Showing posts with label orange county hiking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label orange county hiking. Show all posts
Aliso and Woods Canyon Wilderness Park
 |
| Top of the World Park |
Aliso and Woods Canyon is one of my favorite places to
mountain bike in Orange County. I
usually park at the entrance on Alicia Parkway, take the paved Aliso Creek Trail south, and then head off road
on right-hand spur trail for the Wood Canyon Trail. The
Wood Canyon Trail leads slightly uphill to Dripping Hole Cave. It’s an easy trail for beginners. If you feel like exercising, you can continue
a few miles past Dripping Hole Cave and head up the steeper section of the Woods
Canyon Trail to Canyon View Park. Canyon
View Park has water fountains and a public restroom for a well-deserved
rest at the top.
If you really want to try a butt-kicking ride, you can
continue past Canyon View Park and pick up the Cholla Trail, then the Lynx
Trail, and finally connect to the West Ridge Trail which will take you to the Top of theWorld Park. You can re-fill your water bottle in the park and then head
back down to your car. I would only recommend attempting to bike from Alicia
Parkway to Top of the World Park if you’re in pretty decent shape. The last
section can be rough trip, especially when you’ve already been heading uphill
for several miles. If you’re a beginner, a great way to do this ride is to use
a two car shuttle. You can park at the
Top of the World Park and bike downhill
to the parking lot on Alicia Parkway and then drive back up the to your car. It’s about an 11 mile drive back to the
parking lot on Alicia Parkway.
Regardless of whether you plan on hiking or biking all the
way to Canyon View Park or the Top of the World, I highly recommend taking the
spur trail and checking out Dripping Hole Cave. It’s not a huge cave by any stretch of the
imagination, but it’s one of the largest natural inland caves in Orange County.
Aliso and Woods Canyon Wilderness Park Address:
28373 Alicia Parkway
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Five Hikes for Dogs in Orange County
A lot of trails in Orange County have restrictions on pets, so I put together a list of 5 hikes in Orange County where you can bring your dogs. I would rate all of these trails and parks as easy. If you have any suggestions, feel free to add them in the comment section a the bottom of the page.
1. 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.
2. Peters Canyon
Peters Canyon is a relatively small park. The main trail follows the perimeter of the reservoir and leads down into the canyon below the dam. There are a few side trails, but they just circle back to the main loop. All of the trails are fairly easy with only an occasional steep hill. One of the highlights of the park is a large eucalyptus grove at the end of the canyon. It's not a big park, but it's fun.
3. Fairview Park
Fairview Park is a great little park in Costa Mesa. It’s situated on a bluff overlooking the the Santa Ana River. The main trail is a wide, flat, gravel path that loops around the perimeter of the park. The trail 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. 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.There are also public bathrooms and water fountains too. This park is also a great jumping off point for people who want tot bike on the Santa Ana River Trail.
The Huntington Beach dog beach isn't a hike. It's just a large beach where you're allowed to bring your dogs and let them off the leash. It's never overly crowded because it's located far enough away from the main Huntington Beach pier.This is also a pretty great surf spot, so don't forget your board. The park is located a bit north of Main Street between Seapoint Ave, and 21st Street. The beach is open everyday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. To find the beach on your GPS using Google Maps, enter 100 Goldenwest St, Huntington Beach, CA
5. Aliso and Woods Canyon Wilderness Park
Aliso Canyon is one of my favorite parks in Orange County. I usually come in through the entrance on Alicia Parkway. When I'm typing it in to the GPS, I just use the address for the the Mormon church next to the trailhead at 28291 Alicia Pkwy, Laguna Niguel, CA . The trail starts on a paved section of Aliso Canyon Road and heads downhill. After about a mile on the paved road, I like to pick up the Wood Canyon Trail on the right side and head to Dripping Hole Cave. Wood Canyon is a dirt trail that leads slightly uphill, but it's an easy hike. Keep an eye out for the spur trail on the left that leads to Dripping Hole Cave.
Borrego Trail to the Red Rock Trail in Whiting Ranch
Submit Website Search Directory
 |
| Borrego Trail Whiting Ranch |
Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park has gained a bit of notoriety
lately due to the high number of Mountain Lion sightings in the area. It’s been two weeks since someone last spotted a mountain lion in the park. I
know this because the information was posted on a signpost at the Borrego
trail-head. Despite all of the hoopla in
the press, mountain lions almost never attack humans. To my knowledge, there
have only been 20 confirmed deaths in North America by mountain lions since
people began keeping records in 1890. If
my math is correct, your odds of being killed in a mountain lion attack are approximately
1 in 160 million. By contrast, there
were 10 people last year in the US who were killed in “Frisbee related deaths.” Yes, more people have been killed by a Frisbee in the past two years than killed by a mountain lion the past 100. But I digress.
