Los Penasquitos Canyon Waterfall

Los Penasquitos Canyon Trail

Los Penasquitos Canyon is a great day-use trail which is located about 20 miles north of San Diego. This trail is popular for hiking, biking and horseback riding. From the northern entrance located just off the 15 freeway, the Los Penasquitos trail follows the Penasquitos creek to a small cascading waterfall. From the northern trailhead, the hike is approximately 6 miles roundtrip to the waterfall. Most people can finish the hike in less than 3 hours.  The trail is almost entirely flat and is suitable for hikers of any age or ability. Dogs are also permitted on the trail as long as they are leashed.

The canyon is partly shaded by acorn trees, but there are some sections where you will be exposed to the sun. The summer temperatures in this area can be extremely hot, often in the 80-90 degree range.  Dehydration is a very real concern and hikers should be bring plenty of water for the trip. One small bottle of water will NOT be enough during the summer months.

Los Penasquitos Waterfall

For people who like to get away from the crowds, this trail may not be for you. Because of its proximity to the freeway and several large neighborhoods, this trail is almost always busy. The main trail through the canyon is extremely wide, but there are many smaller single-track trails which wind through the trees and provide some shade for hikers. Mountain bikers are not technically permitted to use the single-track trails, but many still use them anyway. Don’t be afraid to get off the main trail and do some exploring in the canyon. There are several fun wooden bridges which cross over the creek. You won’t be able to miss the waterfall because its marked by a giant rock outcropping in the center of the canyon. The waterfall is definitely the highlight of the trip, so don’t give up before you see it.  

Los Penasquitos Canyon

While not nearly as impressive as Cedar Creek Falls to the east, Los Penasquitos is unique because it is one of only a few waterfalls in the area which flows consistently.  Los Penasquitos Canyon is definitely worth a stop if you’re looking to get out of the city in San Diego and do a good a hike.

Directions to the Los Penasquitos Canyon trailhead:

From Route 15, take the Mercy Road exit and head west for approximately 1 mile to Black Mountain Road. The entrance to the trailhead is located at the intersection of Mercy Road and Black Mountain Road. There is a $5 fee to park at the trailhead, but there is free parking available in the adjacent neighborhoods if you don’t mind walking a bit further.  The trail is simple to find and starts at a locked gate at the far end of the parking lot.

Los Penasquitos Canyon Map

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Quail Hill Preserve and the Shady Canyon Bikeway in Irvine

Shady Canyon Bikeway in Irvine

The Quail Hill Preserve is a fun little dirt loop located just off the 405 freeway in Irvine.  It’s more suited for a short walk or a leisurely ride on your mountain bike. It’s also a great jumping off point for the Shady Canyon Bikeway in Irvine.  You can park your car in the Quail Hill Preserve parking lot and experience one of the best paved bike trails in all of Orange County.

As you head south from the preserve, the Shady Canyon Bikeway passes through some really beautiful neighborhoods.  The grade is uphill for the first mile and a half and downhill for the next mile, so you can get a nice workout in a relatively short period of time.  At 2.5 miles south of the Quail Hill Preserve, The Shady Canyon Bikeway links up with the Bommer Canyon Trail, or you can continue west on the paved bike trail and link up with the Bonita Canyon trail.  Bommer Canyon is a dirt trail which will take you all the way to Crystal Cove. You’ll need a mountain bike, a helmet and a lot of time to make it to the beach and back up. I don’t recommend attempting a 20 mile round-trip beach journey it unless you are a beast, because the ride back up Crystal Cove is pretty rough.

If you want to start at the Quail Hill Preserve and ride North on the Shady Canyon Bikeway, there is a good route which will connect you to the University Trail. You can link up with the University Trail and head west towards William R Mason Regional Park. This route is a leisurely 8 mile round-trip ride on a paved trail. I highly recommend plotting your route on Google first, because the trails in Irvine can be very confusing and they essentially go on forever in every direction.

