs near your place, most of your regular trips will start and end on one. The City of Davis bicycling program publishes the official bike map, which is the source of truth for how the greenbelts link up.

The UC Davis Arboretum path

If you want a ride that is calm and pretty rather than practical, the UC Davis Arboretum is the answer. A paved path follows the old waterway along the south edge of campus, past gardens and big shade trees, and it connects into downtown on one end and campus on the other. It is a flat, easy cruise, popular with walkers and runners too, so keep your speed friendly.

Getting across town without a car

For everyday trips, downtown, campus, the farmers market, and most of the neighborhoods are all a short, flat ride apart. The path network means you can usually find a route that avoids the few genuinely busy roads. When you do share a street, Davis has bike lanes on most of them, and drivers here are more used to cyclists than in almost any other town in the country.

A stop worth making

Fittingly for the town, the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame sits downtown. It is a small, free museum of racing history and old machines, and an easy add-on to a downtown ride if you are curious how Davis earned the reputation.

Before you go

A few honest notes. Summers are hot, so ride early and carry water. A light is required after dark and genuinely worth it on the paths. Campus gets dense with bikes between classes, so slow down and expect foot traffic. And when you want exact streets and distances rather than the big picture, pull up the official city bike map before you set off.

This guide is part of The Davis Current, a free local newsletter written by Ryan. Want your business featured in a guide like this? Advertise with us.