Day Hikes Around Orange County

by Stone, Robert

• ISBN13: 9781573420471
• ISBN10: 1573420476
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-04-01
• Publisher: Day Hike Books

Summary

Orange County invites exploration! This southern California county is framed by the Pacific Coast on one side while the Santa Ana Mountains run along its backside, offering incredibly diverse landscape and scenery. Despite the presence of the Orange County metropolis, nearly 30% of the county's acreage is parklands, wildlife sanctuaries, national forests, and wilderness preserves.Day Hikes Around Orange Countyis a comprehensive guide to 108 day hikes in and around the county, providing access to these natural, undeveloped areas and hundreds of miles of hiking trails, from the dramatic coastline to the interior mountains and valleys. Residents and travelers will find this 256-page book an essential guide to exploring Orange County. Highlights include magnificent rock formations, bay-side coves and caves, eroding sandstone cliffs, marine terraces, tidal estuaries, peninsulas, mountain peaks, waterfalls, ridge walks, weather-sculpted canyons, old ranch roads, historical ruins, large public parks, and sweeping views from the ocean to the cities. Each hike includes a detailed map, accurate driving and hiking directions, distance/time/elevation statistics, a list of relevant maps, and summaries to help hikers find a trail appropriate to their ability and desire. Larger overall maps show the hike locations in the greater metropolitan area. All hikes can be completed during the day, and a range of difficulty levels is included. (Map sources and references are included for extending the hikes). Companion hiking guides in the Day Hike Books series includeDay Hikes On The California Southern Coast, Day Hikes Around Los Angeles, andDay Hikes Around Ventura County.

Author Biography

For more than a decade, veteran hiker Robert Stone has been writer, photographer, and publisher of Day Hike Books. Robert has hiked every trail in the Day Hike Book series. With twenty-one hiking guides in the series, many in their second, third, and fourth editions, he has hiked over a thousand trails throughout the western United States and Hawaii. When not hiking, he is researching, writing, and mapping the hikes before returning to the trails. An active member of the Outdoor Writers Association of California and a Los Angeles Times Best Selling Author, he resides summers in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and winters on the California Central Coast.