Quail Hill Preserve in Irvine

Shady Canyon Bikeway Orange County California

Shady Canyon Bikeway in Irvine California

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Adventures in Southern California now has its own online newspaper

Adventures in Southern California is now an online newspaper. I've compiled literally hundreds of twitter feeds, rss feeds and hiking blogs into a digital newspaper. I've collected feeds from all over the world that focus on hiking, backpacking, gear reviews, biking, climbing, rafting, boarding, food and traveling with a special emphasis on Southern California. I'm adding new websites to my feed every day. Feel free to send me a message if you would like to add your website or blog to my feed. The newspaper updates every 24 hours with all new content, so check in as frequently as you like. If you follow the archives tab near the top of the newspaper, you can check out all of the hiking stories you might have missed. Check it out here: https://paper.li/AdventureSoCal/1394392412

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Silverado Canyon to Modjeska Peak

Silverado Canyon. Modjeska Peak

It’s been a few years since I tackled this hike, but I’m posting it for the sake of being thorough.  Silverado Canyon is a tough uphill hike in Orange County. This is the most remote and secluded area of the county and  you might not see another person on this trail. 

This hike starts at a locked gate on Silverado Canyon Road. You hike into the canyon on a packed gravel road for the first mile following the creek. Eventually, the trail turns to dirt and you begin the steady ascent up the mountain. This trail has a steep grade. If you bring your mountain bike, you should plan on walking it up a lot of the trail unless you're a beast. There are several gates at the top of the mountain, and sometimes they’re locked. Make sure to remember where they're at if you plan on bombing down the hill on your return trip. You can make a left at the first trail intersection of the Main Divide and continue a few miles further North up the mountain to Bedford Peak, or you can turn right and head South to Modjeska Peak, Santiago Peak and Trabuco Peak. I've only ever finished the hike to Modjeska. You could hike and camp for several days up there and not see it all. I recommend doing this hike in the spring or fall because the trail is completely exposed in the summer and relatively steep.

A word of caution: This is the only trail in California that I’ve ever gotten “lost” on. I tried to find a shortcut down the mountain on what I thought was a fire road. It wasn’t. The sun went down and my girlfriend and I had to bushwhack through a mile of underbrush in the dark until we were back on the trail. She lost her camera when she was sliding on her butt on a 80 percent grade in a dry creek bed. I haven’t been able to get her to go back to Silverado Canyon since then.

Directions: From the 55 in Costa Mesa, exit onto E Chapman and head East. After about 4 miles, E Chapman turns into E Santiago canyon Road. Continue past Irvine Lake on E Santiago Canyon Road. You will cross the Toll Road, but make sure to stay on Santiago Canyon Road. Finally, turn left onto Silverado Canyon Road.  Continue for another 3 miles to the locked gate at the end of Silverado Canyon Road.

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Angel's Landing Hike. Zion National Park

Angel's Landing. Zion National Park

Angel’s Landing in Zion National park is one of the best hikes that I've ever conquered and easily one of the best in United States. From the canyon floor, the hike looks nearly impossible. Under a cloudless sky in the scorching summer heat, the endless switchbacks can sometimes feel impossible too. The reward when you reach the top is well worth the effort. Angel's Landing is the Sistine Chapel of hiking. In his wildest dreams, Michelangelo could never have painted anything as beautiful as the birds-eye view of Zion National Park from the top of Angel's Landing.

The hike starts at the Grotto Trailhead in the main section of Zion National Park.  You cross the foot bridge over the Virgin River to the west side of the canyon and head up the daunting set of switchbacks affectionately known as “Walter’s Wiggles”.  If you’re in decent shape, you’ll inevitably pass the multitudes of red-faced, overweight tourists slogging up the hill. The further up you get, the more the crowd thins out. By the time you reach Refrigerator Canyon, your legs will definitely be pumping some blood and most people take a short water break in the shade. There are a few small wind caves that you can explore on this part of the hike. You begin a more even ascent towards an area known as Scout’s Lookout.  I heard a tour guide say the area directly below the cliff is sometimes called “Scout’s Landing” by the locals in honor of all the Boyscouts that have accidentally fallen over the ledge.  A close friend of mine lost an uncle in this exact spot.  The views from Scout’s Lookout are amazing, but they get better. From here, you start a harrowing climb up the chains on a path that narrows to just 2 feet across on a cliff with vertical decent of several thousand feet.  It can be a bit terrifying to share the path with people crossing in the opposite direction. A lot of people see the chains and can’t work up the courage to climb more than a few feet before they turn around and head back down. This part of the hike is obviously not for anyone with acrophobia.

