Laguna Beach is a small coastal city in California blessed with abundant hiking trails. Whether you are a lover of foot trails or boardwalks, there are unlimited hiking grounds at Laguna Beach.
Unlike other hiking trails in the region, this area is not only safe but also eye-catching. Your visit to this lovely beach is incomplete without your camera!
Since there is a wide range of hiking grounds, hikers might be caught between two stools while choosing the most appropriate location. Fortunately, all you need is this post.
The post discusses the best hiking trails in Laguna Beach, California. The post also covers why the location is important.
Importance of Laguna Beaches and Places
Image Source: unsplash.com
Founded in 1927, Laguna Beach is a historical area with amazing hiking trails, beaches, and walkable downtown. That isn’t all! The area is also home to thrilling art festivals and other exciting events. Yearly, it receives more than six million visitors coming from different parts of the globe.
Also, there are hundreds of thousands of protected wilderness for adventurous exploration. This area has many places and things for you to discover. Here is a rundown of the importance of Laguna Beaches and other unique places in the area.
1. Hiking
There are unlimited trailing areas for hiking of any type. Besides hiking trails, visitors can also enjoy mountain biking trails, trail running trails, and many more adventures. Unlike other hiking destinations worldwide, hikers get hand-curated trail maps to keep them out of danger while on the road.
2. Skimboarding
Skimboarding has its history in Laguna Beach. The lovely event started in the early 1920s. However, skimboarders were only able to ride around on flat pieces of wood. Today, Laguna Beach has become one of the biggest and largest skimboarding areas in the world.
3. Wine Tasting
Laguna Beach is a city in California where you can enjoy award-winning tasting wines. Irrespective of your taste, the city offers both international and local wines. In contrast to other wine tasting areas in the US, Laguna Beach City’s wines are handcrafted. From the vineyards in Sonoma down to Napa, the premium grapes give the wine quality taste and flavor. Meanwhile, wine tasting is unavailable on major holidays.
4. Night Shows and Events
After a long day walking around the beautiful trails in the city, many restaurants and bars in Laguna Beach offer visitors a memorable and relaxing time. One of the fascinating activities in the evening is the live music. Whether you visit Skyloft or Mozambique, there is amazing music and jams to enjoy. Aside from good music, these areas also offer mouth-watering dishes and drinks. Other places to enjoy fantastic night shows include The Cliff Restaurant, Kiya Bistro Bar, Brussels Bistro, and lots more.
5. Theatre
Your visit to Laguna Beach is incomplete without having a great time at the Laguna Playhouse. Irrespective of the time you come around, the professional actors are always ready to offer off-Broadway and Broadway-caliber performances. Likewise, there are special performances for some unique events in the city.
Best Hiking Trails in Laguna Beach, California
Are you in search of a great hiking experience in Laguna Beach? This marks the beginning of your adventure of over 51 great hiking trails in Laguna. Let’s ride through the best of them!
1. Little Sycamore Trail
2. Stagecoach South Trail
3. Laurel Canyon
4. Willow Canyon
5. The Big Bend
6. Bomber Ridge
7. Water Tank Trail
8. Crystal Cove State Park
9. Alta Laguna Park
10. Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
Laguna’s aerial view reveals the beautiful scenery of the canyons, green fields, and the world in general. As it turns out, Laguna is surrounded by a great area of Coastal wilderness containing countless interconnections of biking trails.
California has quite a several coastal areas, but we would simply focus on Laguna alone. Laguna has a landmass of about 7,000 acres. This landmass is the residence of what is termed “the last surviving coastal canyons.” Just south of Laguna is the Southern Coast, a total wilderness.
1. Little Sycamore Trail
On your first visit to Laguna, your first adventure should be at the Nix Nature Center. The Center has an archive of the whole history of Laguna. You would learn about the natural environment of the park before embarking on this exciting adventure. It’s wildlife, waterfalls, green forest, and more. Your first trial will probably be a little sycamore.
Little Sycamore eventually leads to the Serrano Ridge. Both Ridges are very steep. You can hike as many times; your breath permits you. You would have a pleasant view of some canyons and nearby cities during your experience. Don’t forget to come with a hat, a water bottle, and a sunshade. There isn’t any shade on the ride so you would be directly exposed to the hot sun.
