Why Hiking Trails in Orange County Are Perfect for Beginners
Orange County is located between two major cities, Los Angeles and San Diego and as such is thought of mainly just as a region of residential suburban tract housing interspersed with amusement parks and malls. But there is another aspect of this Southern California area, the natural two-legged essence that calls to adventure through its numerous trails.
Coastal trails, fire roads, nature trails or steep climbs Orange County’s parks contain a great mix of lake-side, ocean-side, woodsy and uphill trails. Whether one wants to take a leisurely walk by the sea or a power walk leaving the legs burning and the air filled with the views of the ocean, there is a Hiking Trails in Orange County.
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Crystal Cove State Park
Aliso Creek Park is a beautiful state park, boasting of 2 miles, 3350 acres of beachfront and backcountry between Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. He said that the park has a fine network of trails for hiking, short trails that are easy to intense steep trails.
To view the coast, the mostly level Moro Beach Trail is used. Head right down to the sea and look at the bluffs and coves to find playing and basking sea lions. Or try the iminuous Red Tail Trail, which will take you over 300 feet up for views of the Pacific. It’s important to note that this park’s inhabitants include bobcats and coyotes which are often sighted when hiking.
Peters Canyon Regional Park
Located in Orange just near Irvine, Peters Canyon Regional Park offers 342 acres of oak and sycamore woodlands at the east fork of the Peters Canyon. The park totals 75 acres and it offers six miles of hiking trails that link to others owned by Irvine Ranch Conservancy.
Seeing the wildflowers in spring or the orange-red poison oak leaves in fall, one of the favourites is the Steve Ambriz Memorial Trail featuring 4.6 miles with gentle rolling hills. There is also a lake feature in the park that hosts residents and migratory birds which include; herons, egret and kingfishers.
Top of the World Trail in Laguna Beach
Make sure to put your legs to work on this tough steep trail. Top of the World Trail gets up a thousand feet in 1 mile, across mountaintop, designed never to lose a panorama. One can look for the entire Laguna Beach coastline with no obstructions anywhere from this elevated location.
Do not be late because this place has very limited parking space for cars. The inclined trekking generally takes may be between 40 to 60 minutes to most hikers. There is time to stop and reminisce or catch your very breath with an ever broadening view of the ocean which faces you at every turn. And of course how even children know that what goes up must come down the descent is much faster.
Santiago Oaks Regional Park
Located in the Foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, the Santiago Oaks Regional Park offers a number of significant vistas which passes through the almost 2000 acres of the park dominated by the oak woodland, coastal sage scrub and ponds.
For one of the best and well known Orange County hikes, try the 7.5 miles looping around the main two ponds. It has low use and minimal vertical climbing and is also heavily forested and thus well liked by hikers, runners, mountain bikers and horsed riders. There are ducks, egrets, herons, swallows, etc., to watch around the ponds and many other birds and animals you may be able to see there.
It also has rather steep trails that venture up and into the nearby slopes if that’s what you have in mind. No matter where you are, you might want to take a closer look at local animals, including mule deer, cottontail rabbits, foxes and hawks. It is The best option to Hiking Trails in Orange County.
Black Star Canyon Trail
More adventure-seeking hikers can go to the Cleveland National Forest and challenge the Black Star Canyon Trail, a 6.2 miles trail. This is an out and back trail, hiking along the creek through a lush wild canyon full of oaks and Sycamore trees, passing through the ruins of an old abandoned silver mining town.
Some of which include waterfall at black Star Canyon Falls, emerald pool and areas of Native American painting or drawing known as pictographs. Remember though that poison oak continues to grow alongside most of the trail further beyond the waterfalls and mountains and there are also legends of mountain lions in this area as well.
When in Indian Village the actual trail starts if you own a car with high clearance 4WD for the 1st 2miles are off the rough dirt road at Indian Village. This reduces your hike in half which makes for a 3 mile round trip. However, to fully explore the Hiking Trails in Orange County, you bracingly sequester yourself from urban noise in the relatively wild gorge.
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
The final activity recommended here, is to go for a beach experience in the Hiking Trails in Orange County. If you’re looking for a true-to-form beach trail trek, then traverse through Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach. This salt marsh, open mesa and wetland restored habitat offers more than 200 species of birds and has beautiful trails with backdrops to the ocean.
Among these, the most frequented is the 2.4 kilometer Loop Trail. This very short and almost level trail offers broad views from the slopes of the bluffs to Bolsa Chica State Ecological Reserve and out to the Pacific Ocean. If you are lucky enough, you will be able to see a looming full moon rising over the water resembling an enormous orange ball.
Whether you want salty air or shaded canyons, sunny ridges or wooded, Hiking Trails in Orange County boasts of perfect hiking terrains in immensely distinct terrains. With just an inkling of the local geography and some pioneering instincts, the primal side of OC is easily revealed.