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Snow Summit Mountain Bike Park

Snow Summit Mountain Biking Trails

I just got back from an afternoon mountain biking session at Snow Summit and I was extremely impressed.  The park opened this year, so there wasn’t a lot of information about it online. The lift tickets for the afternoon 1pm-5pm session are very reasonably priced at 22$. If you have to rent a bike, this is where they’re going to hit your wallet. Bike rentals start at 59$, not including the 10$ damage waiver.  The rental bikes are higher end Trek XC models with full suspension. We brought our own bikes, so it wasn’t an issue for us anyway.

The lift takes approximately 10 minutes to reach the Summit. Your bike rides up the mountain on a separate lift from a metal hanger. Our first run of the day started on the easy fire road trail 2N10. This trail is a wide double lane fire road with no obstacles or rocks. We skipped the turnout for the Coyote Trail that went back to the lift and headed down the Pine Nut Trail instead. I would call Pine Nut an intermediate trail. It was mostly single track with  quite a few small obstacles. A fairly novice rider could manage this trail is they were in good shape and not too clumsy. This route required a small amount of uphill riding, which is much harder at 10,000 feet above sea level.  I definitely wouldn't take my mom down Pine Nut. From the bottom of the trail, there is a 2.5 mile ride back through town on Big Bear Blvd to the resort. I wasn't expecting this, but the lake is beautiful in the summer and it was a fun ride. This would have been a good last run of the day to cool down. This run took up 90 minutes with a few small breaks in the middle for picture taking.

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Fairview Park. Costa Mesa

Fairview Park. Costa Mesa

Fairview park is a great little park in Costa Mesa. It’s situated on a bluff overlooking the 'not so scenic' Santa Ana River. There is a wide flat gravel trail that loops around the perimeter of the park which is shared by hikers, families and cyclists. Fairview Park is also the “secret” mountain biking spot where locals come to hit the jumps and the makeshift dirt trails that snake through the middle of the park.  The mountain bikes trails and the dirt jumps are not maintained by the city, so you probably want to scout the trails before you do any hardcore riding. The jumps can get washed out after any heavy rain.

Fairview park isn’t very large, probably less than 2 miles in circumference, but you can turn your trip into a longer loop by combining Talbert Park, Canyon Park and Fairview Park.  If you’re looking for an even longer ride, you can access the Santa Ana River Trail from the park and ride 30 miles north to

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Mountain Biking Peter's Canyon, Orange California

Peter's Canyon Mountain Bike trails

Peters Canyon is a relatively small park. The main trail follows the perimeter of the reservoir and leads down the canyon below the dam. There are a few side trails, but they just loop back to the main trail. One of the highlights of the park is a large eucalyptus grove at the end of the canyon. A single track trail twists through the grove. It's not long, but fun nonetheless.

Although the entire elevation gain is low you still need to keep in mind that the parking is at the top most section of the park. If you ride down the canyon, you will have to come back up.

Peters's Canyon Loop

Directions: The park is located near the intersection of Chapman, Jamboree and Santiago Canyon Roads in the city of Orange.
From the 5 freeway, take Jamboree north to Canyon View Ave. Make a left and the park entrance will be a few hundred feet on your left.
From the 55 freeway take Chapman east. You will travel up and over Orange hills. Eventually you will make a right onto Jamboree. A short distance later make a right onto Canyon View Ave. and then a left into the park.
Parking: Dirt parking area.
Open daily from 7:00am to Sunset.
Fees: $2.00, requires exact change
Water: In the parking lot
Facilities: Porta-Potties in the parking lot and at the end of the canyon
Address: Canyon View Ave.
Orange, CA
Phone:(714) 973-6611

Source:

http://www.biketrails.com/peters.html

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Blackstar Canyon Waterfall

Blackstar Canyon Falls

Blackstar Canyon is a secluded canyon located ten miles east from the heart of Orange. Blackstar has a reputation in Orange County for being haunted.  Every year around Halloween, Blackstar becomes a popular hiking destination for ghost hunters and local ghost tours.  Having recently hiked the canyon myself at night, I can honestly say that it’s definitely a spooky place.  I don’t actually believe in ghosts, but mountain lions and bobcats are known to inhabit the canyon. If the thought of a mountain lion pouncing on you from behind doesn’t spook you, I don’t know what will.

