Triails are Well Maintained: The San Juan Creek Trail is known for its well-marked and maintained bike path, making it ideal for long runs and bike rides.
Peaceful and Scenic: Despite some dull areas and occasional unpleasant odors, the trail offers peaceful surroundings and great views.
Trail Conditions: The area is typically warm and dry in September, perfect for outdoor activities, though trail conditions can vary.
Amenities: Not crowded, with bathrooms available along the way.
Starting Point: Begins at Reata Road, heading south. After crossing under I-5 freeway, signage may disappear, but crossing the pedestrian bridge and turning left keeps you on track.
Mixed Reviews: Some find the trail boring with stinky areas near the end, while others appreciate the clean and safe bridges.
Social Rides: Popular for group rides, with mentions of meeting friends and enjoying the day despite windy conditions.
Easy Ride: Starting at Doheny Beach and traveling inland towards San Juan Capistrano, the trail is flat and level, with a mix of paved and dirt paths.
Confusing End: The end of the trail can be confusing as it seems to follow under a bridge where no path is seen.
Beautiful Scenery: Despite some bumps and lack of shade in the last quarter, the trail is overall a great ride with beautiful views.
Coastal Trail
Rancho Mission Viejo Trails
West Ridge Trail:
Length and Difficulty: The longest trail in Rancho Mission Viejo, estimated at 10.5 miles with an ascent of 1,305 feet.
Scenic Views: Offers tons of views of the beautiful California landscape, though most of it has no shade.
Trail Conditions: Some parts can be muddy and flooded due to rain.
Activities: Suitable for hiking, biking, and trail running.
Esencia Farm Loop:
Short and Scenic: A shorter hike into the canyon with lots of vegetation and a fair bit of up and down but nothing too strenuous.
Elevation Gain: Features an ascent of 127 feet.
Trail Use: Popular for hiking and exploring the nature areas surrounding Rancho Mission Viejo.
Trail Network: The trails in Rancho Mission Viejo, including the San Juan Creek Trail and others, create a network that connects the city to the beach.
Accessibility: These trails offer easy access to the beach from various points in the city, making it convenient for residents and visitors to enjoy both urban and coastal environments.
Outdoor Activities: Whether you’re looking for a peaceful bike ride, a scenic hike, or a long run, these trails provide diverse options for outdoor enthusiasts.
Community Engagement: The trails are designed to encourage community engagement, with many people using them for social rides, group hikes, and family outings.
Discovering Rancho Mission Viejo
A New Realm: When you set out to discover the trails at Rancho Mission Viejo, you’re entering a whole new realm. The hundreds of acres of wilderness and permanent open space surrounding The Ranch is The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.
Habitat Reserve: It’s a habitat reserve—land set aside for the conservation of plant and animal species.
Stewardship: Protecting The Reserve lands is a high priority for the Rancho Mission Viejo family, stewards of this land since 1882. Family matriarch Marguerite “Daisy” O’Neill always encouraged her family to understand that the blessings of landownership come with a responsibility to be a good neighbor, advice which forms the foundation for our Culture of Care.
Impressive Neighbors: These lands are home to a diverse population of plants and animals, including endangered and protected species. In our native grasslands, you’ll find wildflowers like the endangered Thread-leaved Brodiaea. Other conserved plant communities, such as the coastal sage scrub, riparian, and oak woodlands, support a wide variety of vulnerable species including the endangered arroyo toad and the California gnatcatcher, an endangered bird.
Trail Etiquette: Exercising good trail etiquette is a must to help protect the fragile habitats bordering our community trails and pathways. Please:
Stay on marked trails.
Put trash in its proper place.
Observe all posted signs.
Volunteer for local trail stewardship projects.
Growing Wilderness: The Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo is a growing habitat reserve located on the historic Rancho Mission Viejo. Today The Reserve is approximately 6,500 acres in size. In the future, The Reserve will grow to over 20,868 acres.
Historic Ranch: One of the great historic California Ranches spanning more than 200,000 acres, Rancho Mission Viejo has evolved from an agricultural and cattle ranching community into a thriving area that families call home. Today, the 23,000 remaining acres include Rancho Mission Viejo itself, the last working ranch in Orange County, plus a growing residential community at The Ranch, and a protected open space natural habitat at The Reserve.
Connecting with Nature: Through scientific monitoring and ongoing restoration projects, The Reserve manages the land. Yet it also offers many opportunities for residents and guests of this area to connect with and explore all nature has to offer through recreational, educational, and stewardship programs. To find out about access to Reserve hikes, access days, and volunteer opportunities, visit RMVReserve.org.