Table of Contents

About the Hikes and Orange County	10	(2)
MAP OF THE HIKES	12	(2)
THE HIKES
Palos Verdes Peninsula • Long Beach • Belmont Shore (Los Angeles County)
PALOS VERDES TO CORONA DEL MAR MAP (Hikes 1-15)	14	(32)
1. Long Point (Marineland)	16	(2)
2. Abalone Cove and Portuguese Point	18	(2)
3. Crenshaw Extension Trail and Portuguese Bend Overlook	20	(2)
4. South Coast Botanic Garden	22	(2)
5. White Point to Point Fermin	24	(2)
6. Sunken City	26	(2)
7. Long Beach Oceanfront Trail	28	(2)
8. Belmont Pier to Alamitos Bay Channel	30	(2)
9. El Dorado Nature Center-El Dorado Park	32
Huntington Beach • Costa Mesa • Newport Beach • Corona Del Mar
10. Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve	34	(2)
11. Huntington Beach • Bluff Top Park Bolsa Chica State Beach to Huntington Pier	36	(2)
12. Newport Beach • Balboa Peninsula Newport Pier to West Jetty View Park	38	(2)
13. Corona Del Mar State Beach	40	(2)
14. Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve North Corridor from Interpretive Center	42	(2)
15. Back Bay Drive Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve	44	(2)
Laguna Beach • South Laguna • Laguna Niguel • Laguna Hills • Laguna Woods • Aliso Viejo
NEWPORT BEACH TO SAN CLEMENTE MAP (Hikes 16-45)	46	(64)
16. Crystal Cove Oceanfront Bluffs Crystal Cove State Park	48	(1)
17. No Name Ridge-Ticketron-Redtail Ridge Loop Crystal Cove State Park	49	(5)
18. El Moro Canyon-Slow N' Easy Loop Crystal Cove State Park	54	(2)
19. Emerald Bay Overlook Crystal Cove State Park	56	(1)
20. El Moro Canyon-Moro Ridge Loop Crystal Cove State Park	57	(3)
21. Big Bend-Bommer Ridge-Laguna Ridge Loop Laguna Coast Wilderness Park	60	(1)
22. Emerald Canyon-Bommer Ridge Loop Laguna Coast Wilderness Park	61	(3)
23. Laurel Canyon-Willow Canyon Loop Laguna Coast Wilderness Park	64	(2)
24. Barbara's Lake Loop James Dilley Greenbelt Preserve	66	(2)
25. Laguna Beach Bluffs and Heisler Park Crescent Bay Point Park to Main Beach	68	(2)
26. Carolyn Wood View Knoll from Temple Hill	70	(2)
27. West Ridge-Rock-It-Mathis Canyon Loop Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park	72	(1)
28. West Ridge-Wood Canyon-Rock-It Loop Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park	73	(2)
29. Aliso Canyon and Wood Canyon Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park	75	(3)
30. Aliso Summit Trail Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park	78	(1)
31. Aliso Peak Trail from Seaview Park Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park	79	(3)
32. Seaview Trail and Badlands Trail from Badlands Park	82	(2)
33. South Laguna Ridge Trail to Aliso Peak Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park	84	(2)
34. Valido and Toovet Trails to Aliso Peak Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park	86	(2)
35. Sulphur Creek Reservoir Loop Laguna Niguel Regional Park	88	(2)
Dana Point • San Juan Capistrano • San Clemente
36. Salt Creek Beach Park	90	(2)
37. Salt Creek Trail	92	(2)
38. Dana Point Harbor	94	(2)
39. Hide "Blufftop" Trail-Dana Point Bluffs	96	(2)
40. Heritage Park	98	(2)
41. Doheny State Beach • Capistrano Beach Park	100	(2)
42. Rancho San Clemente Ridgeline Trail	102	(2)
43. San Clemente State Beach to San Mateo Point	104	(1)
44. Trestles Beach-San Onofre State Beach North	105	(3)
45. San Onofre Bluffs-San Onofre State Beach South	108	(2)
Brea • Yorba Linda • Chino Hills
CHINO HILLS STATE PARK MAP (Hikes 46-57)	110	(50)
46. Carbon Canyon Creek Nature Trail Carbon Canyon Regional Park	112	(2)
47. Gilman Peak-Chino Hills State Park	114	(1)
48. North Ridge-Telegraph Canyon Loop Chino Hills State Park	115	(3)
49. South Ridge-Telegraph Canyon Loop (west) Chino Hills State Park	118	(1)
50. San Juan Hills from Rim Crest Drive Chino Hills State Park	119	(3)
51. Upper Aliso Canyon Loop-Chino Hills State Park	122	(1)
52. Upper Aliso Canyon-Raptor Ridge Loop Chino Hills State Park	123	(3)
53. Hills for Everyone-Four Corners-Telegraph Canyon Loop Chino Hills State Park	126	(1)
54. Telegraph Canyon-South Ridge Loop to San Juan Hill	127	(3)
55. Skully Ridge-Lower Aliso Canyon Loop Chino Hills State Park	130	(1)
56. Water Canyon-Chino Hills State Park	131	(3)
57. McLean Overlook-Chino Hills State Park	134	(2)
Anaheim • Anaheim Hills • Orange • Tustin
58. Yorba Regional Park	136	(2)
59. Oak Canyon Nature Trail	138	(2)
60. Santiago Creek-Wilderness Loop Trails Santiago Oaks Regional Park	140	(1)
61. Windes Nature Trail and Pacifica Loop Santiago Oaks Regional Park	141	(3)
62. Oak-Anaheim Hills Trail to Robber's Peak Santiago Oaks Regional Park	144	(2)