The Borrego Trail starts at a Ralph’s grocery store parking lot
in Foothill Ranch California just off Portolla Parkway. You have to pay the 3$
fee at the automated pay station and put the parking pass in your window. Today was a sunny 70 degree Sunday, so there
were a ton of hikers and mountain bikers in the parking lot. The Borrego Trail is mostly shaded and flat.
Mountain bikers use it as a launching point for several other trails in the
area, but biking is restricted on the Borrego Trail to uphill riding only, so you
won’t have anyone flying past you on the way down. The Borrego trail is an easy trail with almost no elevation gain, so it’s suitable for pretty much everyone.
There is a little creek that runs parallel with the creek, so you’ll see and
hear a ton of little animals scurrying around. We saw a lot families toting
little kids along the Borrego trail. You hike through the shaded section trail for about a mile and half before you come to the intersection for
the steep Mustard Road trail that leads to the top of the bluffs. There is a
trail map and a bench at the intersection in case you want to take a little break.
We decided not to hike up the hill because of the high number of mountain
bikers in the park today. From this point, we continued forward on the easier
trail to the Red Rock Canyon Trailhead. We passed several other trails that
lead uphill in other directions. Just follow the signs for Red Rock.
The Red Rock Trail is approximately half a mile long. It has
a very slight elevation gain, but little shade, so you will be exposed to the
sun. The canyon narrows slightly and the trail becomes a bit more rough and
washed out. The final 200 yards of the trail dead-ends at Red Rock Canyon. You
can scramble up the gap and take a few photos. There are several signs warning you
not to go any further because you could damage the fragile ecosystem. From this
point, you just turn around and go back the way you came, or you can try your
mettle on the steep side trails that lead to the top of the canyon. Look out
for mountain bikers flying down these side trails.
Holy Jim Falls. Trabuco Creek Road
 |
| Holy Jim Falls Trail. Trabuco Creek Road |
Holy Jim Falls is one of the most popular hikes in Orange
County. It’s probably the only waterfall
in Orange County that flows consistently the whole year. In truth, it’s not the best hike you’ll ever
do, but I think it merits at least one visit if you’re an Orange County hiker.
If you want a good chuckle, read the negative reviews of
this hike on Yelp. A lot of people show
up thinking this is an easy 1-mile hike.
And it is, if your car can manage the punishing 3 mile drive down Trabuco Creek
Road over streams, boulders, blind curves and the occasional mountain bike
jump. They’ve actually fixed up Trabuco Creek Road. It was washed out a few years ago during a rainy
season and had to be re-routed in several areas. It feels like a 7 lane freeway now compared to
how bad it used to be, but people are probably still going to complain.
There are a few good fishing spots along Trabuco Creek road.
I’ve seen the locals pull a few decent size fish out of Trabuco Creek.
If you decide not to drive down Trabuco Creek Road, consider
mountain biking to the trailhead instead, but make sure the trail is dry
because the mud can get insane after a rainstorm. Also, bring a lock for your
bike so you can chain it up at the trailhead. I usually chain my bike to a tree
behind the fire station. Walking down this road can really suck with all the
cars speeding past and kicking up dirt in your face.
Once you make past the fire station building to the actual
Holy Jim trailhead, the hike is approximately 1.5 miles each way to the falls. This is a popular hike, so you’ll probably see
other people hiking on the trail. I won’t
bother with instructions, because you’re in a canyon, so you can’t really get
lost. Holy Jim Falls is probably between
20-25 feet tall, but the forest here is verdant and lush, which is atypical of
the rest of Orange County. The moisture
in this canyon makes it a good place for bugs and salamanders. A lot of people complain about mosquitoes in Trabuco
Canyon, another uncharacteristic feature for Orange County. As with all waterfalls, this hike is better
after a few days of good rain if you really want to see Holy Jim in it's full subtle grandeur.
Silverado Canyon to Modjeska Peak
.JPG) |
| 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.
Best of OC 2012: Outdoors
 |
| Best of OC 2012: Outdoors |
The OC Register's Best of Orange County is a great reference for local hikes, biking trails, camping and surf spots in Orange County. I get ideas for a ton of hikes from reading through their list, so I thought I would share it.
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:
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.
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.
Save Trestles
This is an interesting blog about the proposed highway to be built adjacent to Trestles (possibly the best surf spot in Southern California).
Monrovia Canyon Falls
 |
| Monrovia Canyon Falls |
