Visit Laguna Beach Visitors Guide 2020 - 34

OUTDOORS/TOURS

EXPLORING THE TRAILS
THERE ARE MORE THAN 20,000 ACRES OF PRISTINE COASTAL
WILDERNESS, STATE PARKS AND DESIGNATED COUNTY
WILDERNESS AREAS FOR BIKING, HIKING AND TRAIL RUNNING IN
THE HILLS AND CANYONS SURROUNDING LAGUNA BEACH.
he Laguna Coast Wilderness (7,000 acres), Crystal Cove State Park (2,400
acres) and the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness (4,500 acres) are all accessible from the city. Here are some of the best trails in each.

Coast Wilderness and its neighbor,
Crystal Cove State Park. From the
well-marked trailhead, follow the
trail southeast, following the ridge
line roughly parallel to Highway
73. Look for the signage at trail
intersections to be sure you're on
the correct trail, as numerous trails
head northeast, down into Laurel
Canyon or southwest along ridges
towards the ocean.
After roughly 2 miles, the trail will
follow a similar ridge, still Bommer,
toward the ocean. There are several
trails that intersect near this point
including Emerald Canyon and
Willow Canyon. From here the trail
continues another 1.8 miles till it
terminates at the intersection of the
Water Tank, Boat Road, and Laguna
Ridge trails.

Crystal Cove
via the Difficult
Loop Trail
THIS PAGE, ABOVE: VIEW FROM
THE TOP OF THE WORLD;
OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE
FROM TOP LEFT: CAR WRECK
TRAIL; MOUNTAN BIKING AT
TOP OF THE WORLD; CRYSTAL
COVE LOOP TRAIL; BFI TRAIL AT
CRYSTAL COVE

Bommer Ridge &
Emerald Canyon
Bommer Ridge, aka Pacific Ridge,
is the northwest entrance to the
magnificent 7,000-acre Laguna
Coast Wilderness Park, and provides excellent hiking, cycling, and
trail running with dramatic views
down canyons to the Pacific Ocean
all the way to Catalina Island and
east across to Santiago Peak and
the Santa Ana Mountains.
The Bommer Ridge West
Trailhead, aka The Pacific Ridge
Trailhead, begins at the edge
of Ridge Park Road, overlooking Highway 73, and marks the
northwest entrance to the Laguna

DESTINATION GUIDE 2020 I VISITLAGUNABEACH.COM

The trail begins and ends at the
El Moro Visitor Center. Parking
requires a $15-day use parking pass
available in the visitor center. For
this hike, Loop Trail, you take Moro
Canyon, East Cut Across, Moro
Ridge, then BFI. Maps are available
at the ranger station. On this hike,
you first take a windy trail that
gradually inclines from 35-740 feet
in elevation. Once you hike to the
top, you're set to go down a steep,
straight slope down the mountain.
Another option is to take this trail
backwards. Go straight up the difficult incline first, then easily make
your way down the windy trail. This
might be easier because tackling
the hardest part first will give you

enough energy to move through the
challenge. Also, the journey back
down will be easier on your knees.
When you've completed the
hike, there is a trail on your way
back that directly leads to the
beach. This is the best way to cool
down; put your feet in the warm
sand, take a dip in the water, and
relax. You deserve it.

Water Tank Trail
No visit to Laguna Beach is complete without a hike, run, or bike
along the Water Tank Trail. In spring,
the flowers are incredible and the
views are great year-round. A classic out-and-back begins in Irvine
Bowl Park at the end of Lookout
Drive and proceeds up the ridgeline
and past the Water Tank (and an
excellent spot to catch a sunset).
During the spring wildflower bloom
you will pass a beautiful field of
golden yarrow, with epic views up
and down the coast and over all of
Laguna Beach. Follow the trail until
it reaches its highpoint at the intersection with the Boat Road, Laguna
Road, Laguna Ridge, and Bommer
Ridge trails. From here you can
head back or continue onwards,
either further along the ridgeline
or down into Emerald Canyon or
Laguna Canyon.

BFI Trail in
Crystal Cove
State Park
BFI, aka "Big Fat Incline," is an
excellent gateway into the network
of trails that Crystal Cove State Park
features, and additionally, connects
into the Laguna Coast Wilderness.

http://www.VISITLAGUNABEACH.COM

Visit Laguna Beach Visitors Guide 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Visit Laguna Beach Visitors Guide 2020