Blackstar Canyon has a hidden waterfall and a cave at the mouth of the creek.  From pictures, the falls look amazing when they are running, but they were bone-dry both times I visited. The hike to the waterfall is a little over 6 miles round-trip. The first two miles of the hike follow a wide dirt road that winds its way into canyon, crossing several bridges and never veering too far from the creek. The canyon is filled with willow, acorn, eucalyptus, oak, and a variety of other large trees. The trail cuts through several areas which are privately owned and fenced off with electric and barbed wire. You can spot the remnants of a dilapidated squatter’s camp just off the trail.

 At approximately 2 miles in, you will come to a
three- way junction. The main road veers away from the creek to the left and heads further into the mountains. The middle trail, a smaller single track hiking trail, follows the rim of the creek and gradually leads up into the mountains.  The right-hand trail descends to the creek bed and leads upstream to the waterfall and the cave.

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Mountain Biking in Santiago Oaks Regional Park

Santiago Oaks Regional Park is located in Orange California. It has some excellent trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The park is located in the heart of Orange County, but it feels surprisingly remote once you get into the canyon and up into the hills. There are several easy trails that follow the creek, and a few that go straight up the mountain. The reward of riding down is worth the effort getting up. The trails are wide, fast, and well maintained. This is easily one of the best areas in Orange County for mountain biking. Here is a map of the trails.

Santiago Oaks Regional Park Trail Map

This is just a short mountain biking video I shot in Santiago Oaks Regional Park in Orange California. I mounted the camera on my helmet because it was insanely shaky when I try to mount it on the handlebar.

Mountain Biking in Santiago Oaks Regional Park from john fakor on Vimeo.

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Nobody Hikes in LA.

This is a HUGE list of hikes in the LA/Orange County area. Many of the links are clickable.

Abalone Cove

ABCD Loop – see Santiago Oaks Regional Park

Airport in the Sky – see Catalina Island

Airport Loop Trail – see Catalina Island

Alger Trail Camp – see Momyer Trail

Aliso Canyon Trail (San Fernando Valley) – see Porter Ranch Loop

Aliso Peak

-from Seaview Park

-via Valdido Trail

Aliso Summit Trail

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Back Bay, Newport Beach

We finally got around to biking the back bay loop in Newport Beach today. We started on Balboa Peninsula and took the Ferry across to Balboa Island for 1.25$ each. You pedal across the Island and cross the bridge on Marine Avenue. Make an immediate left onto Bayside and it’ll take you across Pacific Coast highway. There is small pedestrian bridge that crosses the harbor onto the trail on Backbay drive. It doesn’t show up on Google maps unless you zoom all the way in on it. Backbay Drive winds through the Newport Beach ecological preserve and wetlands. Its a nice paved trail and there were a ton of people bikng and jogging and we never saw a single car. Once we hit the end of the wetlands, we decided to keep biking North along the San Diego Creek bike trail just to see where it went. The Creek Trail is paved and well maintained, but its kind of drab compared to the Newport Wetlands area and Balboa Island. At 12 miles in, we took a water break at the Harvard Athletic Park in Irvine. We decided to turn around and head back to Balboa Island for dinner and we ended up fighting a nasty headwind. Thankfully, the bike trail is almost completely flat, because it literally felt like I was dragging an anchor on the ride home due to the wind. We opted to take the identical return route and avoid the loop on the back bay to save some time and avoid the hill. At the Village inn on Balboa Island, we ate dinner, drank margaritas and watched Watched Louisville beat Michigan State to a pulp in the sweet sixteen game. We ended up doing a little over 23 miles round-trip, but it felt worse because of the headwind. Next time I bike the Newport back bay, I’m going to head a little further down San Diego Creek in Irvine and do the Orange County zoo in Irvine Regional Park.

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