Best Hikes in Orange County & Santa Ana Mountains

Find a trail by using the Google map to zoom in on a marker near you or click on the trail from the table which contains all the hikes and links to the fully detailed page on ABHIKING describing the trails. Each marker in the Google map has a short description and provides a link to the fully detailed page on ABHIKING describing that trail.  The markers are color coordinated: RED: indicates a strenuous hike, GREEN: indicates a moderate hike, BLUE: indicates an easier hike.

View ABHIKING Geographic Trail Map in a larger map

Orange County Coastal Hikes

Trail Name	Distance Miles	Elevation Gain	Difficulty
Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park (Alta Laguna Park Trailhead)	7 - 8	800	Moderate
Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park (Pecten Reef Loop)	1.3	55	Easy
Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park (Aliso Peak Trail)	1.5	300	Easy
Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park (Dripping Cave)	5	100	Easy
Balboa Island (Newport Beach)	2.6	< 50	Easy
Canyon Community Park (Costa Mesa)	0.5 or 0.7	< 100	Very Easy
Colinas Ridge Trail	6.5	500	Moderate
Crystal Cove State Park (El Moro Canyon)	7.8	900	Moderate
Laguna Coast Wilderness (James Dilley Preserve)	3.5	300	Easy
Laguna Coast Wilderness (Laurel Canyon)	3.5	700	Easy
Laguna Coast Wilderness Park (Little Sycamore to Stagecoach South Loop)	4.8	400	Moderate
Mason Regional Park	3.2	< 100	Easy
Quail Hill Loop	1.8	< 100	Easy
Salt Creek Trail (Laguna Niguel)	9.5 - 10	400	Moderate
San Clemente Beach Trail	5.2	< 50	Easy
San Clemente Ridgeline Trail	7	250	Easy - Moderate
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (Boardwalk Loop)	2.8	< 100	Easy
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (North Loop)	1.5	< 100	Easy
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (South Loop)	1.6	< 100	Easy
Talbert Nature Preserve	2.2	< 100	Easy
Turtle Rock	2.7	250	Easy
Turtle Rock Nature Center	0.25	< 100	Very Easy
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve	1	< 100	Very Easy

Orange County Foothill & Santa Ana Mountain Hikes

Trail Name	Distance Miles	Elevation Gain	Difficulty
Aliso Creek Trail	4	600	Easy
Arroyo Trabuco Regional Park	3	< 100	Easy
Bear Canyon	6.8	1,000	Moderate
Bedford Peak	7	1,900	Moderate - Strenuous
Black Star Canyon Falls	6.7	800	Moderate - Strenuous
Carbon Canyon Regional Park	2.6	< 50	Easy
Caspers Wilderness Park (Bell Canyon Trail)	4	200	Easy
Caspers Wilderness Park (Bell Canyon Trail/East Ridge Loop)	5	300	Easy - Moderate
Caspers Wilderness Park (San Juan Hot Springs)	15	1,200	Strenuous
Chino Hills State Park (Telegraph Canyon)	8.2	700	Moderate
Chaquito Falls	8.9	1,300	Moderate
Eagle Loop	3.5	480	Easy - Moderate
El Cariso Nature Trail	1.2	< 100	Easy
Elsinore Peak	1	250	Easy
Flag Hill	3.5	400	Easy
Holy Jim Falls	2.8	650	Easy
Irvine Regional Park	2.5	100	Easy
Ladera Ranch Ridge	4.9	200	Easy - Moderate
Laurel Springs	9.5	2,250	Moderate
Limestone Canyon Wilderness (Shoestring/West Loma/Haul Road Loop)	4.5	450	Easy - Moderate
Limestone Canyon Wilderness (Viewing the Sinks)	5.5	800	Easy - Moderate
Los Pinos Peak via the Los Pinos Trail	16.4	3,300	Strenuous
Los Pinos Peak via the Main Divid Road	5.2	1,000	Moderate
Mile Square Regional Park	3	< 100	Easy
Mission Viejo Open Space	2.3	200	Easy
Morgan Trail	8.6	500	Moderate
O'Neill Regional Park (Live Oak Trail)	3.2	700	Easy - Moderate
Oak Canyon Nature Center	2	200	Easy
Ortega Falls	0.5	300	Easy
Oso Creek Trail	5.5	< 100	Easy - Moderate
Peters Canyon Regional Park	4.5	500	Easy - Moderate
Riley Wilderness Park	3.5	300	Easy
Saddleback Mountain	16	4,000	Strenuous
San Juan Loop Trail	2.2	350	Easy
Santa Rosa Plateau	6.3	400	Moderate
Santiago Oaks Regional Park	4	700	Easy - Moderate
Sitton Peak	10.3	2,200	Moderate
Tenaja Falls	1.4	300	Easy
Tenaja Trailhead to Fisherman's Camp	7	900	Moderate
Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park (Borrego Trailhead to Billy Goat Trail Loop)	5.3	650	Moderate
Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park (Borrego Trailhead to Red Rock Canyon)	4.4	500	Easy - Moderate
Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park (Borrego Trailhead to Vista Outlook)	5.5	700	Moderate
Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park (Glenn Ranch Road Trailhead)	5	500	Easy
Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park (Portola Parkway Trailhead)	3.2	500	Easy
Wilderness Glen	4	300	Easy