2. Stagecoach South Trail
From the Nix Center, you may choose the Stagecoach South instead. This trail is about 4.5 miles long. Unlike the steepness of Little Sycamore, Stagecoach South is somewhat curvy. Southgate permits you to see the nearby canyons in their real beauty. Hiking and cycling are allowed on Stagecoach, but not many can cycle at once due to its narrow path. The Stagecoach south is rated average, but the lovely curvy path is awesome.
3. Laurel Canyon
If you watched closely, you’d notice hikers hurrying towards the Laurel Canyon. Why, if you may ask? Only hikers are permitted on this canyon, and it is perhaps a fascinating Trail in Laguna. The trail is only 1.5 miles long. The path leading to the Laurel Canyon is through the Willow Canyon Staging place.
At first, the environment seems noisy, but it becomes unusually quiet as you head towards the meadow. One fascinating thing you’d never fail to notice is the presence of blooming wildflowers even in the absence of spring. Just close by is a magnificent waterfall. In winter, it rains heavily in Laurel Canyons. Laurel Canyon is filled with many gentle slopes and many rocks.
4. Willow Canyon
You should have no problems locating this trail. It’s the same parking lot as Laurel Canyons. Many don’t like the Willow Canyon, as it is more challenging. If you want to make the most of your hiking experience, you could give it a trial by attempting to climb any of the hills. What makes the hill even more difficult to climb is it’s steeply sloping. The reward of climbing uphill becomes appreciated at the top of the slope as the Pacific Ocean becomes very expansive and completely visible. Going down the slope, you encounter small groups of animals and lovely flowers as well.
5. The Big Bend
Big Bend and Little Sycamore have several things in common. They both are hot and steeply. Big Bend is just 1.5 miles long, and accessible through the Big Bend parking lot. Unless you are brave, the idea of hiking a big bend may never cross your mind a second. If you embark on this challenge, the reward is quite handsome. First, you get another opportunity to peep at the great Ocean. Secondly, you get access to another trail called Bommer Ridge. Come with a hat and ensure you stay hydrated. It could be very hot in this area with limited shades.
6. BOMBER RIDGE
You can access Bomber ridge through the emerald canyon or the backdoor “the pacific ridge.” The bomber ridge is a good starting point for hikers and cyclists exploring Laguna Beach. The Bomber Ridge is about 8.2 miles long, leading to a network of other trails waiting to be explored.
7. Water Tank Trail
Perhaps another name for Laguna Beach should be “steeply beach”. Most trails in Laguna have this steep character. The water tank seems to explore this character the most. Also, the water tank is the steepest trail in Laguna Beach. One beautiful feature of this trail is that it helps build your muscles as you climb. It takes just 15 minutes to reach the top, and when you do, you come face to face with the Pacific Ocean once again.
8. Crystal Cove State Park
This park is designed for those who would love a fairly distant stroll. Perhaps lovers who want to enjoy the environment. The Crystal Cove is a 2.5-mile trail with a paved road conducive to a pleasant walking experience. This trail also permits pets as they love going on strolls. The reward of trailing this park is the cool, refreshing breeze coming directly from the Ocean. This will make your strolling exercise even more enjoyable.
9. Alta Laguna Park
There’s a reason why everyone dreams of being on top of their world. At the top, you get a clear view of everything around you. This is exactly what the Alta Laguna beach is like. It is mainly for viewing. You get the perfect view of the whole Laguna territory. What’s even more interesting is that Alta Laguna Park has accommodations for sports such as baseball, basketball, and even tennis. This could be your favorite destination in Laguna, especially if you are a sports lover.
10. Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park
Our list of the most exciting trails to hike at Laguna Beach is incomplete without Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park’s inclusion. With more than 4500 acres of open space, there are various wonderful places to hike. Unlike other trails in Laguna Beach, unlimited mature trees protect the trail from hot sun rays. That’s not all! The two-year-round streams also keep you cool and comfortable on the road.
Conclusion
The Holidays are around the corner. This means the fun period is slowly coming upon us. Outdoor events are the best for Holidays. A trip to Laguna Beach will be just fine for the holidays.
