First-Time Visitor’s Guide

The NROC’s Most Popular Trails

Hitting the trails is one of the best ways to experience the Reserve, and they range in length, elevation, landscape, and strenuousness.

Here are a few of the most popular trails, so you can find one that suits your sense of adventure.

Back Bay Loop Trail: This well-signed 10.5-mile loop in Newport Beach winds around Upper Newport Bay, overlooking the estuary and taking you right down into the marshland. With only 377 feet in elevation gain, it’s a relatively steady, easy trek, but it’s mostly treeless, so be sure to bring sunscreen!

Bommer Ridge to Lizard Trail to Laurel Ridge Loop: Just over 4.5 miles long, this moderate loop through Laguna Canyon Wilderness Park starts with ocean and canyon views before winding down through rolling hills. It’s a moderate trek with some steeper climbs and is extremely popular with mountain bikers.

Top of the World via Canyon Acres Trail: This Laguna Beach trail in Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park offers a short—2.4 miles—but steep and challenging climb. Hike through coastal sage scrub to a panoramic viewpoint that will serve up a Catalina Island sighting on a clear day.

Peters Canyon Loop Trail: Hikers, bikers, runners, and horseback riders flock to this moderate 5.9-mile trail in Peters Canyon Regional Park. With a mix of flat stretches, climbs (about 675 feet gain in elevation), and panoramic views, it’s no wonder this trail is tops in popularity.

Red Tail and Rattlesnake Loop: Head to Crystal Cove State Park for this moderate, nearly 5-mile trail—with a 751-foot elevation gain—that starts at Pacific Ridge Trailhead with sweeping ocean views before single-track trekking through secluded coastal sage scrub.

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park Loop: This moderate 6.2-mile hike in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park has a little bit of everything—coastal sage scrub, oak woodlands, and, in the spring, swaths of wildflowers. A steep climb (1,036 feet elevation gain) pays off with panoramic ocean views.

Bommer Canyon Loop Trail: Explore the rolling San Joaquin Hills on this serene 4.6-mile trail in the City of Irvine Open Space Preserve South. There’s little shade but plenty of stunning scenery, and, with 898 feet in elevation gain, a bit of a challenging climb.

El Moro Canyon Loop Trail: Another moderate trek in Crystal Cove State Park, this one is a true stunner. The nearly 5-mile trail takes you through El Moro Canyon, and 810 feet of elevation gain gets you some of the park’s most incredible coastline views. It’s also one of the few Reserve trails with beach access, so you can reward yourself with an ocean swim after.

Buck Gully Trail: This out-and-in trek is hidden in a Newport Beach neighborhood, offering 4.4 miles of often shaded, creekside trail. Its gentle grades—only a 449-foot elevation gain—and easy-to-follow path make it pretty family-friendly. Mountain bikers take note: it’s a one-way trail.

Coal Canyon Trail: More experienced trail folk will like this one—10 miles through the Coal Canyon Ecological Reserve that start near the 91 freeway. An elevation gain of 1,840 feet rewards you with the dramatic sandstone cliffs of Orange County’s “Mini Moab.” It’s a mostly exposed trek, so save it for a cool day!

Bommer Canyon to Crystal Cove: This strenuous route is for those who want to go the distance—14 miles with 2,200 feet of elevation gain that offer a true mountains-to-the-sea experience, from City of Irvine Open Space Preserve South to Crystal Cove State Park.

Santiago Creek Trail and Barham Ridge: Mountain bikers love this moderate 6-mile loop in Santiago Oaks Regional Park in Orange, but experienced hikers and horseback riders like the steep (833-foot elevation gain) inclines too. There’s very little shade, but there is an epic lookout with great views of the city.

Quail Hill Loop Trail: This short, relatively flat (147-foot elevation gain) route offers 2 easy miles through the City of Irvine’s Open Space Preserve South—it’s family-friendly and great for beginners. You’ll see rolling grasslands and sweeping views of the city. It’s also one of the Reserve’s few dog-friendly areas, just remember to keep your furry friends leashed!

Barbara’s Lake Loop Trail: A moderate 2.9-mile trek through Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, this lives up to its name by leading you, over mostly flat terrain, right to Barbara’s Lake. A small hill (328-foot elevation gain) adds a slight challenge, but blooming wildflowers in the spring make it more than worthwhile.

Find a Trail in Your Backyard

Guided Activities & Wilderness Access Days

Some areas of the NROC are reserved only for wildlife, but you can explore those, too—here’s how.

Much of the Reserve’s 38,000 acres are always open to the public, but there are some truly special parts that we don’t want disturbed on a daily basis. But that doesn’t mean you can’t behold their grandeur! You just have to do a bit more planning, by registering for a docent-led activity or marking your calendar with the area’s Wilderness Access Days, when self-guided exploration of typically restricted areas is allowed. Here are a few of those spectacular trails. They’re not typically open to the public, but when they are, you won’t want to miss them.

The Sinks: Trekking 10 miles, with steep inclines and descents, through the Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve in the Irvine Ranch Open Space will reward experienced hikers with a spectacular view of The Sinks—dramatic sandstone cliffs that are Orange County’s miniature version of the Grand Canyon.

Fremont Canyon to Mini Moab: This out-and-back distance hike—14 miles—with steep climbs and spectacular views is for experienced hikers. It starts in the Irvine Ranch Open Space and ends up in the Coal Canyon Ecological Center, to the sandstone ridgeline known as “Mini Moab.”

Borrego Canyon Trail to Red Rock Canyon: A relatively easy 4-mile trail, this Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park trek gently climbs through Borrego Canyon before leading you to Red Rock Canyon—truly awe-inspiring formations of smooth, red rock cliffs.

Weir Canyon Trail: This 3.7-mile loop will take you through Santiago Oaks Regional Park in Orange, offering spectacular views of the Anaheim Hills. Plan your visit for the spring, and you’ll be surrounded by some of Southern California’s most vibrant wildflowers.

Orchard Hills Loop Trail: Head to City of Irvine Open Space Preserve North for this relatively easy 2.9-mile loop that winds through the hills and near the agricultural orchards that the Orchard Hills planned community is named for.

Sign up for docent lead hikes or access managed open space at Let’sGoOutside.com

Activities Galore

There’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the Nature Reserve of Orange County. Mountain biking, hiking, bird watching, and more—there’s a park that’s perfect for however you want to move through nature. Support your local park by tagging us at #VisitNROC.

Every park in the Reserve offers trails for running, hiking, and mountain biking—so consider location convenience, trail length and difficulty, and the type of scenery you want to explore before choosing where to hit the trail. If you want to bring your dog along, your choices are limited, but you do have some options, just be sure to keep them leashed (learn more about why most of the Reserve is dog-free). Many of the parks also have equestrian-friendly trails, so saddle up and come on out.

Hundreds of wildlife species make their home on the Reserve, and it’s an incredible place to get a glimpse of some of Southern California’s noteworthy native animals. Birders flock to Talbert Regional Park and City of Irvine Open Space Preserve, but take a look at your list of lifers, and choose accordingly. You’ll encounter wildlife at every park, so choose your destination by habitat depending on what you want to see. Kayaking, fishing, and even camping are welcome on the Reserve. And there are always fun guided activities taking place, from interpretive nature walks to yoga.

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