63. Anaheim Hills Trail-Serrano Avenue Loop Santiago Oaks Regional Park	146	(1)
64. Weir Canyon Loop-Weir Canyon Wilderness Park	147	(3)
65. Puma Ridge-Horseshoe Loop Irvine Regional Park	150	(1)
66. Horseshoe-Santiago Creek Loop Irvine Regional Park	151	(1)
67. Roadrunner Loop-Irvine Regional Park	152	(4)
68. Lake View Trail-Peters Canyon Regional Park	156	(1)
69. Peters Canyon-East Ridge View Loop Peters Canyon Regional Park	157	(3)
Lake Forest • Foothill Ranch • Mission Viejo • Rancho Santa Margarita • Coto de Caza
70. Borrego Canyon to Vista Look Out Limestone Canyon-Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park	160	(1)
71. Borrego Canyon and Red Rock Canyon Limestone Canyon-Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park	161	(1)
72. Serrano Canyon-Sleepy Hollow-Dreaded Hill Loop Limestone Canyon-Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park	162	(4)
73. Live Oak Trail to Vista Point-O'Neill Regional Park	166	(1)
74. Edna Spaulding Nature Trail-O'Neill Regional Park	167	(3)
75. Arroyo Trabuco Trail-O'Neill Regional Park	170	(2)
O'NEILL REGIONAL PARK MAP (Hikes 73-75)	172	(4)
76. Wagon Wheel Canyon-Pheasant Run-Oak Canyon Loop General Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park	174	(2)
Santa Ana Mountains from Santiago Canyon Road Silverado • Modjeska • Trabuco Canyon
SANTIAGO CANYON ROAD MAP (Hikes 77-85)	176	(20)
77. Black Star Canyon	178	(1)
78. Silverado Trail to Overlook-Silverado Canyon	179	(3)
79. Silverado Trail to Bedford Peak-Silverado Canyon	182	(2)
80. Harding Road to Santiago Canyon Viewpoint-Modjeska Canyon	184	(1)
81. Harding Road to Harding Canyon Overlook and Laurel Spring Modjeska Canyon	185	(1)
82. Santiago Trail-Modjeska Grade to Vulture Crags	186	(4)
83. Holy Jim Falls-Holy Jim Canyon	190	(1)
84. Trabuco Canyon to West Horsethief Trail	191	(1)
85. Trabuco Canyon-West Horsethief Loop	192	(4)
Caspers Wilderness Park
CASPERS WILDERNESS PARK MAP (Hikes 86-92)	196	(16)
86. Juaneno-San Juan Creek Loop	198	(1)
87. East Ridge-Sun Rise-Bell Canyon Loop	199	(3)
88. Pinhead Peak Trail	202	(2)
89. Bell Canyon-Oso-Cougar Pass Loop	204	(1)
90. Bell Canyon-Oso-East Ridge-Quail Run Loop	205	(3)
91. Bell Canyon-Star Rise-Oak Trail Loop	208	(1)
92. West Ridge-Oak Trail Loop	209	(3)
Ortega Highway Corridor
ORTEGA HIGHWAY MAP (Hikes 93-101)	212	(22)
93. Bear Canyon-Bear Ridge Loop	214	(2)
94. San Juan Loop	216	(2)
95. Lower Chiquito Trail to the Lion Canyon Overlook	218	(1)
96. Upper Chiquito Trail into Lion Canyon	219	(3)
97. Viejo Tie Trail	222	(2)
98. Upper Hot Spring Canyon to Falls	224	(1)
99. Los Pinos Peak from North Main Divide Road	225	(3)
100. El Cariso Nature Trail	228	(1)
101. Morgan Trail	229
Santa Ana Mountains from Riverside County • Wildomar • Murrieta • Temecula
102. Tenaja Falls-San Mateo Canyon Wilderness	232	(1)
103. San Mateo Canyon-Fisherman's Camp Loop San Mateo Canyon Wilderness	233	(1)
104. Tenaja Trail-Fisherman's Camp Loop San Mateo Canyon Wilderness	234	(2)
SAN MATEO CANYON WILDERNSS MAP (Hikes 93 • 101-104)	236	(2)
SANTA ROSA PLATEAU ECOLOGICAL RESERVE MAP (Hikes 105-109)	238	(1)
105. Vernal Pools and Historic Adobes Loop	240	(1)
106. Coyote-Oak Tree Loop	241	(1)
107. Tovashal-Sylvan Meadows-Torino Loop	244	(1)
108. Granite-Vista Grande-Waterline Loop	246	(1)
109. Wiashal Trail Loop to Cole Canyon	248	(2)
Companion Guides	250	(3)
Index	253

Excerpts

Hike 27, West Ridge--Mathis Canyon Loop in Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park. . "From Laguna Beach, the San Joaquin Hills rise abruptly from the sea to an elevation over 1,000 feet. Large undeveloped areas have been preserved as public parks and wilderness land, with an extensive network of hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails. One of these treasures, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, spreads across 4,000 acres and includes more than 30 miles of trails. The park has massive sandstone formations, several forested canyons, two year-round streams, lush riparian vegetation, oaks, elderberries, sycamores, and native grasslands. This hike begins from the Top of the World trailhead on Temple Hill, the highest point in the park at 1,036 feet. The awesome bird's-eye views extend across the Pacific Ocean and into Laguna and Wood Canyons. The undulating path follows a ridge separating the canyons and drops into the upper end of Wood Canyon, shaded by ancient oaks and sycamores."

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Excerpted from Day Hikes Around Orange County by Robert Stone
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.